Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities for Entry-Level Business Analytics Positions: A Multi-Method Study

It is impossible to deny the significant impact from the emergence of big data and business analytics’ on the fields of Information Technology, Quantitative Methods, and the Decision Sciences. Both industry and academia seek to hire talent in these areas with the hope of developing organizational competencies. This article describes a multi‐method research agenda that was executed to ascertain insights regarding which knowledge, skills, and abilities, (KSAs) are valued by employers seeking to hire entry‐level analytics professionals from schools of business. Current undergraduate business analytics programs are first examined to define the research scope. A triangulated mixed‐method research approach is then used to determine the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are in demand for entry‐level jobs in this area. Finally, the multi‐method triangulation of data is combined with experiences in building academic programs in business analytics at two nationally‐ranked state universities to offer insights for those seeking to develop academic programs in this area.