Companies increased Big Data investment in 2013

64% of organizations at global level are already investing in “big data”, or at are least planning to invest before the end of 2012, according to the latest figures from the report titled “”Survey Analysis: Big Data Adoption in 2013 Shows Substance Behind the Hype”” by the consultancy firm Gartner. This figure is up from the 58% recorded last year.

The consultancy firm adds that 30% of companies had already invested in this technology in the past, 19% shall invest in the coming year, and an additional 15% intend to invest within two years. The study, which was prepared using a survey conducted last June and recently published, emphasises that organisations from all industrial sectors and countries are beginning to see the opportunities and real value of big data.

The sectors leading the way in terms of investing in this technology are the media (39%), banking (34%) and services (32%). In the future, transport (50%), health (41%) and the insurance sector (40%) shall see the greatest capital investment.

The text also refers to the uses of this technology, revealing that 55% of companies use it to improve experiences with clients, particularly businesses involved in distribution, insurance, media and banking. 49% of companies use the technology to increase the efficiency of business processes. This trend is generally associated with industrial manufacturing, the public sector, education, health and transport. Reducing costs or improving risk detection are other features that companies see as useful, although these are yet to be applied.

Lastly, the study reveals that North America leads the way in terms of big data investments. 38% of the organisations that took part in the survey in this region stated that they had already invested in this technology, and they are in the initial phase of the adoption process. In the Asia/Pacific region, 45% of organisations are planning to invest in the technology in the next two years. Next come companies from Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Latin America, which tend to be slower in the adoption of new technology.