Beyond Intuition: Data-Driven Business Strategists and the Transformation of Strategic Decision-Making

Abstract

This paper examines the fundamental transition in corporate governance from the traditional "Great Man" theory—rooted in leadership intuition and personal experience—to a 21st-century "Data-First" mandate. As global markets increase in complexity and velocity, reliance on cognitive heuristics and "gut feelings" has become a strategic liability, frequently compromised by systemic biases such as overconfidence and confirmation bias. By exploring the evolution of strategic decision-making through the lens of Evidence-Based Management (EBM), this study details the modern strategist’s technical arsenal, including prescriptive analytics, digital twins, real-time feedback loops, and artificial intelligence (AI)–driven decision support systems. AI technologies, such as machine learning algorithms and natural language processing, enhance predictive accuracy, uncover latent patterns in massive datasets, and provide adaptive scenario modeling, enabling organizations to respond proactively rather than reactively. Beyond the technological stack, the research highlights the critical organizational and cultural transformations required to dismantle functional silos and democratize data access. However, the study also identifies a "Data Paradox," where excessive information can lead to analysis paralysis, and argues that historical data remains inherently limited in the face of "Black Swan" events. AI can partially mitigate this limitation by simulating novel scenarios and generating probabilistic forecasts, but it cannot replace human judgment in unprecedented contexts. The paper concludes that data and AI do not render the strategist obsolete but rather transform them from a "visionary gambler" into an "empirical architect." The ultimate competitive advantage lies in a hybrid synthesis: the strategist of the future must be "bilingual," capable of merging algorithmic precision, AI-driven insights, and uniquely human creative leaps and ethical judgment to navigate an increasingly unpredictable business landscape.