DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING, STRATEGIC FLEXIBILITY, AND ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS: A CASE STUDY OF DANGOTE CEMENT PLC, IBESE, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA
Keywords:
Data-driven decision-making, strategic flexibility, organizational success, manufacturing firms, analytics capability, managerial data literacy, organizational culture.Abstract
This study examines the role of data-driven decision-making (DDD) in enhancing strategic flexibility and organizational success within a large Nigerian manufacturing organization (Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese plant). Adopting a quantitative cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 241 valid responses (approximately 80% effective response rate) out of 302 questionnaires distributed to middle and senior managers using stratified random sampling. Key constructs, data quality, analytics capability, managerial data literacy, and organizational culture, were assessed alongside strategic flexibility (as mediator) and success indicators (e.g., innovation, competitiveness, efficiency, and adaptability) through validated Likert-scale measures. Descriptive results indicated moderate to strong agreement (means ≈ 4.00–4.09), while Pearson correlations (r = 0.64–0.70), simple regressions (R² = 0.42–0.49), and moderated regression via PROCESS macro confirmed significant positive direct effects and a moderating role of organizational culture on the DDD–strategic flexibility relationship (interaction β = 0.19, p = 0.002). All null hypotheses were rejected, supporting DDD as a valuable enabler of adaptability in dynamic industrial contexts. Grounded in Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capabilities Theory, the findings highlight practical implications for targeted investments in data governance, analytics tools, literacy training, and cultural norms within similar settings. Limitations include the single-plant focus, cross-sectional design, and reliance on perceptual self-reports, restricting generalizability and causal claims. Future research should employ longitudinal or multi-firm approaches.
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