Critical components of data analytics in organizations: A research model

•Leadership is a critical component of data analytics.•Management capability is a critical component of data analytics.•Talent quality is a critical component of data analytics.•The critical components of data analytics significantly influence performance. This study sought to propose and build a research model that explains the impact of specific critical components (i.e., Data analytics (DA) leadership, Data analytics (DA) management capabilities, and Data analytics (DA) talent quality) on performance (i.e., financial, market, and customer satisfaction) in organizations that utilize data analytics to gain competitive advantage. An instrument with six constructs was used and administered to collect data from employees of various organizations in the USA. Collected data were analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling. Results revealed strong support for the strength of the proposed research model and that DA leadership, DA management capabilities, and DA talent are significant factors in achieving performance. Specifically, DA leadership significantly affects DA management capabilities; DA management capabilities significantly affect DA talent quality; and DA talent quality significantly affects performance (financial, market, and customer satisfaction). The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed and recommendations for future research are provided.