Big Data Analytics Socio-Technical Systems on Strategic Decision Making and Organisational Performance: Case of Saudi Arabian Higher Education.

Abstract

Big Data Analytics (BDA) is an emerging technology that has revolutionised varied fields such as Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), healthcare, governments, and private sectors. BDA technologies allow firms to quickly access, analyse and visualise a variety of big data that could improve executives' decision-making. As a result, improving decision-making will lead to enhance overall organisational performance. Although a significant amount of research exists on BDA in higher education institutions, studies that combine socio-technical aspect that support BDA in Saudi HEIs is lacking. In particular, applying mixed methods to explore the influence of socio-technical aspects that support BDA in Saudi HEIs. Hence, this research investigates the socio-technical subsystem that supports big data analytics and its role in improving top management decisions and the overall performance of Saudi HEIs. This research applied socio-technical theory for the proposed model based on the ontological postpositive for the quantitative method and the interpretivism paradigm for the qualitative method. Considering the research gap provided above, this study applied a mixed methods approach for data collection. Besides, we applied a cross-sectional survey for the quantitative data, whereas the qualitative data applied semi-structured interviews. The sample population involved the IT staff and data scientists, representing the big data performers (BDP) and top management in the Saudi HEIs. Quantitative data was collected using validated scales of previous studies, and the hypotheses were evaluated using PLS-SEM. Consequently, qualitative data were analysed using N-Vivo 12 pro, and a thematic analysis technique was applied, which formed themes and patterns that were then combined with the outcomes of the "quantitative results". In light of the findings, the PLS-SEM analysis conducted to test the hypotheses highlighted the significance of BDP on Big Data Systems (BDS), i.e., security, privacy, and quality. However, the results revealed the insignificance of organisational culture in big data systems (BDS), although having a positive value. Nonetheless, the organisational culture significantly impacted BDP, implying the influence of a data-driven culture and supportive top management on the workforce's attitude towards BDA-related change and skill development. Besides, the social and technical subsystems of the BDA— the BDS vii and BDP— are significantly correlated, along with their correlation with strategic decision-making. The study's implications comprised insights guiding the managers and policymakers to acknowledge the importance of organisational culture (hierarchical, adhocratic, market, and clan) while strategising the implementation of BDA and its systems and developing training modules for its BDP accordingly. Furthermore, the study's application of the socio-technical systems (STS) theory would help practitioners and policymakers address the existing challenges in the OC, BDS and BDP to ensure efficient BDA generating quality, certain and error-free data supporting high-end decision-making.