The role of big data analytics in management innovation and decision-making to achieve strategic competitiveness: a conceptual analytical study

Abstract

Despite many organizations embracing big data analytics (BDA) technologies, BDA can be characterized by its nature as more technical in its use and less as a tool for managing decisions and innovations strategically. This conceptual analytical research summarizes relevant literature to show how BDA capabilities foster strategic competitiveness as a result of the interaction of resource-based and dynamic capabilities theories. First, the paper provides a description of what is meant by the terms 'big data' and other types of data. Further, a theoretical model is built where management innovation and decision quality act as intermediaries, while dynamic capabilities act as a higher-order intermediary capability, and data-driven culture acts as a moderating variable. The literature review methodology is used to assess 44 papers published before 2024. Theory-based hypotheses of six are generated and a conceptual model reflecting relationships between the variables is developed according to analysis results. Results show that BDA capabilities foster strategic competitiveness when combined with dynamic capabilities and data-driven culture. This research contributes to a new architecture perspective on big data as not only a tool but also a trajectory for further empirical research. Conclusions and recommendations are provided according to the results of the study..