Abstract
The landscape in which higher education institutions (HEIs) operate is highly competitive and they are often required to make complex and informed decisions to remain competitive and sustainable. They are faced with a myriad of challenges such as diminishing student funding, contestation for students and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. HEIs can leverage on the data they generate from different sources, such as registration processes, social media sources and student surveys to gain new insights and make data-enabled decisions. Despite the growing interest in the application of data analytics and big data in higher education, research on the use of data analytics and big data within the HEI environment has been scarce.
This study sought to better understand how the adoption of data analytics and big data assists HEIs to support decision-making. It also investigated the challenges and benefits of using data analytics and big data in the context of HEIs. A conceptual framework is proposed that consists of critical success factors that enable the organization studied (an HEI referred to as University X to protect its identity) to derive value from data analytics and big data initiatives. This conceptual framework can guide University X in the implementation of data analytics and big data and how it can assess the opportunities of such initiatives, thus assisting University X to leverage the benefits of data analytics and big data
Nine staff members who work for University X were interviewed as part of this single case, qualitative study. The participants in this study were chosen through purposive sampling. The study used in-depth interviews to establish how data analytics and big data are generally used to address the challenges the institution is faced with. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis to develop key themes that emanated from the collected data.
According to the study’s findings, data analytics and big data are still new concepts to the employees of University X. The majority of the respondents demonstrated a rudimentary understanding of what big data is, even though they had interactions with big data in the course of their work. The study also reveals that most respondents regarded the organization as a heavy user of data analytics and big data, and that the institution
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regarded data analytics as a strategic tool for decision-making. Even though the organization is confronted by challenges regarding the use of data analytics and big data, it is undertaking several initiatives to leverage this usage, including training opportunities for employees
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Keywords: Data analytics, higher education institutions, big data, decision-making