Technology

Blink, and you may well have missed it

The rise and rise of big data, the internet of things and the wider digital economy are creating huge opportunities and some serious risks. By advising our clients on the economics of disruption and the underlying value of their data we enable them to unlock value and take fewer chances.

Decisions at speed

What’s fuelling the digital revolution now?

  • High-speed connectivity
  • Cheaper, more powerful computing
  • More pervasive computing through the “internet of things”
  • Vast quantities and great varieties of data

We help companies in the technology sector, the governments and regulators that shape those markets, and players in the private and public sector that use and are influenced by digital technologies, to make sure they are the victors in the latest wave of revolution.

Real time regulation

Data and digital platforms are fast-moving targets for regulators, especially in relation to competition policy. Our timely and original thinking helps organisations to keep pace.

The issues we have advised on include:

  • Whether algorithms can facilitate collusion.
  • How to assess dominance in dynamic and multi-sided markets.
  • Whether data itself can be a source of market power.
Everything is data

We use our knowledge of markets to help our clients unlock insights from their data in imaginative, valuable ways.

We advise:

  • Financial services organisations on how data can safeguard their customers.
  • Energy firms on the roll-out of smart meters.
  • Retail organisations on how their data can bring insights to customer behaviour, both online and offline.
Networks for the future

We work with telecoms firms and regulators that provide the infrastructure underlying the world of data. 

We inform our clients’ tech and data strategies by: 

  • Developing the market frameworks to incentivise the roll-out of new technologies such as 5G networks and superfast broadband.
  • Ensuring regulations for datacentres and networks are fit for purpose.
  • Advising on the role of government in ensuring widespread coverage of broadband networks.
Forward-looking policy

Prosperity depends on technology. We guide policy makers in making decisions that release the full economic potential of data and technology, providing them with:

  • Economic modelling and impact assessments – for example, assessing the impact of new technologies on productivity.
  • Policy assessments, on issues such as net neutrality or privacy.
  • Cost-benefit analysis.
  • Econometric and statistical analysis.
Innovating with data

Companies, regions and nations need to harness technology. These days that’s as much about using the data you have as employing technology to innovate.

Creating value, mitigating risk and protecting the consumer requires informed strategies. We have advised all kinds of stakeholders on policy and practice of innovation, and assess the impact that technology and innovation have on the economy, the workforce and wider society for the highest levels of government and business.

The areas we have worked in include:

  • Investment in digital infrastructure and skills.
  • Public support of innovation and research.
  • The impact of emerging technologies on productivity and growth.
  • The institutional impediments to technological diffusion.

Our clients span the public, private, and non-profit sectors, including:

  • Biotechnology
  • Renewable energy
  • E-commerce
  • Venture capital
  • Innovation-driven SMEs
  • Research and development
  • Information and communications
  • Emerging digital technologies