Professor Yanqing Duan was invited to give a keynote presentation on 'Understanding the Impact of Analytics - Challenges and Opportunities for Research' for the Information Systems stream in the UK’s Operation Research Society’s annual conference (OR58) in Portsmouth University, on 6^th September 2016.

The emergence of Big Data and the advance of analytical technologies provide organisations with extraordinary opportunities to differentiate themselves through analytics. How, why and to what extent is Analytics impacting on business operations and performance? Information systems’ researchers are facing many emerging research challenges as well as opportunities in order to address these questions and to know how to maximise the value of analytics in the era of Big Data.

Professor Duan’s talk provided a brief review of the current development of research on understanding the impact of Big Data Analytics. Based on her involvement in the research projects focusing on examining the impact of analytics on business competitive advantages, innovation, strategic decision making, and student experience management in UK HEIs, she discussed the key challenges emerged from the recent research projects. To address these challenges and opportunities, Professor Duan hoped that her presentation can provide a base for stimulating debates and discussions on future research agenda.