Bart De Langhe

To many organizations, decisions based on hard data is an important factor in corporate strategy and one that companies invest in highly. But what if the long held conventional wisdom of starting with data and ending with decisions was turned on its head?

According to acclaimed behavioral scientist and full professor of marketing at KU Leuven and Vlerick Business School in Belgium, Bart De Langhe, Ph.D. (deh-LONG), the most effective way to apply analytics is to put people before data in the process, and start with the decisions that need to be made.

As De Langhe’s research shows, decision-driven analytics brings human intelligence and decision-making to the forefront and allows leaders to drill down to the specific courses of action they’re choosing from. By specifying the available strategic and tactical options from the start, leaders can then identify the data that will be needed to make effective, informed decisions. As more organizations make greater investments in data and technology, De Langhe urges executives not to overlook the power of human intelligence.

“Data, machines and algorithms alone don’t lead to optimal decisions,” he emphasizes. “It’s vital to position human intelligence at the heart of our data analytics and AI strategies.”

When organizations mindfully optimize the respective areas of expertise of humans and artificial intelligence, AI becomes an even more powerful tool.

Outline Desired Outcomes Before Diving Into Data

An expert on the psychology of decision-making, De Langhe’s new co-authored book, “Decision-Driven Analytics: Leveraging Human Intelligence to Unlock the Power of Data” (Wharton School Press, 2024), provides a framework for optimizing strategic business decisions and the data that can point leaders to the most effective choices.

According to De Langhe, by understanding the power of decision-driven analytics, leaders can zero in on solutions to fundamental business problems without being led astray by an abundance of unhelpful historical data.  

“The data that is available to a business is oftentimes not the data needed to make more effective decisions,” explains De Langhe, one of 2021’s Poets & Quants Best 40-Under-40 Professors. “By starting with the decision makers, organizations can then determine the data that will be needed in order to make those decisions as opposed to starting with data analysis and trying to push it to be true. That’s simply confirmation bias.”

Apply Human Intelligence to Excel with Artificial Intelligence

To analyze data, there’s now a great allure of new technology and a growing awareness of the constraints of human cognition. This leads many organizations to turn to AI. However, De Lange advises leaders not to undervalue the unique intelligence of the people in their organization. It’s vital, he says, to learn how to decode both human and artificial intelligence. Understanding the respective strengths of each and determining which tasks are best suited for algorithms versus human thinkers allows companies to leverage each to create a more collaborative and productive organization.

“Many companies have shifted their focus towards data and technology, often overlooking the human element and the significance of psychology,” De Langhe explains. “While data is often viewed as unbiased and AI is perceived as a solution to human limitations, it’s crucial to remember that algorithms should be tools in our hands, not replacements for our judgement.”

Through informative presentations and confidential advisory arrangements, Bart De Langhe helps leaders optimize decision-making and analytics, empower human intelligence rather than stifle it, and more clearly understand customer behavior.

His real-world research and case studies, joined together with practical tools and frameworks, better positions organizations to prioritize strategic decisions over big data, bring AI and workers together as collaborators, and better predict what customers will do next to solidify brand loyalty and competitive performance.  

Bart De Langhe is a Full Professor of Marketing at KU Leuven and Vlerick Business School in Belgium where he teaches courses on the European Executive MBA program, the FMCG Bootcamp for Masters students and the DBA. He also takes part in programs on behavioral economics, data analytics and decision making.

De Langhe’s research examines how consumers and managers make judgments and decisions – and specifically, how they think about data, metrics and statistics. De Langhe has been published in leading academic journals, and his work featured in magazines including Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review. In 2017, he was recognized by the Marketing Science Institute as one of the most promising young scholars in marketing, and in 2021, he was selected as one of Poets & Quants’ Best 40-Under-40 Professors.

With a Ph.D. in marketing from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Netherlands, De Langhe is a sought-after keynote speaker. He has presented his research at the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. He also supports organizations as both a consultant and non-executive board member.

Bart De Langhe is available to advise your organization via virtual and in-person consulting meetings, interactive workshops and customized keynotes through the exclusive representation of Stern Speakers & Advisors, a division of Stern Strategy Group®.