The adoption of Big Data Services by Manufacturing firms: An empirical investigation in India.

Abstract

Big data services has been the buzzword in the industry today. Though, it is not an entirely new concept in data analytics area but in today’s digital age, it has become ubiquitous due to the proliferation of personal digital devices, internet, social media and sensors. Even though some leading companies are actively adopting big data services to strengthen market competition and to open up new business opportunities, many manufacturing firms are still in the early stage of the adoption curve due to lack of understanding of and experience with big data services. Hence, it is interesting and timely to understand issues relevant to big data services adoption. In this study, a research model is proposed to explain the adoption intention of big data services by manufacturing firms and the focus is on the perceived inclination of manufacturing firms toward big data services and the benefits reaped from them. The empirical investigation reveals that a firm’s intention to adopt big data services can be positively affected by the quality of big data available to the firm and the perception of the benefits of big data services. Moreover, a firm’s favorable experience (i.e., benefit perceptions) in utilizing big data could encourage future acquisition of big data services. Surprisingly, a firm’s absorptive capacity (experience to utilize big data) in utilizing big data and risks and costs associated with implementation and maintenance does not impact the adoption intention of big data services.