Strategic Decision-Making in the Digital Era: Impact of Data-Driven Decision Practices on Managerial Effectiveness Among Indian Managers

Abstract

The increasing adoption of digital technologies has transformed strategic decision-making processes in modern organizations. Data-driven decision practices enable managers to utilize organizational data, analytics tools, and evidence-based insights to improve decision quality, reduce uncertainty, and enhance organizational effectiveness. The study titled “Strategic Decision-Making in the Digital Era: Impact of Data-Driven Decision Practices on Managerial Effectiveness among Indian Managers” examines the influence of data-driven decision practices on managerial effectiveness in the Indian organizational context. The study focuses on how data availability, analytics usage, data interpretation capability, technology adoption, and evidence-based decision approaches contribute to effective managerial decision-making. The study follows a quantitative research design using a structured questionnaire for data collection. The population of the study includes middle and senior-level managers working in Indian organizations. A sample of 400 managers from major metropolitan cities including Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi was selected using purposive convenience sampling. Primary data was collected through a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire, while secondary data was gathered from research articles, books, and industry reports. SPSS software was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the respondent profile and questionnaire responses, while simple linear regression analysis was employed to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings reveal that data-driven decision practices significantly influence managerial effectiveness by improving decision quality, strategic alignment, and problem-solving capabilities. The study also confirms that data interpretation capability positively affects strategic decision-making effectiveness among managers. The results highlight that successful digital transformation requires not only technological adoption but also managerial analytical skills and organizational support. The study suggests that organizations should invest in analytics capabilities, digital training programs, and evidence-based decision frameworks to strengthen managerial performance in the digital era.