Improving the use of analytics and big data by changing the decision-making culture: A design approach

Abstract

Purpose

Evolving digital technologies continue to enable new ways to collect and analyze data and this has led some researchers to claim that skillful use of data analytics and big data can radically improve a company’s performance, but that in order to achieve such improvements managers need to change their decision-making culture and to increase the degree of collaboration in the decision-making process. The purpose of this paper is to create an increased understanding of how a decision-making culture can be changed by using a design approach.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents an action research project in which the authors use a design approach.

Findings

By adopting a design approach organizations can change their decision-making culture, increase the degree of collaboration and also reduce the influence of power and politics on their decision-making.

Research limitations/implications

This paper proposes a new approach to changing a decision-making culture.

Practical implications

Using data analytics and big data, a design approach can support organizations change their decision-making culture resulting in better and more effective decisions.

Originality/value

This paper bridges design and decision-making theory in a novel approach to an old problem.

Citation

Frisk, J.E. and Bannister, F. (2017), "Improving the use of analytics and big data by changing the decision-making culture: A design approach", Management Decision, Vol. 55 No. 10, pp. 2074-2088. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-07-2016-0460