In today’s digital landscape, the exponentially growing availability of data has led to the concept of big data and has opened new opportunities for businesses worldwide. Extant research has shown that the key characteristics of big data, also known as the “3Vs” (i.e., Volume, Velocity, and Variety), do have an influence on firms’ innovation. However, what is not clear is whether they also affect the probability of introducing patents generated through the use of big data technologies within SMEs. To investigate this relationship, we adopt the Dynamic Capabilities theory of the firm and we use survey’s responses from 155 Italian SMEs. Findings from a probit regression model suggest that Volume has a non-statistically significant effect on patenting, whereas Velocity and Variety have a negative and a positive statistically significant effect, respectively. Our findings, which are also robust after dealing with endogeneity though a control function approach, provide both theoretical and managerial contributions and suggests intriguing research avenues for nurturing this research area.
