Assessing Brunei Darussalam Public and Private Sector Readiness Towards Big Data Application

Abstract

This exploratory study aims to assess and investigate Brunei Darussalam’s readiness in developing and applying big data technologies for its public and private sectors, using the social, technological, environmental, and policy (STEP) framework. The results show that the population are digitally literate (social) and utilise smart devices as well as internet network connectivity that is widely offered by the local telecommunications company (technology). The government of Brunei Darussalam established multiple digital transformation initiatives including implementation of 5G connectivity as well as digital economy masterplan to digitally transformed in the near future (environment). Regardless of the absence of national digital data privacy policy (policy) in Brunei, the recent nation’s successful big data application in public sector—BruHealth Application—to contain COVID-19 community spread was achieved. The existence of such policy in the near future will create opportunities for the local private sectors to capitalise on big data technologies to their business strategies.