Big data analytics capabilities and the organisational performance of South African retailers

Big data analytics provides a competitive advantage and growth opportunities for organisations. Recent studies identify the resources required to build big data analytics capability (BDAC) and its correlation with firm performance. This study extends this exploration by investigating the nexus between specific dimensions of big data analytics capabilities namely, Big Data Analytics Tangible Capabilities (BDATC), Big Data Analytics Human Capabilities (BDAHC), and Big Data Analytics Intangible Capabilities (BDAIC) and the organisational performance of South African retailers. Employing a descriptive research design, this study applied a quantitative survey administered to members of the Business Intelligence (BI) teams within selected South African retailers. The study’s findings affirm a positive and significant impact of BDA capabilities (BDATC, BDAHC, and BDAIC) on the organisational performance of South African retailers, thereby supporting the three proposed hypotheses. In essence, this research underscores the indispensable nature of all primary dimensions of BDAC in optimising the organisational performance of retailers. The outcomes of this study indicate that cultivating these capabilities empowers retailers to enhance productivity, elevate sales revenue, improve profit margins, foster customer retention, and augment return on investment.