Exploring the link between business intelligence and financial performance in SMES

The utilization of business intelligence has become increasingly crucial for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to remain competitive amid rapid advancements in information technology and heightened business uncertainty. This study analyzes the influence of business intelligence on the financial performance of SMEs, focusing on the mediating role of financial ambidexterity. Additionally, it examines how financial access, financial availability, and financial information quality enable effective business intelligence adoption. Data were collected from a survey of 233 SME managers in Central Java, Indonesia, conducted between December 2023 and February 2024. Smart PLS 3 was used to analyze the data and test the proposed hypotheses. The findings revealed that business intelligence significantly affects financial performance (β = 0.655, p = 0.044). Furthermore, the indirect effect analysis confirmed that financial ambidexterity plays a crucial role in mediating the relationship between business intelligence and financial performance (β = 0.531, p = 0.018). Additionally, the results confirmed that financial resources positively influence business intelligence implementation, with financial availability (β = 0.243, p = 0.000), financial information quality (β = 0.335, p = 0.016), and financial access (β = 0.768, p = 0.025) all showing significant effects. This study highlights the critical role of business intelligence and financial ambidexterity in enhancing financial performance and underscores the importance of financial resources for successful business intelligence implementation in SMEs.