An Analysis of the Impact of Big Data Analytics on Strategic Management in Business

Big data analytics is one of those business fields which has emerged from the increased role of information, technology, and digital communications within the business. The competitive nature of global trade is highly turbulent such that it demands companies to be more rapid, risk-taking, and faster in making decisions. Such driving forces also enable businesses to seek and identify ways to mitigate constraints in advancing business processes, which is often the change-oriented and business ability to be rapidly responsive. Hence the need for businesses to focus on business agility is high as never before. The role of big data analytics becomes a means to enable firms to attain sustainable competitiveness by allowing them to make better strategic choices. In contrast, there are many studies concerning big data. However, more attention should be paid to the study area where the ability of big data to enable firms in the manufacturing sector has been addressed. The research conducts a case study analysis on a large-scale manufacturing firm from Guangzhou, China. The research adopts a deductive qualitative and case study approach. It conducted focus group interviews with five-panel members from the top-level, senior-level, and first-line employees. There were five samples with substantial experience in the manufacturing sector and a significant tenure with the current firm. A purposive sampling technique was adopted to ensure that primary data was collected from the most relevant people with maximum knowledge, experience, and perception of the field of study. The research findings correlate with existing literature, where it is found that big data analytics, despite demanding complex infrastructure, data management knowledge and expertise, and careful planning and preparation, are potential sources of sustaining competitive advantages. They enable the firm to make enhanced and effective decisions, remain flexible, improve quality, understand consumers, time management, automate processing, and have a more comprehensive range of knowledge management within an organisation.