Tribal knowledge + ad-hoc reports — leaders decide on experience and gut

Strategic calls are made in the room. Reports get pulled afterwards to justify the decision, not to inform it.

A few teams use data well; most strategic decisions are still made without it

Pockets of data fluency exist (commercial analytics, supply forecasting). Cross-functional strategy is still intuition-driven.

Defined KPIs reviewed across the org; data backs most strategic decisions

Quarterly business reviews are KPI-driven. Strategic options are weighed against historical data.

KPIs are predictive (forward-looking); strategy is tested against data-driven scenarios

Strategic options run through scenario modelling. Leadership treats data evidence as the default tiebreaker.

Data + AI are themselves part of the business — sold, monetized, or central to differentiation

The data layer isn't just internal; it's a strategic asset competitors can't easily replicate.