From Data to Service: Unpacking BDA-Driven Servitization in the MENA Financial Sector

This review examines how big data analytics (BDA) facilitates servitization within financial institutions in the MENA region operating under dual (corporate–Shari’ah) governance. Through the synthesis of peer-reviewed research, four recurrent barriers are identified—namely, data-related risks, resource intensity, governance gaps, and organizational inertia—and a propositions-based model, tailored explicitly to Islamic banking, is proposed. The findings indicate that all four canonical challenges commonly reported in Western contexts are also present in the MENA region; however, data-related risks, such as privacy, lineage, explainability, and prohibited-sector screening, along with resource-intensity constraints involving talent, infrastructure, and compliance costs, are particularly constraining. This review presents a testable roadmap designed to elevate analysts from mere decision-makers to decision-makers, thereby enabling the conversion of analytics into trustworthy, scalable, and Islamically aligned services. Additionally, it sets a forward-looking agenda for causal identification, artifact evaluation, and cross-country benchmarking within the management analytics community.