Social Media Part 2: The Proof Is In The Data Analytics

Part 1 of our series on social media looked at how new technologies have started infiltrating the M&A landscape. But the question we aim to answer here is: to what end?

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal considered just that, noting that new technologies – and specifically data analytic technologies – can be used at various stages throughout the M&A lifecycle as a means of bolstering deal analysis and business forecasting.

While their processes can take many forms, data analytics effectively afford companies an advanced means of aggregating, synthesizing and modeling complex information with a view to revealing trends, confirming or invalidating hypotheses, exposing alternatives and/or reinforcing decision making. JR Reagan, leader of the Deloitte Analytics HIVE (Highly Immersive Visual Environment), was interviewed as part of the Wall Street Journal article and had the following to say about how data analytics can improve M&A: