The idea of big data represents a growing challenge for co mpanies such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, Amazon, eBay, YouTube, Linked In, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. However, the challenge goes beyond private companies, government agencies, and many other organizations. It is actually an alarm clock that is ringing everywhere: newspapers, magazines, books, research papers, online, offline, it is all over the world and people are worried about it. Its economic impact and consequences are of unproportioned dimensions. This research outlines the fundamental literature required to understand the concept of big data. Additionally, the present work provides a conclusion and recommendations for further research on big data. This study is part of an ongoing research that addresses the link between economic growth and big data.