# Athena By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2022-10-21 Analytics contribution to business is relatively straightforward. Through the application of analytic techniques, businesses become more efficient and target more profitable opportunities. The contribution of analytics to society is less clear. Rigidly dividing business from society neglects the generative role of business in society. This artificial division isolates and protects a business from its direct and negative social [[Consequences]]. Analytics can contribute to understanding the externalities of business within society. In Greek mythology, Athena is the goddess of wisdom and knowledge. She is also the goddess of civilization and justice. Whereas each of these elements is distinct, analytics contributes to knowledge, wisdom, and justice, and these in turn contribute to civilization.  Businesses and the politicians who support them like to extol the social benefits of the “job creators.” This is certainly fair. Businesses do contribute to the social good through employment and the products and services they make. But if they want to take claim for these benefits, honesty requires that they also admit to the degradation of [[life]] and environment that they create in the process. Business is _good_, but it isn’t _only_ good. It is increasingly clear that a just and civil society is impossible to achieve without just employment. Organizational justice can’t mean simple equality. Such a construct is inherently unjust and stifling. But likewise, organizational justice can’t be paying people for what they are willing to work. This is a race to the bottom since there is always somebody a little more desperate. The artificial boundary between business and society is increasingly untenable. Analytics is not the solution, but it can contribute to our problem resolution. Athena points to interconnections among knowledge, wisdom, justice, and civilization. Athenian analytics acknowledges that truly beneficial solutions to our social problems include but are not limited to organizational profit. #### Related Items [[Analytics]] [[Business]] [[Society]] [[Inequality]] [[Wisdom]] [[Knowledge]] [[Civilization]] [[Justice]]