Edited by Tabitha Naisiko, Wednesday, 30 Oct 2019, 14:36
Big data is a term used to describe a collection of data that is huge in size and yet growing over time such that traditional management tools cannot store it. Among this is facebook, twitter, dropbox, amazon and google. The data is categorized into structured, semi-structured and unstructured. The results from the google search on https://www.guru99.com/what-is-big-data.html give the benefits of using big data such as Improved customer service, better operational efficiency, Better Decision Making. I add that to me, big data is used for research, feedback, personal development, skills acquisition, entertainment, and online teaching and learning, benchmarking, window shopping, making comparisons and giving users exposure.
Nearly all professionals and occupations benefit from the use of big data because it avails enough information. In a way, big data helps academics, medics, engineers, architects, agriculturalists BUT most specifically businesspeople. I can argue that big data is an engine that promotes consumerism. No wonder most of the searches give customer interests, products and services, sometimes created out of wanting not need through behavioral manipulation using adverts.
Besides creating unnecessary demands as driven by big data, I see the negative impacts being environmental degradations and toxicities which may cause challenges of sustainability of the future generations. To me in academia, big data limits mental creativity because most learners and scholars run to google, copy and paste even before thinking. In a way, a lot of innovations will be hampered especially in developing countries because the West has already set the pace. It gives challenges of competitiveness and failure to scale up for local products. Here local knowledge is at stake and we risk keeping in neocolonialism and mental slavery.
Assessing the Pros and Cons of using Big Data
Big data is a term used to describe a collection of data that is huge in size and yet growing over time such that traditional management tools cannot store it. Among this is facebook, twitter, dropbox, amazon and google. The data is categorized into structured, semi-structured and unstructured. The results from the google search on https://www.guru99.com/what-is-big-data.html give the benefits of using big data such as Improved customer service, better operational efficiency, Better Decision Making. I add that to me, big data is used for research, feedback, personal development, skills acquisition, entertainment, and online teaching and learning, benchmarking, window shopping, making comparisons and giving users exposure.
Nearly all professionals and occupations benefit from the use of big data because it avails enough information. In a way, big data helps academics, medics, engineers, architects, agriculturalists BUT most specifically businesspeople. I can argue that big data is an engine that promotes consumerism. No wonder most of the searches give customer interests, products and services, sometimes created out of wanting not need through behavioral manipulation using adverts.
Besides creating unnecessary demands as driven by big data, I see the negative impacts being environmental degradations and toxicities which may cause challenges of sustainability of the future generations. To me in academia, big data limits mental creativity because most learners and scholars run to google, copy and paste even before thinking. In a way, a lot of innovations will be hampered especially in developing countries because the West has already set the pace. It gives challenges of competitiveness and failure to scale up for local products. Here local knowledge is at stake and we risk keeping in neocolonialism and mental slavery.