Towards a Framework for Executives and Decision Makers to Discriminate Big Data Projects for International Development
Abstract
In the context of International Development, Big Data Projects are often ill defined with a clear mix of terminology with trendy words such as Apps, GIS, Open Data, etc. often leading to overestimated budgets, unnecessary computing resources and unrealistic social outcomes. In this paper, we propose a framework for Executives and Decision Makers to allow them to clearly discriminate Big Data Projects regardless to the technical details related to this new Technology. The focus in our framework is rather on the broader Context, Objectives and Intended Outcomes of Projects.
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Introduction
I am currently involved in an interesting Project titled „Harnessing the Economic Power of Data in the Middle East and North Africa‟, funded by the International Development Research Centre of Canada (www.idrc.ca). The goal of this project is to explore the Potential of Big Data Driven Innovations to improve Data Collection, Management, and Usability, particularly in the areas of Entrepreneurship and Youth Employment in the Middle East and North Africa Region. When I started consulting literature on Big Data, I was “hurt” by the vagueness of the different definitions and the confusion people have around the meaning and applications of Big Data, especially within the Social Science and Business Science Communities. In most international development projects where big data is highlighted, the motivations are not clear and not convincing at all. The Big Data Component of these projects is ill defined, with a clear mix of terminology with trendy words such as Apps, GIS, eBusiness, Open Data, etc., often leading to overestimated budgets, unnecessary computing resources investments and unrealistic social outcomes.
This unhealthy situation calls for more conceptualization efforts from the research community to come out with a Model that allows the distinction between what is Big Data and what is not. Particularly, this Model targets Executives and Decision Makers in order to provide them with a conceptual framework that does not focus on specific technology enablers and/or associated features but, rather, on the broader Context, Objectives and Intended Outcomes of Project.
Conclusion
We discussed in this paper the need of a more conceptual framework for Executives and Decision Makers to deal with Big Data Project in the context of International Development. The existing definitions of Big Data mostly target technicians and engineers and do not provide the necessary „conceptual picture‟ to support the Decision Making process. We proposed a framework that is based on a Categorization of Big Data Application and some associated discriminants that are simple to identify. Such a framework is badly needed in our current context where there is mushrooming of Big Data Projects for International Development with a clear mix of terminology and fuzzy justifications of Big Data.