IS ANALYTICS DECENTRALIZATION A BOON OR A BANE?

With the increasing availability of data and the mainstreaming of data science approaches, predictive and prescriptive analytics techniques have become valuable tools for decision-making. While integrated analytics solutions that encompass various departments and stakeholders in an organization can provide optimal solutions at a systemic level, decentralized approaches have their own merits. This article argues for the usefulness of analytics decentralization, considering administrative, technological, and environmental factors. Administrative considerations include the reluctance of stakeholders to adopt better practices without external pressure and the high cost of systemic improvements. Technological constraints, such as limited computational resources, make decentralized approaches more feasible for smaller-scale problems. Additionally, environmental considerations prioritize environmentally friendly analytics algorithms. Overall, a decentralized approach that empowers stakeholders can leverage the power of analytics and data science while addressing practical realities and constraints.