The role of compatibility in predicting business intelligence and analytics use intentions

• Published in: International journal of information management 2018-12, Vol.43, p.305-318
• Main Authors: Jaklič, Jurij, Grublješič, Tanja, Popovič, Aleš
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytics; Business competition; Business intelligence; Business intelligence & analytics; Compatibility; Competitive advantage; Competitive intelligence; Decision analysis; Decision making; Influence; Information management; Intelligence (information); Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Model testing; Result demonstrability; Social influence; Socio-organizational drivers; Solution strengthening; Task-technology fit; Use intentions; Work style
• ISSN: 0268-4012; 1873-4707
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2018.08.017

•We examined the interrelated role of compatibility in predicting IS use intentions in the context of BI&A.•Compatibility perceptions have a positive impact on use intentions and mediate the impact of performance perceptions on use intentions.•Results demonstrability and social influence strengthen the perceived relevance of compatibility in impacting use intentions.•Findings contribute to the understanding of the influential drivers of BI&A use intention. Research shows that data-driven decision-making using Business Intelligence and Analytics (BI&A) can create competitive advantages for organizations. However, this can only happen if users successfully accept BI&A and use it effectively. Analytical decision processes are often characterized by non-routine and ill-structured tasks and decisions, making individuals’ work styles more pronounced. Aligning on one hand what a BI&A solution can offer and, on the other, the changing needs and expectations of users, the way they like to work – their work style, can thus be difficult. This illustrates the importance of compatibility evaluations in the BI&A context, including perceptions of the technology fit with the user’s work needs and style, along with the fit with the organizational decision processes and organizational values when deciding to use BI&A. These issues have not yet been thoroughly researched in the existing BI&A literature. In response, we conduct a quantitative survey-based study to examine the interrelated role of compatibility in predicting BI&A use intentions. The model is empirically tested with the partial least squares (PLS) approach through to structural equation modeling (SEM). Our results show that compatibility perceptions have a direct positive impact on use intentions, mediate the impact of performance perceptions on use intentions, while the socio-organizational considerations of result demonstrability and social influence have interaction effects by positively strengthening the perceived relevance of compatibility in impacting use intentions.