Big Data as a Strategic Capability for Managerial Decision-Making: Evidence from a Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Big Data has become consolidated as a strategic capability for supporting managerial decision- making in increasingly dynamic, complex, and data- intensive organizational environments. However, the scientific literature on this relationship remains fragmented across technological approaches, sectoral applications, analytical capabilities, and conceptual foundations. This paper aims to analyze the state of the art of research on the influence of Big Data on managerial decision-making. To this end, a Systematic Literature Review was conducted based on Kitchenham’s guidelines, considering studies published between 2021 and 2026 in Scopus, Wiley Online Library, Springer Nature Link, and Taylor & Francis Online. From an initial universe of 9 830 records, 55 studies were selected through exclusion criteria and quality assessment. The results show a greater concentration of publications in 2024 and 2025, as well as scientific production led by countries in Asia, Europe, and North America, especially China. Likewise, the predominant definitions of Big Data were found to focus on the management, processing, and integration of large volumes of data, although approaches linked to dynamic capabilities, digital transformation, sustainability, and competitive advantage also emerge. The most represented sectors were manufacturing, retail, and healthcare, while the most frequent analytical capabilities were Business Analytics, Big Data Analytics, and Business Intelligence. The findings show that Big Data should not be understood solely as technological infrastructure, but rather as an organizational capability that strengthens business intelligence and support for managerial decision- making.