Study of the Environmental Factors' Effects on Big Data Analytics Adoption in Supply Chain Management

Abstract

The current study combines the institutional theory and the TOE framework to examine the effects of environmental factors along with the mediating role of top managements support on the decision to adopt big data analytics (BDA) in supply chain management (SCM) in Saudi firms as context of a developing economy in transition. The statistical analyses of the PLSPM performed with Smartpls showed that the environment factors could affect directly and indirectly the intention to adopt BDA in SCM. From a theoretical perspective, combining TOE framework with an institutional theory perspective provided us with a research model that highlight the importance of TMS as a mediating factor that can help to assimilate the effects of environment factors when dealing with BDA adoption. From a managerial perspective, this research should be useful for practitioners involved in the SCM and interested by the use of BDA by showing them the critical roles that can be played by environment factors in the decision to adopt BDA in SCM.