Big data are changing the way we work as companies face an increasing amount of data. Rather than replacing a human workforce or making decisions obsolete, big data are going to pose an immense innovating force to those employees capable of utilizing them. This book intends to first convey a theoretical understanding of big data. It then tackles the phenomenon of big data from the perspectives of varied organizational theories in order to highlight socio-technological interaction. Big data are bound to transform organizations which calls for a transformation of the human resource department. The HR department's new role then enables organizations to utilize big data for their purpose. Employees, while remaining an organization's major competitive advantage, have found a powerful ally in big data.

The global phenomenon of eSports has experienced exponential growth in recent years, gaining interest from the media, sports and technology industries. Being born digital, global and agile, competitive gaming appeals to a young and emerging audience, and therefore the management of businesses within the eSports industry requires a unique strategy. Presenting a short history of the industry and an overview of its various stakeholders, the author explores how important governing principles have emerged to culminate in a business model network. An insightful read for scholars researching innovation, eBusiness and strategy, this book takes a pioneering approach and examines potential implications for the future of eSports.

This year's issue contains articles about many major eSports topics in 2011 and 2012, StarCraft II for example. Manuel Schenkhuizen wrote a Manifesto. Henry Harris wrote a detailed story about Team Fortress 2. Aman Parmar and Angel Quintina chose topics that focus on India and Spain. Marc-Andre Messier looks at Quake and Terrence Wong gives an insight into South East Asia and the problems of Dota 2 there. The eSports Yearbook is a collection of academic articles and columns about eSports. It is published every year. Contact us at: [email protected]