This study investigates the strategic impact of big data adoption and analytics on organisational performance, with a specific focus on the telecommunications sector in a developing economy. Addressing a key gap in the extant literature, it proposes an integrated framework assessing how big data technologies influence financial and operational outcomes, as well as exploratory and exploitative innovation (EPI) capabilities. A quantitative research design was employed, using structured questionnaires distributed among senior and mid-level managers of telecommunications firms actively engaged in analytics. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to empirically validate the conceptual model. Results indicate that big data analytics (BDA) significantly enhance decision-making and forecasting, which subsequently improve financial and operational performance. Big data adoption fosters exploratory and EPI, explaining the variance in organisational performance. Innovation and decision-making emerge as critical mediators in translating data capabilities into competitive advantage. Practical implications emphasise continued investment in analytics infrastructure and human capital development.
Nikmanesh et al. (Wed,) studied this question.