Customer agility and responsiveness through big data analytics for public value creation: A case study of Houston 311 on-demand services

• Published in: Government information quarterly 2018-04, Vol.35 (2), p.336-347
• Main Authors: Chatfield, Akemi Takeoka, Reddick, Christopher G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 311 services; Big data; Big data analytics; Customer agility; Digital infrastructures; Government; IT assimilation; On-demand services; Process-level strategic alignment; Systemic use
• ISSN: 0740-624X; 1872-9517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.giq.2017.11.002

A theoretical framework for big data analytics-enabled customer agility and responsiveness was developed from extant IS research. In on-demand service environments, customer agility involves dynamic capabilities in sensing and responding to citizens. Using this framework, a case study examined a large city government's 311 on-demand services which had leveraged big data analytics. While we found the localized big data analytics use by some of the 22 departments for enhanced customer agility and on-demand 311 services, city-wide systemic change in on-demand service delivery through big data analytics use was not evident. From the case study we identified key institutional mechanisms for linking customer agility to public value creation through 311 services. We posit how systemic use of big data analytics embedded into critical processes enables the government to co-create public values with citizens through 311 on-demand services, indicating the importance of creating a culture of analytics driven by strong political leadership. •Conducted a case study of a U.S. city government's use of big data analytics to enhance customer agility in 311 on-demand services.•Found innovative localized big data analytics use, but no evidence of city-wide systemic change in the operation and delivery of Houston 311 on-demand services.•Developed and tested a theoretical framework with the observed customer agility and insights from our interviews with executives and operational managers.•Process-level strategic alignment, digital infrastructures, and assimilation of big data technologies impacted customer agility.•Big data analytics need to be embedded into critical processes to create greater public value in the 311 on-demand citizen services environment.•Our case study indicates the importance of a culture of analytics driven by strong political leadership in the data-driven government for greater city-wide public value creation.