Why Most Managers Get Analytics Wrong in Data-Driven Decision Making
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63995/YWSI2629Keywords:
Analytics Culture, Confirmation Bias, Data Literacy, Decision-Making Framework, Managerial Behavior, Psychological BarriersAbstract
According to a PwC survey of over 1,000 senior executives, organizations heavily relying on data-driven decision making are three times more likely to report significant improvements in their decision-making processes. Despite this compelling evidence, we continue to see managers struggling with implementing effective data analytics strategies in their operations. While companies that embrace data-driven strategy can better anticipate market changes, consumer needs, and potential risks, many organizations fail to realize these benefits. The statistics paint a telling picture - only 49 percent of organizations that initiated cost-reduction projects through data analytics have seen actual value from their efforts. This gap between potential and reality points to a fundamental problem in how managers approach and implement analytics. In this article, we will explore why managers often get analytics wrong and what we can do about it. We'll examine the psychological barriers to data adoption, common analytics mistakes, and practical frameworks for building effective data-driven decision making processes. By understanding these challenges and their solutions, we can better bridge the gap between data insights and actionable business outcomes.
Downloads
References
[1] Kevin Daniel André Carillo, Nadine Galy, Cameron Guthrie, and Anne Vanhems. “How to turn managers into data-driven decision makers: Measuring attitudes towards business analytics”. In: Business Process Management Journal 25.3 (2019), pp. 553–578. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-11-2017-0331
[2] Iqbal H Sarker. “Data science and analytics: an overview from data-driven smart computing, decision-making and applications perspective”. In: SN Computer Science 2.5 (2021), p. 377. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42979-021-00765-8
[3] Erik Brynjolfsson and Kristina McElheran. Data in action: Data-driven decision making in US manufacturing. University of Toronto-Rotman School of Management, 2016. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2722502
[4] Valdemar Johansen, Malthe Rasmussen, and Arne Knudsen. “Dielectric Constants and Their Role in Plasma Simulation”. In: Fusion of Multidisciplinary Research, An International Journal (FMR) 3.1 (2022), pp. 248–260. DOI: https://doi.org/10.63995/IYWJ6936
[5] Erik Brynjolfsson, Lorin M Hitt, and Heekyung Hellen Kim. “Strength in numbers: How does data-driven decisionmaking affect firm performance?” In: Available at SSRN 1819486 (2011). DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1819486
[6] Jeremy David Curuksu. “Data driven”. In: Management for Professionals (2018). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70229-2
[7] Kishore Reddy Gade. “Data-driven decision making in a complex world”. In: Journal of computational innovation 1.1 (2021).
[8] Sarah Afiq, Maryam Fikri, Rahman Ethan, and Amsyar Isfahann. “Acknowledging the Role of Buck Converter in DC-DC Conversion”. In: Fusion of Multidisciplinary Research, An International Journal (FMR) 3.1 (2022), pp. 287–301. DOI: https://doi.org/10.63995/YPYR7862
[9] Kevin Daniel André Carillo. “Let’s stop trying to be “sexy”–preparing managers for the (big) data-driven business era”. In: Business Process Management Journal 23.3 (2017), pp. 598–622. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-09-2016-0188
[10] Mario José Diván. “Data-driven decision making”. In: 2017 international conference on Infocom technologies and unmanned systems (trends and future directions)(ICTUS). IEEE. 2017, pp. 50–56. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/ICTUS.2017.8285973
[11] Erik Brynjolfsson and Kristina McElheran. “Data in action: data-driven decision making and predictive analytics in US manufacturing”. In: Rotman School of Management Working Paper 3422397 (2019). DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3422397
[12] Foster Provost and Tom Fawcett. “Data science and its relationship to big data and data-driven decision making”. In: Big data 1.1 (2013), pp. 51–59. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/big.2013.1508
[13] Bruno Lepri, Jacopo Staiano, David Sangokoya, Emmanuel Letouzé, and Nuria Oliver. “The tyranny of data? The bright and dark sides of data-driven decision-making for social good”. In: Transparent data mining for big and small data. Springer, 2017, pp. 3–24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54024-5_1
[14] Emilia Aleksi and Veera Leevi. “Discovering the Marvels and Intricacies of Physics & Astronomy: A Journey Through Fundamental Principles and Cosmic Phenomena”. In: Fusion of Multidisciplinary Research, An International Journal (FMR) 3.2 (2022), pp. 342–353. DOI: https://doi.org/10.63995/ZTDA2027
[15] Priscilla Wohlstetter, Amanda Datnow, and Vicki Park. “Creating a system for data-driven decision-making: Applying the principal-agent framework”. In: School effectiveness and school improvement 19.3 (2008), pp. 239–259. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09243450802246376
[16] Amanda Datnow and Vicki Park. Data-driven leadership. John Wiley & Sons, 2014.
[17] Ricardo Matheus, Marijn Janssen, and Devender Maheshwari. “Data science empowering the public: Data-driven dashboards for transparent and accountable decision-making in smart cities”. In: Government Information Quarterly 37.3 (2020), p. 101284. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2018.01.006
[18] Youssef Yaisien, Yahya Fayek, and Haytham Sharawi. “Climate Change and its Profound Effects on Marine Climate”. In: Fusion of Multidisciplinary Research, An International Journal (FMR) 4.2 (2023), pp. 432–444. DOI: https://doi.org/10.63995/ENUD2808
[19] Nicolaus Henke and London Jacques Bughin. “The age of analytics: Competing in a datadriven world”. In: (2016).
[20] Thomas C Redman. Data driven: profiting from your most important business asset. Harvard Business Press, 2008.
[21] Matthew T Hora, Jana Bouwma-Gearhart, and Hyoung Joon Park. “Data driven decisionmaking in the era of accountability: Fostering faculty data cultures for learning”. In: The Review of Higher Education 40.3 (2017), pp. 391–426. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.2017.0013
[22] Haziq Ahmad, Syafiq Khan, Zulhasif Tan, and Rayzal Hamid. “Invariants in Birational Mapping: An In-Depth and Comprehensive Guide to Their Properties, Applications, and Mathematical Significance”. In: Fusion of Multidisciplinary Research, An International Journal (FMR) 5.1 (2024), pp. 529–540. DOI: https://doi.org/10.63995/UKTI6068
[23] Nada Elgendy, Ahmed Elragal, and Tero Päivärinta. “DECAS: a modern data-driven decision theory for big data and analytics”. In: Journal of Decision Systems 31.4 (2022), pp. 337–373. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/12460125.2021.1894674
[24] Carl Anderson. Creating a data-driven organization: Practical advice from the trenches. " O’Reilly Media, Inc.", 2015.
[25] Konstantinos Vassakis, Emmanuel Petrakis, and Ioannis Kopanakis. “Big data analytics: applications, prospects and challenges”. In: Mobile big data: A roadmap from models to technologies (2017), pp. 3–20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67925-9_1
[26] Dursun Delen. Prescriptive analytics: The final frontier for evidence-based management and optimal decision making. FT Press, 2019.
[27] Hossain Fardin, Biswas Godhuli Akash, Amin Nayeem, and Sheikh Asadullah. “Delving Into Acid-Resistant Manganese Oxides: An Extensive Overview”. In: Fusion of Multidisciplinary Research, An International Journal (FMR) 5.2 (2024), pp. 628–638. DOI: https://doi.org/10.63995/WPWM6266
[28] Nada R Sanders. Big data driven supply chain management: A framework for implementing analytics and turning information into intelligence. Pearson Education, 2014.
[29] Keith R Holdaway. Harness oil and gas big data with analytics: Optimize exploration and production with data-driven models. John Wiley & Sons, 2014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118910948
[30] Bernard Marr. Big Data: Using SMART big data, analytics and metrics to make better decisions and improve performance. John Wiley & Sons, 2015.
[31] Mark Jeffery. Data-driven marketing: the 15 metrics everyone in marketing should know. John Wiley & Sons, 2010.
[32] Nicoleta Tantalaki, Stavros Souravlas, and Manos Roumeliotis. “Data-driven decision making in precision agriculture: The rise of big data in agricultural systems”. In: Journal of agricultural & food information 20.4 (2019), pp. 344–380. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10496505.2019.1638264
[33] Vicki Park and Amanda Datnow. “Co-constructing distributed leadership: District and school connections in data-driven decision-making”. In: School leadership and Management 29.5 (2009), pp. 477–494. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13632430903162541
[34] Arindam Banerjee, Tathagata Bandyopadhyay, and Prachi Acharya. “Data analytics: Hyped up aspirations or true potential?” In: Vikalpa 38.4 (2013), pp. 1–12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0256090920130401
[35] Amanda Datnow and Lea Hubbard. “Teacher capacity for and beliefs about data-driven decision making: A literature review of international research”. In: Journal of Educational Change 17.1 (2016), pp. 7–28. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-015-9264-2
[36] Ranjan Chaudhuri, Sheshadri Chatterjee, Demetris Vrontis, and Alkis Thrassou. “Adoption of robust business analytics for product innovation and organizational performance: the mediating role of organizational data-driven culture”. In: Annals of Operations Research 339.3 (2024), pp. 1757–1791. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-021-04407-3
[37] Viswanathan Kumar, Veena Chattaraman, Carmen Neghina, Bernd Skiera, Lerzan Aksoy, Alexander Buoye, and Joerg Henseler. “Data-driven services marketing in a connected world”. In: Journal of Service Management 24.3 (2013), pp. 330–352. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/09564231311327021
[38] Rahul C Basole, Martha G Russell, Jukka Huhtamäki, Neil Rubens, Kaisa Still, and Hyunwoo Park. “Understanding business ecosystem dynamics: A data-driven approach”. In: ACM Transactions on Management Information Systems (TMIS) 6.2 (2015), pp. 1–32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/2724730
[39] Kadir Amasyali and Nora M El-Gohary. “A review of data-driven building energy consumption prediction studies”. In: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 81 (2018), pp. 1192–1205. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.04.095
[40] Charlotte Van Ooijen, Barbara Ubaldi, and Benjamin Welby. “A data-driven public sector: Enabling the strategic use of data for productive, inclusive and trustworthy governance”. In: (2019).
[41] Nan-Chen Hsieh and Lun-Ping Hung. “A data driven ensemble classifier for credit scoring analysis”. In: Expert systems with Applications 37.1 (2010), pp. 534–545. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2009.05.059
[42] Sheshadri Chatterjee, Ranjan Chaudhuri, and Demetris Vrontis. “Does data-driven culture impact innovation and performance of a firm? An empirical examination”. In: Annals of Operations Research 333.2 (2024), pp. 601–626. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-020-03887-z
[43] Guangming Cao, Yanqing Duan, and Gendao Li. “Linking business analytics to decision making effectiveness: A path model analysis”. In: IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management 62.3 (2015), pp. 384–395. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/TEM.2015.2441875
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
© The Author(s). Published by Fusion of Multidisciplinary Research, An International Journal (FMR), Netherlands.
This is an open-access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.