The Patterns of Business Analytics Adoption in US SMEs: A Qualitative Approach

Abstract

With the prevalence of Business Analytics (BA) tools and Big Data through the expansion of social media, cloud-based services, and the introduction of new tools, research is needed to revisit the adoption of analytics technologies by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). This study interviewed 50 United States (US) SMEs across different industries. We demonstrated whether businesses are aware of new trends in BA, what patterns of adoption have occurred with recent tools, and how businesses’ size and industry can change the adoption patterns. We also investigated the different patterns in barriers that SMEs of different sizes and industry experience. Our results provide insights for SMEs to navigate the complicated process of the adoption of many BA solutions. For US SMEs policymakers and technology providers, knowing the state of BA adoption is imperative. Our findings shed light on how technology providers, policymakers, and industry associations can support SMEs to adopt further business analytic tools.