The Corner Office » Jim Davis

Why would you want to visualize 5 billion rows of data?

Jim Davis — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:13:15 +0000

A few years ago our new media team made this quick video to give you sense of just how big a billion is: That’s big. But now that you can visualize a billion dollars, can you imagine what a billion rows of data looks like? Or find value in those [...]

You saved 92 hours. So what?

Jim Davis — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:47:37 +0000

Let’s talk about the time savings involved with high-performance analytics. I’ve blogged before about the time reductions we’ve seen when analyzing big data with our high-performance analytics solutions. We’re quoting time savings of up to 92 hours, but what does that mean? Or, as I like to ask, “So what?” [...]

Get smart on the Smart Grid

Jim Davis — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:56:21 +0000

The Research Triangle area is getting attention as a hub of innovation for the Smart Grid. Some facts: Nearly 60 companies in the Triangle are working in various aspects of the Smart Grid Industry. Twenty of those companies are headquartered in the region. From software to sensors and routers, the [...]

Is big data over hyped?

Jim Davis — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:12:56 +0000

We’ve definitely hit the point in the “big data” hype cycle where people are looking critically at the term and asking what all the fuss is about. Some pundits have even speculated about a big data bubble that’s sure to burst after everyone realizes the term has been over-used, and [...]

SAS = analytics. Analytics = hot.

Jim Davis — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:20:03 +0000

The analytics market is hot. We’ve been saying that for a while now, and so have many industry experts. If you didn’t believe it before now, check out our newly released 2011 financial results and see if that doesn’t convince you. SAS earned US$2.725 billion in revenues last year, a [...]

Retail: the “sophisticated numbers game”

Jim Davis — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:36:19 +0000

Are you a last-minute holiday shopper? Or the type that has everything bought, wrapped and tagged before Thanksgiving? It's safe to say, I do all of my shopping the week before Christmas. Whether you’re shopping late or shopping early, you’re probably looking for the best deals - and so are [...]

Inspired by Facebook: Five ways to create a culture of innovation

Jim Davis — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:38:07 +0000

Visitors to the SAS campus in Cary, NC often walk away feeling inspired by our corporate culture and our creative surroundings. I felt the same sense of inspiration after a recent visit to Facebook’s headquarters in Palo Alto. There’s a real energy there that comes partly from the group effort [...]

What do retail banking customers want?

Jim Davis — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:32:51 +0000

What do retail banking customers want? SAS, along with partner Cognizant, recently sponsored two consumer focus groups to answer that question. Conducted by The Bank Administration Institute (BAI), the research revealed some interesting findings, including: Retail banking customers expect clarity and fairness. They want transparency into the fees they pay [...]

Stop asking, Why? And start asking, What if?

Jim Davis — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 22:16:25 +0000

A few years ago, we had this big debate between the terms business intelligence and business analytics – and which one was more accurate or reflective of the products in our industry. I don’t hear those arguments anymore. Some still say business intelligence and business analytics are one and the [...]

Five tips for introducing analytics into your organization

Jim Davis — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 23:25:47 +0000

What is the best way to become an analytic organization? Is there a tipping point of acceptance when funding opens up for analytic projects and leaders start making more decisions based on data instead of gut feel? How can you help introduce analytics into your organization? I enjoyed discussing these [...]