Can big data research be effectively conducted using spreadsheet software (i.e., Microsoft Excel)? While a definitive response might be closer to “no” rather than “yes,” this question cannot be unequivocally answered. As spreadsheet scholars, the authors' inclination is to answer in the positive. To this regard, the chapter looks at how Excel can be used in conjunction with other software and analytical techniques in big data research. This chapter also argues where and how to use spreadsheet software to conduct big data research. A focal argument of this chapter is that the key behind big data driven research is data cleansing and big data driven small data analysis. The proposed approach in this chapter might facilitate the research and development of intelligent big data analytics, big data analytics, and business intelligence.
Personal Activity Centres and Geosocial Data Analysis: Combining Big Data with Small Data