{"id":4204,"date":"2024-12-16T09:00:30","date_gmt":"2024-12-16T08:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/data4success.de\/?p=4204"},"modified":"2025-01-06T13:03:26","modified_gmt":"2025-01-06T12:03:26","slug":"why-looking-at-the-previous-year-is-no-longer-enough-an-appeal-for-data-driven-decisions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/data4success.de\/en\/why-looking-at-the-previous-year-is-no-longer-enough-an-appeal-for-data-driven-decisions\/","title":{"rendered":"Why looking at the previous year is no longer enough: an appeal for data-driven decisions"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"4204\" class=\"elementor elementor-4204\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-583f219 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"583f219\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e2dd91a\" data-id=\"e2dd91a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-439db70 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"439db70\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>There is a fundamental problem in the German economy: <strong>Controllers and sales staff often only compare their data with the previous year.<\/strong> This method may have worked in stable times, but in today's dynamic economic world it often leads to wrong decisions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f7590d3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f7590d3\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3390ba0\" data-id=\"3390ba0\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-72891dc elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"72891dc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 62.5%; height: 0;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.loom.com\/embed\/ad2976d014db4a1bad273eb02a809084?sid=ae6887aa-63ca-4122-a38f-4ba9b3713ba8\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e65f97d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e65f97d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5eb02b8\" data-id=\"5eb02b8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2e13eb4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2e13eb4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>\u00a0<\/h3><h3><strong>The problem with the previous year's comparison<\/strong><\/h3><p>Between 2010 and 2019, it was good practice to compare business figures with the previous year. At a time of moderate, steady growth, this also made sense. However, the framework conditions have changed:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Extreme fluctuations<\/strong>: The economy experienced massive inflation in 2022 and 2023 in particular. Many companies have used these growth figures directly as the basis for their 2024 plans - a risky decision.<\/li><li><strong>Incorrect forecasts<\/strong>Planning figures based on a single comparative year ignore important economic trends and long-term developments. The result: misjudgements that lead to employees being left without meaningful tasks or companies misallocating their resources.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e059b86 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e059b86\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-51657ca\" data-id=\"51657ca\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bbfdc3b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bbfdc3b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><strong>Why the big picture is crucial<\/strong><\/h3><p>Profit is made by deviating from the plan. However, if the plan is flawed, this not only results in financial losses, but also in strategic mistakes. A one-sided comparison with the previous year provides a distorted picture that takes neither long-term development nor external factors such as economic cycles or market changes into account.<\/p><p><strong>An example<\/strong>:<\/p><p>A company that sets its prices on the basis of the previous year's growth ignores the effects of inflation, supply chain problems or changing consumer habits. Such isolated decisions can lead to prices being set unrealistically or market opportunities being missed.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5ea7ee6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5ea7ee6\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7e60398\" data-id=\"7e60398\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-90a6dbd elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"90a6dbd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><strong>Our approach: putting data in context<\/strong><\/h3><p>In order to make informed decisions, it is essential to look at the big picture. Our income statements are designed to show more than just the previous year's figures:<\/p><ol><li><strong>Long-term perspective<\/strong>We analyze business figures over several years in order to identify long-term trends.<\/li><li><strong>Contextualization<\/strong>Data is placed in the context of economic development in order to better understand fluctuations.<\/li><li><strong>Stories behind the numbers<\/strong>A good report not only shows figures, but also provides the \"story\" behind them - why a value has risen or fallen.<\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2603a01 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2603a01\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3dff86a\" data-id=\"3dff86a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7dd0ddc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7dd0ddc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><strong>Data-driven decisions instead of short-term comparisons<\/strong><\/h3><p>Today's economy is more dynamic and complex than ever. Companies that continue to compare only with the previous year run the risk of overlooking important opportunities or being guided by false assumptions. Instead, controllers and sales staff must:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Data from several years<\/strong> to smooth out fluctuations and trends.<\/li><li><strong>Using analytical tools<\/strong>that provide the overall picture.<\/li><li><strong>Understanding connections<\/strong>to draw the right conclusions from the data.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e894d5e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e894d5e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d37d6ab\" data-id=\"d37d6ab\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6cf01c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6cf01c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><strong>Time for a paradigm shift<\/strong><\/h3><p>The times when a simple comparison with the previous year was sufficient are over. Sound decisions require a deep understanding of the data and its history. With our approach, we help companies to see the big picture and thus future-proof their strategy.<\/p><p><strong>Do you have any questions or would you like to find out more about our methods?<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/data4success.de\/en\/contact\/\">Get in touch with us<\/a> - We show you how you can use your data for sustainable success.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In der deutschen Wirtschaft gibt es ein grundlegendes Problem: Controller und Vertriebler vergleichen ihre Daten oft nur mit dem Vorjahr. Diese Methode mag in stabilen Zeiten funktioniert haben, doch in der heutigen dynamischen Wirtschaftswelt f\u00fchrt sie h\u00e4ufig zu Fehlentscheidungen. Das Problem mit dem Vorjahresvergleich Zwischen 2010 und 2019 war es eine bew\u00e4hrte Praxis, Gesch\u00e4ftszahlen mit [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4365,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/data4success.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/data4success.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/data4success.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/data4success.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/data4success.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4204"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/data4success.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4204\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4211,"href":"https:\/\/data4success.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4204\/revisions\/4211"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/data4success.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4365"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/data4success.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/data4success.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/data4success.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}