Chapter 1. How Data Drives Innovation
The Evolution of Information
For most of history, access to information was limited to the elite—the wealthy, and scholars and philosophers they sponsored—who had access to a small number of precious texts, laboriously copied by hand. Beginning with Gutenberg’s printing press, around 1440, people of all backgrounds and social strata gained access to knowledge through the printed word.
A new breakthrough came in the form of the telegraph, arriving in the 1860s. Better-informed decisions could be made thanks to electrical transmission of data. By the late 1800s, Alexander Graham Bell had his first patent on the telephone. Soon, humanity had a medium for real-time, interactive communication.
By the mid-20th century, mainframe computers arrived, speeding up common tasks like mathematics and text processing. Computer-to-computer communication demanded a more robust alternative to long-distance telephony, leading to the birth of the internet. This marked the start of the digital Information Age. As had been the case with manuscripts, access was initially limited to an elite group, but then reached mass audiences.
Today, companies find themselves with global networks of always-on customers. Each customer demands access to products and services on their own schedule and wherever they happen to be. There is no longer any “close of business.” Engagement with customers, suppliers, partners, and others has never been as important as it is now. Data, ...