UK businesses reluctant to share data, but want access to public sector info

News

01 Jul 2010

UK businesses are not willing to open up access to their own data even as the government is pledging transparency by sharing more information online, found a study by Informatica, the data integration software provider. However, they want public data to remain available and accessible.

The survey – into the attitudes of businesses towards government’s plans to share more data and its impact – found that 68% of companies said they would not open up their data despite recognising the commercial benefits that can be gained by information sharing practices.

The main reasons for not releasing more data was concerns about corporate privacy (43% respondents cited this as the main reason). Other concerns for businesses included protection of intellectual property (32%) and mismanagement of online data (29%). The respondents said mismanaged data could result in loss of data value and poor quality information.

However, despite the reluctance to share their own data, as many as 83% of the respondents said they should be entitled to greater access to public sector data. And 61% said they have no concerns around the exposure of public sector data.

John Poulter, senior vice president, EMEA, Informatica, said: “These results reveal a serious disconnect in attitudes of the business and public sector communities when it comes to sharing data online.

Support for government’s open-information policy became more evident as 32% of businesses said that access to this data should be a right for businesses and the public. Furthermore, 46% think that greater access to public data would provide commercial insight and 43% said access to this data would provide practical business benefits. According to them, public data provides them the opportunity to make their company more agile and competitive.

Poulter said: “But with many multinationals and governing bodies pledging open data initiatives, data transparency looks set to become the status quo. We operate in an increasingly digital society, where knowledge sharing has become central for day to day business.

“Prospective customers are more likely to engage with companies that they feel provide them with added value and insight and it is increasingly important for businesses to recognise, this when embracing digital practices.”

The businesses that wanted access to public sector data said they would use it to identify new commercial opportunities. Many said they would use the information as a point of reference when making future investment decisions while some said they would use it to build knowledge of their customer base.

Poulter hoped that as data transparency becomes an increasingly common practice, and with government plans underway to address this topic from a public sector perspective, it seems only a matter of time before this trend begins to impact the business sector. “If the government executes its plans effectively, businesses have the potential opportunity to use this data to suit their business needs.

“In order for its plans to open up public sector data to be successful, it is vital that the government puts the right measures in place to ensure that the available data is managed correctly; relevant, structured and precise.”

“Whilst the value of increased access to data is clear, it’s understandable that businesses worry about what competitors would be able to do if they opened up the windows to their world. Standards must be set and practices put in place to enable companies to use their data to enrich the business community.

“By harnessing their own data and sharing information, businesses could build their customer knowledge even further, providing potential customers with greater insight into their business, whilst at the same time ensuring that confidential data remains protected.”

This report was conducted by LM Research, on behalf of Informatica, in April 2010. It surveyed 1,000 national and multinational businesses in the UK.

Source: Information World Review