Data flow analysis: application in economics and management

The article presents a universal approach to the generalization of data flows. The basis of the proposed approach is the tabular aggregation of information about the values of the analyzed flows, which characterize the interaction between the managed objects. To solve the problem of describing data flows in the table method, objects are reflected as source nodes and receiver nodes. At the intersection of the rows and columns denoting the corresponding nodes, the value of the flow is indicated in the cell corresponding to their relationship. The methodology is illustrated by an example of an economic nature. The approach to data visualization and grouping demonstrated in the article is applicable to substantiate management decisions of different nature and complexity. When using software that supports the mechanism of relational tables or spreadsheets for primary data collection, data flow tables can be obtained by using filters relevant to the task. The method can be adapted by the user to a specific task. Also, data flow tables can serve as the main one for in-depth data analysis, in particular, by methods of studying variation series, mode, median, average, span, trend analysis, cluster analysis, factor analysis, structural and dynamic analysis, correlation and regression and other methods of mathematical information processing.