This online course by Duke University illustrates how businesses use data collection and analysis to get ahead of their competitors.

The world is flooded with data, and it seems the only way that businesses can succeed is through rigorous data analysis.

Business Metrics for Data-Driven Companies is a Coursera course created by Duke University's Center for Instructional Technology.

It's taught by Daniel Egger, director of the Center for Quantitative Modeling at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering, and Jana Schaich Borg, assistant research professor at the Social Science Research Institute.

In this course, you will learn about the methods and developing industry behind modern data analysis, using real-world examples and standard marketing principles to illustrate Big Data's game-changing applications.