Leveraging big data analytics to improve decision making in South African public universities

Despite the potential of Big Data analytics to improve decision making within organizations, there are a number of challenges that impede the achievement of this goal. Such challenges include but not limited to organizational preparedness and capacity to handle Big Data, lack of resources like skilled personnel and appropriate technology needed for analysis, lack of awareness of the relevant methods for analysis and interpretation of the analyzed data as well as individual characteristics. The objective of this study was to design a framework for Big Data analytics (BDA) in public universities so as to improve decision making. The study used quantitative approach. The developed BDA model from this study will help universities to discover the weaknesses of their current setting to hinder sound decision making.