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Professor Florian Zettelmeyer talks big data to a packed audience at a Kellogg Insight Live event on Feb. 19.

Kellogg Insight Live

A 'working knowledge of data science' is key to leading

Professor Florian Zettelmeyer and an alumni panel talk big data analytics and management


2/24/2015 - There is a view, says Florian Zettelmeyer, the Nancy L. Ertle Professor of Marketing, that data science represents disembodied truth.

Zettelmeyer, himself a data scientist, fervently disagrees with that view.

“Data science fundamentally speaks to management decisions” he said, “and management decisions are fundamentally political. There are agendas and there are winners and losers. As a result, different teams will often come up with different conclusions and it is the job of a manager to be able to call it. This requires a ‘working knowledge of data science.’”

Speaking to a standing-room only audience at the Kellogg Insight Live event Feb. 19 at The Langham, Chicago, Zettelmeyer outlined his reasons why today’s business leaders need this essential skill set. Understanding analytics would allow leaders to judge what good data looks like, identify where analytics can add value and, ultimately, manage analytics teams with confidence.

Zettelmeyer later wove that perspective into a panel discussion on the applications of data science with Connected Sensor Solutions CEO John Livingston ’91, Salesforce Services SVP Adam Caplan ’01, OSG Consulting Managing Partner Greg Oslan ’94 and Cisco Senior Director Hardik Bhatt ’05.

Professor Florian Zettelmeyer on managing analytics



Connected Sensor Solutions CEO John Livingston ’91 on change management on the executive level



Salesforce Services SVP Adam Caplan ’01 on making analytics accessible



OSG Consulting Managing Partner Greg Oslan '94 on data security: “It’s a people problem.”



Cisco Senior Director Hardik Bhatt ’05 on the Internet of cities



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