Big data in public organizations: an examination of factors influencing IT innovation adoption process

Abstract

Despite the increasing prominence of information technology (IT) in the public sector, research on IT innovation has primarily focused on private organizations. To fill this gap, the present study examines the impact of factors influencing the adoption process of a novel IT - big data analytics - in the public sector. Using technology-organization-environment frame-work, this study proposes a big data adoption model that takes into account the three stages of adoption process at the firm level - initiation, adoption, and assimilation. The model is tested against survey data collected from managers and IT administrators of 55 public institutions and public enterprises. Examination of the structural model showed that while the initiation and adoption stages are affected by technological factors such as perceived technological bar-riers and perceived benefits, the assimilation stage is significantly influenced by organization-al and environmental factors including perceived strategic obstacles and perceived stakehold-er pressure. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.