Creating Competitive Advantage Using Digital Data Assets

A Digital Strategic Initiative (DSI) is a competitive move that relies on digital resources to create and capture sustainable economic value. DSIs are specific projects that rely on a core of digital resources, and they are executed to achieve competitive advantage. A key DSI digital resource is the digital data asset, which we define as data that is modularized, governed, and shared in a highly scalable manner. In this study, we explore how companies identify, design, deploy, and exploit digital data assets and what contributes to their competitive impact. Research questions include:

(*) What are the key technologies and processes necessary to develop and manage the data asset component of a DSI?
(*) How is data governance handled? What is the nature of the data at play?
(*) In what ways is the data asset distinct from the data assets of competitors? Does it contribute to sustainable competitive advantage? If so, how?

Seeking: This study will draw on interviews with members of the MIT CISR Data Advisory Board as well as select other data leaders who are actively engaged in building and managing digital data assets. The team will also conduct at least one case study on a company that is creating or managing digital data assets in novel ways.