Data Analytics and Business Intelligence have changed the way many businesses operate worldwide. Actionable insights and data-driven decision-making have created a new trend in the corporate sector. Studies predict that by 2025, 60% of the 163 zettabytes of existing data will be created and managed by enterprise organizations (Reinsel, Gantz and Rydning, 2018). Furthermore, according to McKinsey(Bokman et al., 2014), data-driven organizations are 23 times more likely to acquire customers, six times as likely to retain customers, and 19 times as likely to be profitable as a result.
But what is happening with non-governmental organizations?
Nowadays, the cost-efficiency and the availability of cloud computing enables NGOs to delve into the field of Business Intelligence by developing their own data environments without the need to invest in an expensive on-premise server setup. One such case is the emergence of data commonwealths, meaning online platforms with the purpose of collaboration for a common goal. The “Hutch Data Commonwealth“ is one such instance. It is a group that supports research through software and data engineering, with the purpose of understanding and eliminating disease. This effort is done across scientific disciplines and is focused on connecting with scientific and technological organizations, making use of the data resources available and aiming towards data-intensive science. For the Hutch Data Commonwealth, the cloud is a pivotal technology which enables collaboration and fosters trust among stakeholders. The privacy concerns connected with the sharing of records and personal information can be addressed by sharing data in a safe and secure way in the commonwealth environment, adhering to strict legislative requirements and thus protecting the privacy of individuals.
Another fascinating example of NGOs taking advantage of Business Intelligence is the organization “Educate Girls”, based in Rajasthan. The organization aims to provide education for girls and empower the local community. By gathering data on each student’s attendance, performance and tracking their learning progress, Educate Girls has managed to stay focused on their goal and keep the enrolment and attendance of girls high in their target community.
Seeing the rise of the Business Intelligence trend, and the improvement this has brought to the efficiency of corporate organizations, it is exciting to imagine the prospects this technology can have for NGOs, whether they are in the health sector, dealing with human rights or focusing on climate change. Using data for good is here to stay, with accessible cloud platforms opening the way for all organizations, regardless of budget, to profit from the benefits of analytics.
References:
Reinsel, D., Gantz, J. and Rydning, J. (2018). The Digitization of the World: From Edge to Core. Data Age 2025.
Bokman, A., Fiedler, L., Perrey, J. and Pickersgill, A. (2014). Five facts: How customer analytics boosts corporate performance. McKinsey & Company.
Https://www.fredhutch.org/en/research/institutes-networks-ircs/hdc.html
Https://www.educategirls.ngo/
