Organizations are always looking for ways to differentiate themselves in the marketplace. An often-overlooked source of differentiation is housed within an organization’s collective data. Products can be examined and copied but what really makes an organization unique and drives competitive advantage is the data, information and knowledge contained within its collective conscience and its many data silos. The key features of the next great product release or business-building marketing campaign may be right under your nose, if only you could find it. Collected data is a competitive advantage but only if you can access it and use it effectively. To unlock the value contained in this data, workers must be able to access it, relate it and derive meaning from it an efficient manner. Search is the most common means to unlock this store of knowledge however its effectiveness is often undermined by the specter of fragmentation.

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