A new white paper by GfK GeoMarketing explores the benefits of using postcode regions in Oracle for aggregating, analyzing and visualizing company and market data. The publication by the Oracle Silver partner provides specifics on why reporting and analyzing data at the level of postcode regions is usually the best way to gain insight into market trends.

Bruchsal, January 18, 2011 - Oracle’s spatially enhanced environment offers users a wealth of opportunities for extracting more insight from their data. A recently released white paper by GfK GeoMarketing titled “Advantages of using postcode regions to aggregate and analyze data in Oracle applications” explores the benefits of using postcode regions rather than a point-based approach for aggregating and analyzing data in Oracle solutions.

The publication comes in the wake of the company’s announcement that it is now offering its digital postcode and administrative maps in the Oracle data format. This allows Oracles users to take advantage of the company’s cartographic coverage of 240 countries.

“Postcode regions constitute the ideal reporting level for Oracle users wishing to aggregate and analyze their data within the Oracle environment,” explains Doris Hardt-Beischl, head of sales at GfK GeoMarketing. “Data can be easily accumulated at the level of postcode regions, which makes it simple to spot trends and relationships throughout a company’s active market.”

Aggregating data at the level of postal tessellations

The white paper illuminates the advantages of using postcode regions or tessellations as the primary means of aggregating, analyzing and visualizing data in Oracle. One of the key benefits of using postcode regions is that they offer comprehensive, overlap-free coverage of the area in question. Oracle users can aggregate point-based data to these broader postcode regions in order to gain insight into overarching trends and relationships in their markets. This, in turn, provides the optimal foundation for carrying out regional and international analyses.

The white paper goes on to explain that while point-based data has value, it needs to be aggregated to a broader geographic unit in order to facilitate insights into how this information varies across an entire market. The publication also describes a strategy for maintaining the detail of point-based data while simultaneously benefitting from the overarching perspective and ease-of-use offered by postcode regions.

Working with the right level of detail

The white paper argues that postcode regions offer the perfect balance between detailed point-based data and encompassing administrative units such as districts and counties. One of the chief advantages of postcode regions noted in the publication is that they form a hierarchical structure that comprehensively covers the region in question.

Other advantages of working with postcode regions

Additional advantages of using postcode regions as the primary reporting level in Oracle are also detailed. These include, among others, the fact that the vast majority of a company’s data already includes a postcode reference, almost every country in the world has a postal system that is maintained by a single organization and postcode regions are naturally suited to carrying out interregional and international comparisons of data.

“Oracle users are confronted with the challenge of choosing the reporting level that will best illuminate trends in their data,” says Hardt-Beischl. “Postcode regions are usually the best choice because they provide a comprehensive, regional structure that depicts overarching trends in the market while simultaneously preserving a high level of local detail.”

Free map sample

GfK GeoMarketing offers a free Oracle-format map for downloading. The map features coverage of the postal systems used by countries around the globe.

Download the free Oracle-format world map at
www.gfk-geomarketing.com/oracle_sample

Download the white paper “Advantages of using postcode regions to aggregate and analyze data in Oracle applications” at www.gfk-geomarketing.com/oracle-paper2

Print-quality illustrations
can be found at www.gfk-geomarketing.com/maps_oracle2011 (approx. 390 KB)

For more information on GfK GeoMarketing´s Oracle maps, please visit
www.gfk-geomarketing.com/oracle_maps or call Thorsten Lauszus at +49 (0)7251 9295145.

Download press release (approx. 103 KB)

About GfK GeoMarketing

GfK GeoMarketing offers the world's largest collection of digital administrative and postcode maps, with coverage of 240 countries. The company is one of the largest providers of geomarketing services in Europe for customers and users from all branches of trade. Key business areas include:

• Consultancy
• Market data 
• Digital maps 
• Geomarketing software RegioGraph

GfK GeoMarketing is a subsidiary of the globally active GfK Group. Ranked fourth among the world's market research institutes, the GfK is represented in 100 countries with over 150 subsidiaries and approximately 10,000 employees.

Contact:

Cornelia Lichtner
Public Relations
Tel. +49 (0)7251 9295 270
Fax +49 (0)7251 9295 290
Email Contact

Managing directors:
Wolfram Scholz,
Dr. Eberhard Stegner
Amtsgericht Mannheim,
HRB 250872