I’m sitting in my little apartment here in Copenhagen, Denmark getting prepared for next week’s classes in advanced market research and competitive intelligence. Teaching at the Copenhagen Business School as a Visiting Professor is a wonderfully enriching experience – meeting faculty and students from around the world. Lots of fresh ideas, interesting discussions and lots of danish pastry and coffee at the faculty table. Hanging out in Copenhagen isn’t all that bad either!
Of course, I also had to visit the university bookstore. Bookstores are one of my favourite places to hang out and the bookstore at CBS didn’t disappoint. A new book by Thomas Davenport was filling the shelves – and since it directly ties in with the courses I am teaching, I had to grab it. “Keeping Up with the Quants” is a great followup to his first book – “Competing on Analytics.” Davenport and Jinho Kim have done a great job building a beginner’s guide to understanding and using analytics. From formulating a hypothesis, digging for data, interpreting the data into actionable insights and then communicating your results – the authors provide a roadmap that is both comprehensive and easy to follow.
Critical thinking and analytical skills are now a must in any business that wants to remain competitive. I gladly added this book to my recommended reading for the students and passed it along as well to other faculty. Adding to my book collection is always a joy – even if it means I need to buy another suitcase for the journey home.
Keeping Up with the Quants: Your Guide to Understanding and Using Analytics
Creative Intelligence Lab 