Big Data refers to huge datasets that are beyond the ability of traditional database software tools, which are used to capture, store, manage and analyze data with extreme volume, velocity, and variety. It gives experts and non-experts the tools needed to analyze and understand data that was once mainly handled by data scientists and professionals. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects that Big Data Analytics has on the Competitive Advantage and Performance of different businesses. A critical analysis was conducted using 20 published papers from Information Systems Journals ranging from the years 2011 to 2016. The papers that were analyzed, examined Competitive Advantage and Performance of medium to large size businesses that utilize Big Data Analytics as part of their operations. Our analysis shows that Businesses using Big Data as part of their daily operations have demonstrated moderate to significant improvement in their Competitive Advantage and Performance. Findings indicate that Businesses should consider using Big Data as part of their operations, as it will improve their Competitive Advantage and Performance. Big Data enables organizations to monitor and analyze the performance of their business processes. Business process improvement can drastically influence the profit of corporations and help them remain viable.
