An investigation of the managerial use of mobile business intelligence

As a new trend in business intelligence (BI), mobile BI has been gaining increasing adoption by managers. However, there is little academic research about the managerial use of mobile BI. Adopting the key constructs of Task-Technology Fit theory and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology as the theoretical lens, this exploratory study aims to deliver a preliminary understanding on why and how managers use mobile BI, from both the managers’ and the vendor’s perspectives. A case study was conducted with a large government authority whose mobile BI vendor is an industry leader worldwide. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with seven senior managers from this organization and the vendor. Through discussing the reasons why managers use mobile BI and their use patterns, a series of emergent propositions are drawn. The empirical results from this study not only contribute to this currently underexplored area of mobile BI, but also help enable the industry to make mobile BI products that better suit managers’ needs.