International Journal of Management and Leadership Studies
2025; 6(i): 613-625
ISSN:
2311 7575
DATA-DRIVEN LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING IN PUBLIC SECTOR IN KENYA. A CASE OF THE MINISTRY OF COOPERATIVE AND MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES DEVELOPMEN
Rose Kiptoo and Prof. Peter Kithae
Published:
01 December, 2025
Volume:
6
Issue:
i
Keywords:
Data-Driven Leadership, Strategic Decision Making, Public Sector, Kenya.
The Ministry of Cooperative and MSME Development holds a key position in promoting
the expansion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are vital to economic
growth and job creation. To improve service delivery and support strategic planning, the
Ministry has begun incorporating data driven leadership into its operations. However,
the impact of this data driven leadership on strategic decision-making has not been
thoroughly examined. Despite the government's ongoing push to digitize public services,
significant obstacles remain in fully integrating data driven leadership into the Ministry’s
strategic planning and decision-making activities. This study aimed to assess the
relationship between Data-Driven Leadership and strategic decision making in public
sector in Kenya within the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development. The
study was guided by transformational leadership theory. A descriptive research design
guided the study. The target population comprised 300 officials from the Ministry of
Cooperative and MSME Development, from which a sample of 120 respondents was
selected. Primary data were collected using both structured and semi-structured
questionnaires. quantitative data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential
statistical methods. Multiple regression analysis was employed to evaluate the
relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The findings indicated
that Data-Driven Leadership (β = 0.615, p < 0.05) significantly impact the effectiveness of
decision-making. The study concludes that Data-Driven Leadership significantly
enhances strategic decision-making by fostering evidence-based insights, efficiency, and
organizational adaptability