Geolocation intelligence is accurate contextual information about the location and movement of people anywhere in the world.
The potential that this type of data has in the context of business decision making in the retail sector is invaluable. It includes demographic information about the retail outlets themselves, nearby businesses, competitor insights, customers, suppliers, among others.
Measuring sales performance, observing trends and anticipating the impact that the crisis will have on the market in which each company operates has never been more important, and in this context, accurate data management and analysis becomes essential.
"... Twelve years ago, in the midst of the economic downturn in 2008, British Airways (BA) was cutting costs across the organization.
Technology and tools for analyzing large volumes of information used by large corporations to make business decisions are also available to businessmen and small companies.
Finding the best location for a new sales point, finding the areas where potential customers move and analyzing their purchasing power and their behavior as consumers are just some of the things that can be done today with the help of new technologies.
Using information without defined objectives and not integrating it across the entire company are part of the mistakes that organizations can make when analyzing large volumes of data.
Although there are still many companies that have not begun to analyze the information they accumulate in their operation, there is a risk that the efforts they make in the future will not achieve the expected results if the mistakes that some organizations tend to make in the process are not avoided.
It has been estimated that this year companies´investment in business intelligence systems and data analysis will grow by 12% globally, driven by the banking sector and the manufacturing industry.
According to estimates by the firm International Data Corporation (IDC),"... worldwide revenues for big data and business analytics (BDA) will reach $150.8 billion in 2017, an increase of 12.4% over 2016.
The availability of data, a new generation of technology, and a cultural shift toward data-driven decision making continue to drive demand for big data and analytics technology and services.
Availability of information, new technologies and cultural change towards making decisions based on data is changing the way we do business.
According to estimates by the firm International Data Corporation (IDC), at the global level "...
State officials do not own the information they manage, and when that information has not been legally declared as reserved, they must ensure its availability to the public.
EDITORIAL
And 'availability´means that public institutions must have all the doors to obtain it wide open, both administratively and technically.
State officials often create administrative barriers to free access to public information, in the form of lengthy bureaucratic processes, including sometimes filling out forms that include insidious questions about what the information will be used for.
The increasing speed and ease of direct access to the information needed for decision-making, is drastically reducing the number of middle managers who used to be hired to provide them.
In companies of the last century when a sales manager needed information about last year's sales in order to take a relevant decision, he or she had to contact their assistant manager, who was responsible for collecting information and presenting it to the director. Nowadays, the direct and easy access to all information concerning day-to-day business allows the same director to touch a screen, get the information and make the decision, reducing costs and saving time.
The Chamber of Industries in Costa Rica has filed an administrative appeal against the decision by the Treasury department to require major contributors to produce records of their shareholders.
From a statement issued by the Chamber of Industries of Costa Rica (ICRC):
Chamber of Industries files for judicial review against provision of information on shareholders
Many of the officials working in Central American governments are annoyed at the idea of the information they handle being accessible to citizens, and one way or another, they are impeding its availability.
EDITORIAL
"- Send a letter to Mrs Fulana, the person in charge of authorizing the release of information you have requested, stating the reasons for your request".
It has been reported that in 2014 the South American country imported $110 million in animal feed, 9% more than in 2013.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rica Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
According to a study by the research firm Colombia B & Optimos, 37% of the 1,500 respondents in different cities, said they had a pet. Of these, 70% said they have dogs, while 13% said they have cats.
From 6 to 7 May companies and investors in the sector will be in in San José taking part in business meetings and conferences relevant to franchises in the region.
The second edition of the American Franchise Summit will be held at the Hotel Park Inn, Costa Rica and will involve seven international speakers. The event will last two days and is aimed at 150 franchisees and franchisors investors with the aim of promoting business appointments.
The private sector in Costa Rica is having doubts over the ability of the Treasury to prevent information leaks, if approval is given to a requirement for companies to disclose shareholder information.
The business sector fears that the authorities will not be able to control possible leaks of confidential data which companies must provide if the decree proposed by the Directorate General of Taxation is approved.
The decree submitted for public consultation by the General Directorate of Taxation of Costa Rica requires commercial companies to provide information about its members and the composition of its capital.
There is currently a period of 10 working days for companies that do not agree with the draft decree to declare so and make comments. This measure aims to implement the standards of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The recent announcement of the construction of a Disney theme park in Costa Rica has been denied by the Disney Corporation itself.
EDITORIAL
The announcement by the mayor of the city of Liberia on a morning variety program was quickly replicated by various media outlets for a few hours after being denied not only by the Disney Corporation and by the supposed developer of the project, but even by the aforementioned mayor, who was not able to confirm the information.