Can your company handle the analytics?

Analytics is the big thing. Just ask IBM, SAP, Oracle and a bevy of other companies. The general theme is that these vendors will help you see around corners, avert disaster and generally stay ahead of the curve. The reality: Most companies aren't all that analytical and don't want to be.

That's the argument put out there by Vinnie Mirchandani. It's an interesting point. He argues that analytics may point to the truth but enterprises can't handle it. Among his main points:

• Companies don't see out real-time data.
• Enterprises are impatient and don't want to deal with contradictory models.
• Most companies want a report Holy Grail. Hint: There isn't one.
• Analysts focus on slicing and dicing data, but not really making decisions. Vendors sell you the tools to slice and dice.
• Historical data is everywhere, but generally useless.
• Companies lack the talent to do real analysis. Don't confuse an Excel jockey for a real analyst.

The backdrop here is Oracle Openworld where you'll hear a ton about analytics. The truth on analytics is probably somewhere in the middle. I'm not going to say historical data is totally useless, but you can't be a slave to it. Like Americans looking for a magic pill to cure their ailments, managers are looking for their cure-all business dashboards. And rest assured a lot of companies aren't willing to do the legwork on analytics. Some enterprises, however, will. In either case, the issues raised by Mirchandani are worth examining when it comes to your company.