Sustaining and supporting SMME use of big data in South Africa

Abstract

SMEs play a significant role in the South African economy because of their contribution towards employment which makes this a very important sector. Big Data plays a significant role in propelling the digital economy and organisations that are dominant across various industries are those that have effectively adopted and assimilated BDA technologies in their business strategies. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of Big Data Analytics BDA) technologies on sustaining growth strategies of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in South Africa. The study was carried out using a non-experimental quantitative research method that draws from a post-positivist worldview. Data collection was done using an online survey in a form of a self-administered questionnaire. The research survey was distributed through email to a random sample of participants sourced from online business directories and IT professionals who work for SME entities and are actively involved in big data initiatives. The key findings of the study reveal that BDA technologies do positively influence SME’s competitive advantage, and resource constraints do have a negative impact on SME growth strategies, but the relationship between adoption and assimilation of BDA technologies and SME growth was found to be very weak and insignificant. Leveraging and delivering value through BDA, SMEs can develop and sustain a robust SME sector and make a considerable contribution towards employment and improve socio-economic conditions for the South African public.