Instinct in times of Big Data

Never before have we had easier and more comprehensive access to information than today. Technological development opens up countless possibilities for us to evaluate it. What should we base important decisions on? On the B for gut, or rather, the B for Big Data? Are instinct-based or Big Data-based decisions more successful? Is it a combination of both? Given the abundance of data, do we still allow our instincts to work at all? Presentations by global experts examined these questions from different perspectives. "Once again, the forum inspired me in many ways," said Lukas Braunschweiler, President of the SMG and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tecan Group.

Jinlong Wang: "Addressing happiness and emotions"
China is considered the birthplace of tea and its tea tradition dates back to around 2700 BC. How did a Western powerbrand manage to turn instinctive tea drinkers into Starbucks consumers for thousands of years? Jinlong Wang played a crucial role in this process in his role as President of Starbucks Asia Pacific and Chairman of Starbucks China. Under his aegis, the original 1017 Starbucks coffee shops tripled to 3300 between 2013 and 2018 alone. Today, Jinlong Wang applies his consumer instincts to China's private equity industry as President of PizzaExpress and Managing Director & Operating Partner of Hony Capital. "To bring something new to an established culture, you must be able to fundamentally address happiness and emotions."

Carsten Koerl: "Everything we work up for the fan is good for the sport"
It took Carsten Koerl just eleven years to bring his company Sportradar to a valuation of over CHF 2 billion and to give Switzerland a "Unicorn". Sportradar analyses more than 400,000 games in 60 sports every year, generates around 5 billion data records daily and is the world's leading provider of sports data and audiovisual content. The more data is available, the more simulations are possible, says Carsten Koerl: "It is amazing what decisions algorithms can make based on many data analyses. Although all this data can also be used to measure the performance of individual athletes, it is only used with care for reasons of data protection. For Carsten Spoerl, "Everything that we process for the fan is good for the sport.

Nicoletta della Valle: "Employee profiles have changed in times of Big Data".
Nicoletta della Valle has worked for five years as Director of the Federal Office of Police (Fedpol). Global, networked and digital: crime is a reflection of society. The Fedpol fights terror, the mafia, money laundering, corruption and white-collar crime. The analysis of data and facts has always been at the centre of attention - but today it is presented in a digital form. Employee profiles have changed accordingly. Nicoletta della Valle is convinced that instinct is something innate, something that cannot be learned. It is crucial for survival: "I can't control instinct, it happens without my head." Intuition and experience complement our talents, but what is needed most in today's world is Brain and a sense of Big Data.

Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren: "Using the brain and not just instinct".
The brain has evolved over millions of years and has adapted over different situations. "Instinct sometimes plays a trick on us, for example when it comes to financial matters," says Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren. After studying medicine at the Humboldt University of Berlin, he completed his doctorate with distinction and in 2005 became head of the Max Planck Research Group "Neurocognition of Decision-Making" at the Max Planck Institute for
Educational research. Since 2009 he has been Professor of Biological Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience at the Free University of Berlin. Using the "Monkey Business Illusion" he showed how selective our perception is. Based on his experience in neuroscientific decision research, he recommends separating facts from feelings: "We should use the brain and not just instinct.

Dr. Christopher E. Mason: "Our instinct is to discover"
"Moon is the proving ground, Mars is the destination" - a clear announcement from Nasa 50 years after the first moon landing. In connection with this, it is planned that in 2024 people will again walk on the moon and a manned landing on Mars is possible by 2035. No other species is as instinctively driven by the spirit of discovery as humans: "Our instinct is to discover," said Christopher E. Mason, Associate Professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, who researched the effects of an extended stay in space as part of the recently published Nasa twin study involving astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly. Today, the greatest challenges to Mars are distance and radiation. Mason shows spectacular approaches to solving these medical challenges.

Rahaf Harfoush: "It takes time today for us to understand each other"
Thanks to our data traces we become a transparent consumer. In her bestseller "Hustle and float" Rahaf Harfoush devoted herself to this analysis. On the subject of instinct, she explained that instinct and creativity require space and time: "Stop and listen to what you are thinking about. It takes time today for us to understand each other. Personal relevance is more important than general relevance." The research of the Canadian with Syrian roots focuses on the impact of artificial intelligence, algorithms, social networks and Big Data on humanity. As a think tank Red Thread, she supports institutions such as Unesco, Estee Lauder and IBM in transforming digital trends into strategic opportunities.

Fabrice Leclerc: "Focus on human instinct"
Fabrice Leclerc's exceptional innovative strength makes him an important partner of various Fortune 100 companies. He managed Innovation Labs for companies such as Apple, L'Oréal Prestige and Nespresso. Fabrice Leclerc's approach is clear: "If you want to innovate successfully, you have to focus on human instinct. Because there is no stronger emotional approach than through feelings that we carry within us over millions of years". The veterinary and business economist has been acting on this principle since his time as CEO of Häagen Dazs. [SMG/mc/ps]

The Swiss Management Association
The Swiss Management Association (SMG), which was founded in 1961 from the Business Administration Institute (BWI) of the ETH, is the most important association of over 1200 leading decision-makers in the Swiss economy. Through its networking and platform function, the SMG serves as a source of inspiration for entrepreneurs, C-level management executives and board members who deal with strategic and operational management issues.
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