Businesses today are increasingly focused on big data to determine best practices, establish company goals and allocate resources. So what is big data? Forbes writer Lisa Arthur defines it as “a collection of data from traditional and digital sources inside and outside your company that represents a source for ongoing discovery and analysis.”
As a data analyst, it is your job to take that data and cast it into a usable format. This task involves research, investigation, and of course, heavy analysis. Maybe data analysis is a field you are happy in, but you want to move up the corporate ladder into a leadership position. An online MBA with a concentration in Business Analytics enables you to enhance the analytics skills you already have while adding the well-rounded knowledge of business management to your repertoire.
Learn How to Manage Your Team
Since you are already immersed in the world of data analysis, you understand the nuances and specific needs of an individual working in this particular field. With an MBA, you can take that knowledge a step further by gaining the leadership skills you need to manage a team. A management position might involve finance and marketing, and the MBA program provides a solid foundation in these areas.
Leadership positions require the ability to guide teams, make executive-level decisions and produce results. The MBA program enables students to learn techniques for creating team cohesion as well as how to use of qualitative and quantitative analysis for decision-making that produces results.
Take Data Analysis a Step Further
You probably already know how to compile data and make determinations based on your findings, but a high-level position in data analysis requires the ability to forecast and use the data to solve problems in business.
The MBA with a concentration in business analytics is set up so that students learn how to take data collection and analysis and apply it in the real world. Students will learn how to use analytical software to write scripts and debug. Additionally, students will gain an understanding of how statistical analysis can be used to forecast and solve a company’s specific problems.
In the concentration courses, students will also learn how to identify a specific problem, choose data relevant to the problem, perform analysis on the data and then present a solution to the problem.
These targeted skills combined with a well-rounded education in general business management are desired in today’s data-oriented job market. The MBA with a concentration in business analytics is a great way to build upon an already useful skill set while gaining an understanding of what it takes to lead a company.
Learn more about the UNC Pembroke online MBA program with a Concentration in Business Analytics.
Sources:
SAS: What Is a Data Scientist?
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