The Impact of big data analytics on strategic decision-making quality in senior leadership: the moderating role of organisational culture

Abstract

The study investigates how Big Data Analytics (BDA) capabilities influence the quality of strategic decision-making among senior leaders and whether organisational culture (OC) moderates this relationship. Drawing on the Dynamic Capabilities View (DCV) and Knowledge-Based View (KBV), the research conceptualises BDA as a strategic capability that enhances sensing, interpretation, and transformation of information into enhanced strategic decision-making. The study employed a quantitative approach using surveys data from 109 senior leaders (including executives). The relationship between Big Data Analysis capabilities, Decision-Making Quality and Organisational Culture was examined. The results confirmed that relationship between BDA capability and DMQ is a strong, positive and significant one, suggesting that BDA capabilities improve DMQ by enhancing efficiency, reliability and coherence of strategic decisions. However, moderation analysis reveal that organisational culture plays a significant role in conditioning the BDA and DMQ link. Data Driven, Adaptive and Collaborative Cultures strengthens the culture effect. Conversely Hierarchical and Control based cultures weaken the link. The study findings demonstrate that additional value is unlocked from technologies that drive data analytics when they are embedded within a supportive cultural context. Thus, the study extend existing theory by positioning organisational culture a substantiating condition in the BDA-DMQ relationship and provides practical guidance to leaders in organisations.