Because of the growing explanatory and predictive power of data-driven analytics, a basic level of familiarity with business analysis techniques is needed for a growing number of roles. In particular, most management-level positions today must use a variety of analytics in their internal goal-setting and reporting, and C-suite executives must be able to understand and leverage this data effectively as part of their decision-making process.
Business analytics may play an even more central role in some jobs. For example, market research analysts study trends, analyze data on consumers as well as competitors, and evaluate the likely effectiveness of different marketing strategies. Owing to the explosion of data as well as the proliferation of techniques to harness it, this is an incredibly fast-growing career; the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that market research analyst jobs will increase by 20% from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the economy-wide average.