Influence of Data Analysis, Entrepreneurial and Business Skills on Information Technology Firms: A Dynamic Capabilities Approach

Abstract

In the contemporary business environment, the innovation and quality of the Information Technology (IT) industry’s products and services depend to a great extent on the knowledge, ability and talent applied by IT professionals. IT professionals’ skills and capacities to integrate, build, and reconfigure resources in the continuously evolving business environments is critical. In particular, inefficiencies usually come from the lack of skills or IT professionals’ inability to apply them in a way that allows a firm to adapt and evolve concurrently with business demands. With these challenges in mind, this paper presents a study conducted with 72 IT professionals to test the importance that data analytics, entrepreneurial, and business skills have in enhancing employees’ dynamic capabilities and ultimately their perceived work performance. This study confirms that there is an important association between the three types of skills and employees’ ability to effectuate action that helps a firm evolve. By fostering such a capacity which is critical in modern day firms, their perception about their work performance is ultimately affected.