Big Data Analytics on Decision Making by Smart Firms in Kenya

Abstract

Big data designates huge data-sets which demand unique advanced tools and techniques to collect, analyze, control and envision. Today, big data has captured an extensive interest from researchers and smart firms. This paper embarked on using desk-research to address the following objectives: to analyze the technological concepts of big data analytics; to establish application and uses of big data and its effects on business decisions; to examine the challenges of big data in decision making by smart firms. The study involved reviewing literature resources comprising of scientific research reports, journals, theses, and conference papers. The study concluded that Information Systems techniques, tools, and new intelligent technologies are paramount in organizations’ strategic decision and planning for a life-long business success and to meet Kenya's vision 2030 economic projections. The concepts of Business Intelligence (BI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) development have supported the application of big data by smart firms enabling efficient quality service delivery such as smart energy, smart healthcare, smart grids, smart water, smart transportation, smart retail and smart homes.