From Data to Vision: Big Data in Government

Abstract

This chapter examines the use of big data in the public sector. The public sector pertains to government-related activities. The specific context in this chapter looks at the use of big data at the country level, also described as the federal level. Conceptually, data is processed through a “knowledge pyramid” where data is used to generate information, information generates knowledge, and knowledge begets wisdom. Using this theoretical backdrop, this chapter presents an extension of this model and proposes that the next stage in the pyramid is vision. Vision describes a future plan for the government agency or business, based on the current survey of the organization's environment. To develop these concepts, the use of big data is examined in three different countries. Both opportunities and challenges are outlined, with recommendations for the future. The concepts examined in this chapter are within the constraints of the public sector, but may also be applied to private sector initiatives pertaining to big data.