The validation of a big data analytics capability scale for the South African context

Abstract

Literature confirms that few organisations have managed to enhance organisational performance through big data analytics capabilities (BDAC). Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to design and validate a BDAC scale for the South African context, and clarify the nature of the BDAC relationship to organisational performance. The population identified senior managers, executives and data analysts who work in the context of big data (BD) and the BDAC space with organisations or during project implementation. A new scale was designed comprising relevant items based on a comprehensive literature review and items taken from existing literature. Two pilot studies were conducted and data collected from respondents using an online survey provided 239 usable questionnaires. The final scale comprised two primary dimensions (i.e., BDAC and organisational performance) and ten subdimensions. The results confirm that the new BDAC scale is valid for South African organisations and can be used to enhance organisational performance. The study thus contributes a validated BDAC scale for the South African context to benefit academics, researchers and practitioners in the quest to further understand BD and BDAC utilisation in transforming organisations, improving organisational development and enhancing organisational performance.

Die literatuur bevestig dat min organisasies al daarin geslaag het om organisasieprestasie deur grootdata-ontledingsvermoëns (GDOV) te verbeter. Die primêre doel van hierdie studie was dus om ’n geldige GDOV-skaal vir die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks te ontwerp, en om die aard van die GDOV-verhouding tot organisasieprestasie te verduidelik. Die populasie het senior bestuurders en data-ontleders geïdentifiseer wat in die konteks van groot data en die GDOV-ruimte met organisasies of tydens projekimplementering werk. ’n Nuwe skaal is ontwerp wat relevante items bevat gebaseer op ’n omvattende literatuuroorsig en items wat uit bestaande literatuur geneem is. Twee voorondersoeke is uitgevoer en data wat van respondente ingesamel is met behulp van ’n aanlyn opname het 239 bruikbare vraelyste verskaf. Die finale skaal het twee primêre dimensies (i.e. GDOV en organisasieprestasie) en tien subdimensies behels. Die resultate bevestig dat die nuwe GDOV-skaal geldig is vir Suid-Afrikaanse organisasies en gebruik kan word om organisasieprestasie te verbeter. Die studie dra dus ’n geldige GDOV-skaal vir die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks by tot voordeel van akademici, navorsers en praktisyns in die strewe om grootdata- en GDOV-benutting beter te verstaan vir die transformasie van organisasies, en die verbetering van organisasie-ontwikkeling en organisasieprestasie.

Imibhalo iqinisekisa ukuthi izinhlangano ezimbalwa zikwazile ukuthuthukisa ukusebenza kwenhlangano ngamakhono amakhulu okuhlaziya idatha (KAOD). Ngakho-ke, inhloso eyinhloko yalolu cwaningo bekuwukuklama nokuqinisekisa isikali sa- KAOD somongo waseNingizimu Afrika, nokucacisa uhlobo lobudlelwano ba- KAOD nokusebenza kwenhlangano. Inani labantu lihlonze abaphathi abakhulu, abaphathi nabahlaziyi bedatha abasebenza kumongo wedatha enkulu (IE) kanye nesikhala sa- KAOD nezinhlangano noma phakathi nokuqaliswa kwephrojekthi. Kwaklanywa isikali esisha esihlanganisa izinto ezifanele ngokusekelwe ekubuyekezweni okuphelele kwezincwadi nezinto ezithathwe ezincwadini ezikhona. Kwenziwa izifundo zokuhlola ezimbili futhi iminingwane eqoqwe kwabaphendulayo kusetshenziswa inhlolovo ye-inthanethi yanikeza imibuzo engama-239 esebenzisekayo. Isilinganiso sokugcina sasihlanganisa izilinganiso ezingqala ezimbili (okungukuthi, KAOD nokusebenza kwenhlangano) kanye nezingxenye ezingaphansi eziyishumi. Imiphumela iqinisekisa ukuthi isikali esisha sa- KAOD sivumelekile ezinhlanganweni zaseNingizimu Afrika futhi singasetshenziswa ukuthuthukisa ukusebenza kwenhlangano. Ngakho-ke lolu cwaningo lufaka isandla esikalini sa- KAOD esiqinisekisiwe somongo waseNingizimu Afrika ukuze kuzuze izifundiswa, abacwaningi kanye nabasebenzi emzamweni wokuqonda kabanzi ukusetshenziswa kwe- IE na- KAOD ekuguquleni izinhlangano, ukuthuthukiswa kwenhlangano kanye nokuthuthukisa ukusebenza kwenhlangano.