KEEPING A BUSINESS COMPETITIVE 1
BMAL 720 Leveraging Data for Decision Making (WEEK 8 PROJECT-LEADERSHIP
INTEGRATION ESSAY- KEEPING A BUSINESS COMPETITIVE) 2026 Liberty University
Keeping a Business Competitive
Alejandro Cuervo
Department of Business, Liberty University
BMAL 720: Leveraging Data for Decision Making (B04)
, KEEPING A BUSINESS COMPETITIVE 2
Abstract
The competitiveness of organization in the contemporary business world, in which
globalization and technological advancement make competition stiffer, depends on how
organizations acquire and process information. Competitiveness is no longer based simply on
financial or physical capabilities, but it is becoming increasingly a measure of how well
businesses can process raw data into strategic information. This paper focuses on the primary
gathering and control approaches supporting competitive advantage and analyzes how they
combine to create organizational nimbleness, effectiveness, and creativity. Customer
engagement, market intelligence, operational measures, financial analysis, and knowledge
capture are all data collection methods that serve as the raw material in making a decision. These
are enriched by management tools like business intelligence systems, customer relationships
management tools, supply chain integration, performance tools, and knowledge management
tools that streamline information into operational strategies. The practices of collection and
management studied in the two case studies in the paper can also be transferred to the practice of
real-life examples such as Amazon, Netflix, Toyota, and many others, to help them understand
how a combination of both collection and management practices can create long-term
competitive advantages in industries. Notably, the Christian norms of a leader have been
included in the discussion. However, the concepts of stewardship, wisdom, justice, and
community as a set of ethical standards applied to the ethical use of information are highlighted.
This argument shows that though technology cannot be ignored, the human factor embodied by
leaders and employees exercising prudence and integrity is the foundation of competitiveness.
Keywords: Stewardship, ethics, knowledge, wisdom, integrity
BMAL 720 Leveraging Data for Decision Making (WEEK 8 PROJECT-LEADERSHIP
INTEGRATION ESSAY- KEEPING A BUSINESS COMPETITIVE) 2026 Liberty University
Keeping a Business Competitive
Alejandro Cuervo
Department of Business, Liberty University
BMAL 720: Leveraging Data for Decision Making (B04)
, KEEPING A BUSINESS COMPETITIVE 2
Abstract
The competitiveness of organization in the contemporary business world, in which
globalization and technological advancement make competition stiffer, depends on how
organizations acquire and process information. Competitiveness is no longer based simply on
financial or physical capabilities, but it is becoming increasingly a measure of how well
businesses can process raw data into strategic information. This paper focuses on the primary
gathering and control approaches supporting competitive advantage and analyzes how they
combine to create organizational nimbleness, effectiveness, and creativity. Customer
engagement, market intelligence, operational measures, financial analysis, and knowledge
capture are all data collection methods that serve as the raw material in making a decision. These
are enriched by management tools like business intelligence systems, customer relationships
management tools, supply chain integration, performance tools, and knowledge management
tools that streamline information into operational strategies. The practices of collection and
management studied in the two case studies in the paper can also be transferred to the practice of
real-life examples such as Amazon, Netflix, Toyota, and many others, to help them understand
how a combination of both collection and management practices can create long-term
competitive advantages in industries. Notably, the Christian norms of a leader have been
included in the discussion. However, the concepts of stewardship, wisdom, justice, and
community as a set of ethical standards applied to the ethical use of information are highlighted.
This argument shows that though technology cannot be ignored, the human factor embodied by
leaders and employees exercising prudence and integrity is the foundation of competitiveness.
Keywords: Stewardship, ethics, knowledge, wisdom, integrity
