An Investigation into the Effectiveness of Big Data in Organizations, the Use of Customer Data, and the Ethical Implications of the Data Economy

This paper is an introduction and guide to big data in the modern world, from the perspective of an information system practitioner. It will first look at the use of big data in business and industry. It describes the issues faced by organizations with big data and the new business models that have emerged because of the Internet and Web 2.0. It explores this through qualitative research involving employees directly involved in big data analyses. It also explores how big data has impacted on customer data analysis and addresses whether it is providing good value for the amount invested in the technology. It will also explain current methods of data collection through the analysis of literature. Finally, this paper will explore the ethical implications of data collection both in organizations and online, and it will then look at current research on whether the data economy itself is ethical.