While this practice is more often than not followed to simplify workflow rather than born of malice, it raises serious questions about the accountability of individual members of IT when something in fact does go wrong, e.g. poor decision-making that results in resource downtime.

FORBES: Data Security and Identity Access Management

And when our soft data turns out to be wrong, it can have disastrous consequences for our decision-making processes.

FORBES: Slowing Down to Go Fast

The Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi - who faces an important parliamentary vote on the 2010 budget report tomorrow - insists markets are making the wrong decision about his country's finances.

BBC: Italy on the brink

In this case, releasing GAAP earnings first can result in an investor making a wrong decision since analysts and the press have consistently been reporting non-GAAP (pro forma) earnings estimates as the expected earnings.

FORBES: How GAAP Accounting Rules May Be Damaging To Investors

For example, the recent election made people interested in data-driven decision making because Nate Silver got it right but the the pundits got things wrong.

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