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Big Data and data warehouses

Digital business systems manage a vast number of transactions with data recorded for each. 

In 2012/2013 it became commonplace for businesses managing this issue to reference this 

issue as ‘

Big Data

’ rather than ‘Data warehouse’, a term that dates back to the 1990s. We 

introduce this concept in Box 11.3, showing how it reflects the opportunities to gain value 

from the increased volumes of data collected in today’s digital business.

Secondary key

A field that is used to 

link tables, by linking to 

a primary key in another 

table.

Big Data

Within marketing, this 

concept describes the 

opportunity to harness 

customer data from 

different touchpoints, 

including as point-of-sale 

transactions, desktop and 

mobile sites and apps, 

and social media.

Activity 11.3

ER modelling for a B2C company

Purpose

To gain an understanding of the generic structure for transactional e-commerce 

databases.

Activity

Create a normalised ER diagram for the B2C company, or a B2C consumer transac-

tional site.

For answers see Figure 11.6.

Comments

● 

Customer. May also have a separate delivery address.

● 

Order. Many items may be required on each order, so each order header can have 

many line items.

● 

Product. Includes catalogue information, such as description and a picture.

● 

Product. Informs the customer the number in stock and when they will be available.

● 

There will be a separate manufacturer table not shown here.

Box 11.3

Analysis of the business applications of Big Data