Xi WangFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-6-2023

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

Department

Business

First Advisor

Cheryl Hild

Second Advisor

Tyler Francis

Third Advisor

Henry Schrader

Abstract

The rapid development of big data and decision science methodologies have caused significant disruptions and changes in the business environment, leading managers to face increasingly complex and challenging decision-making tasks. However, only a small percentage of managers utilize data and decision science methodologies to support decisions. This study aims to identify factors that impact the adoption rate and frequency of usage of decision science methodologies for business problem-solving, and how managers’ attributes and traits influence the type of tools used for decision-making. The study found that 68.1% of managers use at least one type of advanced decision science methodologies for daily decision-making, but basic descriptive methods remain widely used. The study identifies several factors that significantly influence the usage of more advanced decision science methodologies, including managers’ educational background, functional roles, organizational ownership structure, and perceived accessibility to data-driven decision-making resources within organizations. The study recommends that organizations should provide training programs and educational opportunities to equip the workforce with quantitative knowledge and skills. This study highlights the importance of exploring organizational culture as a driver of decision science methodology usage for future research. This study also lays the foundation for exploring the potential influence of managers’ quantitative literacy on the adoption of advanced decision science tools. The quantitative literacy assessment instrument designed in this study will be validated and used in future research.

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Available for download on Tuesday, May 02, 2028

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