Date of Conferral

2-9-2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Tom Butkiewicz

Abstract

Big data analytics (BDA) has the potential to drive sustainability through improved decision-making, innovation, and competitiveness; however, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana face significant challenges in adopting this technology. The specific research problem is whether technological readiness, organizational support, and external pressures influence SMEs’ adoption of BDA in Ghana. Grounded in the technology-organization-environment framework, the resource-based view, and institutional theory, the purpose of this descriptive survey study was to examine whether technological readiness, organizational support, and external pressures influence SMEs’ adoption of BDA in Ghana. The participants comprised 120 SMEs registered with the Ghana Enterprise Agency. They completed a validated instrument adapted from the data mining domain, hotel managers’ intentions to adopt robotics technologies, and organizational digitization models. The results of the multiple linear regression were significant, F(3, 116) = 17.118, p  .001, R = .554, adjusted R = .289, R2 = .307. The findings indicated that technological readiness, organizational support, and external pressures significantly influence SMEs’ adoption of BDA, with correlation coefficients of .434, .471, and .387, respectively. SME owner-managers and stakeholders must prioritize technological inclusion to enhance SME resilience and stimulate sustainable economic development in developing business environments. Implications for positive social change include the potential for government leaders and policymakers within the Ghana SME sector to make an impact by promoting a culture of data literacy and technological advancement, ultimately fostering innovation and competitiveness.

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