Data Science for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Structured Literature Review

Abstract

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are faced with the challenge of implementing Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies to keep up with larger industry players, and to pave the way for sustainable business development and digital transformation. Data science (DS) specifically has the potential to provide SMEs with the ability to elevate their decision-making processes by making informed data-driven decisions. A vast amount of literature relates to the field of DS and its implementation; however, the literature related to the implementation of DS in the context of SMEs is limited. Consequently, this article presents a structured literature review with regard to the implementation of DS to support sustainable business operations in SMEs, and particularly focusing on SMEs in developing countries. Keywords Data science; Big data; SMEs; Sustainable development; Industry 4.0; Digital transformation