Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of the determinants of business intelligence system (BIS) adoption stages. It develops and empirically tests a conceptual model for assessing the determinants of BIS diffusion on the evaluation, adoption, and use stages in the context of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on data from 181 SMEs the influence of technological, organizational, and environmental factors on BIS adoption stages were analyzed using the PLS-SEM method. Findings: The paper provides empirical insights about how technological, organizational, and environmental factors affect individual BIS adoption stages. Practical implications: The paper includes implications for managers and solution providers to understand the influence of various determinants to more effectively conclude the adoption process. Originality/value: This study represents important progress in the theoretical understanding of the role of technological, organizational, and environmental factors across the different BIS adoption stages.