A exploration of the latest trend in technology and the impact it will have on the economy, science, and society at large.

"Carefully distinguishing between big data and open data, and exploring various data infrastructures, Kitchin vividly illustrates how the data landscape is rapidly changing and calls for a revolution in how we think about data." - Evelyn Ruppert, Goldsmiths, University of London "Deconstructs the hype around the ‘data revolution’ to carefully guide us through the histories and the futures of ‘big data.’ The book skilfully engages with debates from across the humanities, social sciences, and sciences in order to produce a critical account of how data are enmeshed into enormous social, economic, and political changes that are taking place." - Mark Graham, University of Oxford Traditionally, data has been a scarce commodity which, given its value, has been either jealously guarded or expensively traded. In recent years, technological developments and political lobbying have turned this position on its head. Data now flow as a deep and wide torrent, are low in cost and supported by robust infrastructures, and are increasingly open and accessible. A data revolution is underway, one that is already reshaping how knowledge is produced, business conducted, and governance enacted, as well as raising many questions concerning surveillance, privacy, security, profiling, social sorting, and intellectual property rights. In contrast to the hype and hubris of much media and business coverage, The Data Revolution provides a synoptic and critical analysis of the emerging data landscape. Accessible in style, the book provides: A synoptic overview of big data, open data and data infrastructures An introduction to thinking conceptually about data, data infrastructures, data analytics and data markets Acritical discussion of the technical shortcomings and the social, political and ethical consequences of the data revolution An analysis of the implications of the data revolution to academic, business and government practices

Exploit the power and potential of Big Data to revolutionize business outcomes Big Data Revolution is a guide to improving performance, making better decisions, and transforming business through the effective use of Big Data. In this collaborative work by an IBM Vice President of Big Data Products and an Oxford Research Fellow, this book presents inside stories that demonstrate the power and potential of Big Data within the business realm. Readers are guided through tried-and-true methodologies for getting more out of data, and using it to the utmost advantage. This book describes the major trends emerging in the field, the pitfalls and triumphs being experienced, and the many considerations surrounding Big Data, all while guiding readers toward better decision making from the perspective of a data scientist. Companies are generating data faster than ever before, and managing that data has become a major challenge. With the right strategy, Big Data can be a powerful tool for creating effective business solutions – but deep understanding is key when applying it to individual business needs. Big Data Revolution provides the insight executives need to incorporate Big Data into a better business strategy, improving outcomes with innovation and efficient use of technology. Examine the major emerging patterns in Big Data Consider the debate surrounding the ethical use of data Recognize patterns and improve personal and organizational performance Make more informed decisions with quantifiable results In an information society, it is becoming increasingly important to make sense of data in an economically viable way. It can drive new revenue streams and give companies a competitive advantage, providing a way forward for businesses navigating an increasingly complex marketplace. Big Data Revolution provides expert insight on the tool that can revolutionize industries.

We create more data in a day then we did from the dawn of man through 2003 and approximately 90% of all the world's data has been created in the past 2 years. What does this mean to you? In The Big Data Revolution we explore this very question and reveal the data secrets your competitors don't want you to know. Our world is transforming as the data deluge knocks us out of our old ways and into the data driven reality. Some companies are winning by taking advantages of the opportunities in this evolving world while others are falling behind. Pioneers like Amazon, Target, and Google are blazing a trail that we can follow, and in The Big Data Revolution we help you do just that. Big Data promises to give us a world driven by information and solid data, bringing far greater productivity, increased profits, and lower costs; and in The Big Data Revolution we explore those winning strategies and techniques and the tools behind them. Want to learn how companies like Amazon, Target, and IBM use data to gain competitive advantages? Or how Obama used Big Data tools to better utilize his resources? The Big Data Revolution was written for the non-or-only-slightly-technical business person in mind--but in a way that gives you enough meat behind the ideas so that you have a road map that tells you how to get where you want to go. It uses real-world examples and case studies to illustrates the concepts and explore the technology that makes them happen. The Big Data Revolution is comprised of four parts: Part 1: Data Science In Part 1 we first introduce you to the world of data science and analytics. These are the tools companies and governments use to refine their crude data into valuable insights. In this section, we'll look at the magic behind Amazon's success, and see how data is leading towards a near Minority Report future. Part 2: Big Data Data is growing at an exceptional rate, we produce more data now in a day than we did from the dawn of man till 2003. This explosion of data creates many unique struggles as well as opportunities. In this section we'll look at how Obama invested in Big Data during his presidential campaign, and explore how startups are revealing data that saves their clients substantial capital. Part 3: Tools of the trade Data Scientists cannot just look at big data and get value from it, it doesn't matter how good they are. The data is just too big. So companies like IBM and Microsoft build tools that help people make sense of data, and hopefully discover new useful insights from it. The two primary categories of tools you need to be aware of are Business Intelligence and Data Discovery. In this section we explore these broad terms, and show how companies are designing more specialized tools for specific purposes. Part 4: Gazing into the Future In order to position yourself well for what is to come you need to know where we are now and almost more importantly where we are going to be in the near future. In this section we explore the trends that are going to matter as we move forward in this emerging technology industry. Computerized Data Analytics is truly still in its early stages of development, and things are going to change as new innovations come to the forefront. If we are serious about gaining the data advantage, we need to stay ahead of this curve. The Big Data Revolution is your tool to understanding this complex new reality of your world. Get it today and don't miss out on the data driven future. The world is changing. Are you ready?

Our world is becoming ever more data-driven, transforming how business is conducted, governance enacted, and knowledge produced. Yet, the nature of data and the scope and implications of the changes taking place are not always clear. The Data Revolution is a must read for anyone interested in why data have become so important in the contemporary era. Thoroughly updated, including ten new chapters, the book provides an accessible and comprehensive: introduction to thinking conceptually about the nature of data and the field of critical data studies overview of big data, open data and data infrastructures analysis of the utility and value of big and open data for research, business, government and civil society assessment of the concerns and risks in a data-driven world and how to prevent and mitigate them.

How a new understanding of warfare can help the military fight today’s conflicts more effectively The way wars are fought has changed starkly over the past sixty years. International military campaigns used to play out between large armies at central fronts. Today's conflicts find major powers facing rebel insurgencies that deploy elusive methods, from improvised explosives to terrorist attacks. Small Wars, Big Data presents a transformative understanding of these contemporary confrontations and how they should be fought. The authors show that a revolution in the study of conflict--enabled by vast data, rich qualitative evidence, and modern methods—yields new insights into terrorism, civil wars, and foreign interventions. Modern warfare is not about struggles over territory but over people; civilians—and the information they might choose to provide—can turn the tide at critical junctures. The authors draw practical lessons from the past two decades of conflict in locations ranging from Latin America and the Middle East to Central and Southeast Asia. Building an information-centric understanding of insurgencies, the authors examine the relationships between rebels, the government, and civilians. This approach serves as a springboard for exploring other aspects of modern conflict, including the suppression of rebel activity, the role of mobile communications networks, the links between aid and violence, and why conventional military methods might provide short-term success but undermine lasting peace. Ultimately the authors show how the stronger side can almost always win the villages, but why that does not guarantee winning the war. Small Wars, Big Data provides groundbreaking perspectives for how small wars can be better strategized and favorably won to the benefit of the local population.

Through interaction with other databases such as social media, geographic information systems have the ability to build and obtain not only statistics defined on the flows of people, things, and information but also on perceptions, impressions, and opinions about specific places, territories, and landscapes. It is thus necessary to systematize, integrate, and coordinate the various sources of data (especially open data) to allow more appropriate and complete analysis, descriptions, and elaborations. Spatial Planning in the Big Data Revolution is a critical scholarly resource that aims to bring together different methodologies that combine the potential of large data analysis with GIS applications in dedicated tools specifically for territorial, social, economic, environmental, transport, energy, real estate, and landscape evaluation. Additionally, the book addresses a number of fundamental objectives including the application of big data analysis in supporting territorial analysis, validating crowdsourcing and crowdmapping techniques, and disseminating information and community involvement. Urban planners, architects, researchers, academicians, professionals, and practitioners in such fields as computer science, data science, and business intelligence will benefit most from the research contained within this publication.