The Big Data Analytics Research Unit looks at the opportunities offered by analyses of Big Data . Read more about the focus of this research group.
Big Data Analytics
Digital sensors, the Internet of Things and social platforms are among the phenomena which nowadays generate a constant stream of new data. As the volume of this data increases at an ever-faster pace, more and more use is being made of Big Data analyses, which allow an unprecedented potential to be exploited in many areas of the economy. However, the generation and meaningful use of this wealth of information requires special technologies, approaches and systems. Our Big Data Analytics team tackles various aspects of Big Data with a focus on economic issues.
Special Focus
- We specialise in the processing of structured and unstructured data generated by new methods and technologies. These include internet search queries, content from websites (job advertisements, invitations to tender, newspapers, prices) and information from social media.
- Application to economic issues of Big Data methods such as machine learning with deep learning, data mining, natural language processing, time series analysis, etc.
- Application of Big Data to business cycle research
- Augmenting official statistics, for example for the labour market
- Data economics including context-dependent economic analysis of law
- Examples of current research
- The Big Data Cooperation Cluster uses a wide range of analytical methods and approaches. In principle, Big Data methods can be applied to all pertinent economic issues. A typical example is the use of text analysis to analyse networks as in the case given here referring to the German players in Covid 19 research.
Contact Persons
Alle Beiträge

Do Differences in Data Management Help to Explain Persistent Productivity Differences Between Western and Eastern Germany?
Since the mid-1990s the economies of the five states of ex-communist Eastern Germany have been converging only slowly with the rest of the Republic, though the process has not come to a complete halt.
IW

Digitalisation Index 2022: Digitalisation of the Economy in Germany
The economy in Germany becomes only slightly more digital in 2022 compared to 2021: The Digitalisation Index rises from 107.9 to 108.9 points. Following the sharp rise in 2021, digitalisation can be said to stagnate in 2022.
IW

Most companies are not data economy ready
Data is the central resource of the digital transformation. It underlies all digital processes, transactions and interactions. The use of this data is key to innovation and sustainable growth (BMWK, 2022). Currently, however, many companies in Germany do not meet the requirements to be able to use data efficiently. This is shown by a survey of 1,051 companies from industry and industry-related service providers.
IW

The Transatlantic Subnational Innovation Competitiveness Index
Innovation ecosystems are increasingly complex and diverse, but there are common markers of core strength. In this report, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the German Economic Institute, the Institute for Competitiveness, and the Macdonald-Laurier Institute benchmark 96 states and provinces across Germany, Italy, the United States, and Canada.
IW