Faculty Publications

Defining Business Analytics: An Empirical Approach

Document Type

Article

Keywords

analytics, Business analytics (BA), definition, Google Trends, search, text analysis

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Journal of Business Analytics

Volume

1

Issue

1

First Page

40

Last Page

53

Abstract

Searches of the Web using Google, and database searches of the academic and practitioner literature, return a large number of differing and varied definitions of the concept of business analytics. This article reviews the growing literature on Business Analytics (BA) using traditional and qualitative research tools. Our searches included using Google Search to identify examples of business analytics applications, and a focused keyword search of the available practitioner and academic literatures. Text analytics techniques identified frequently used terms in prior definitions of business analytics. Our empirical, inductive approach provides a basis for proposing and explaining a formal sentence definition for Business Analytics. The analysis provides a starting point for operationalising a measure for the business analytics construct. Additionally, understanding business analytics can help managers assess skill deficiencies and evaluate claims about relevance of tools and techniques. Finally, carefully defining the Business Analytics concept should provide stimulus for new research ideas.

Department

Department of Management

Original Publication Date

1-2-2018

DOI of published version

10.1080/2573234X.2018.1507605

Repository

UNI ScholarWorks, Rod Library, University of Northern Iowa

Language

en

Link to Full Text

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