ROLE OF LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES IN THE DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL

Achievement in today's business environment depends on educated decision-making and higher productivity. Data-driven knowledge and comprehensive evaluation are essential for making precise decisions that reduce risks and simplify organizational strategy. The objective of this research was to investigate the role of leadership competencies in enhancing data-driven decision-making of public and private sectors at the university level. The research used an interpretivist paradigm. A qualitative research design was used. The population was all HEC-recognized general universities of Lahore. 6 universities were taken as a sample by using a random sampling technique. The researcher was conducting 18 interviews with the selected heads of departments (HOD) and faculty. It was based on identified themes and patterns, ensuring a comprehensive analysis of the relationships among variables. Thematic analysis techniques will be used for the data analysis. The study findings show that leadership competencies, particularly analytical, strategic, ethical, and communication skills, are key to effective data-driven decision-making, as universities’ success depends more on leaders’ capacity to interpret and apply data than on technological systems alone. The research recommendation is to implement programs to enhance analytical, strategic, ethical, and communication skills among university leaders for effective data-driven decision-making.