TITLE:
Achieving Success through Business Intelligence Systems: A Leadership Blueprint for Developing Economies
AUTHORS:
Samuel Otis Pratt
KEYWORDS:
Business Intelligence Systems (BIS), Organizational Profitability, Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE), Resource-Based View (RBV), Developing Economies
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Business and Management,
Vol.14 No.2,
March
3,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study examines how firms in emerging economies achieve success through Business Intelligence Systems (BIS) by analyzing leadership, environmental, and technological factors that influence BIS-driven profitability. Using the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework and the Resource-Based View (RBV), the research surveyed 300 executives from ten developing African countries to determine if the use, effectiveness, implementation challenges, tool evaluation, and external environmental factors of Business Intelligence Systems (BIS) significantly predict organizational profitability. The regression results confirm the statistical accuracy of the reported coefficients, standard errors, and confidence intervals; however, the interpretation indicates that only External Environmental Influence was statistically significant, and its negative coefficient indicates that environmental instability reduces profitability. The results show that BIS alone does not directly lead to improved financial performance; instead, profitability depends on leaders’ ability to turn insights into action within a supportive external environment. The use of BIS, its perceived effectiveness, and implementation features were not significant predictors, supporting the idea that technology acts as an enabler rather than an independent driver of performance. The strong adverse effect of external environmental constraints highlights that infrastructure reliability, regulatory stability, and digital readiness are essential boundary conditions that influence how BIS investments can enhance profitability in developing economies. This finding improves theoretical understanding by illustrating how environmental constraints can reduce the importance of internal capabilities, as well as TOE assumptions and the RBV’s focus on complementary assets. The paper offers a leadership framework for emerging economies, emphasizing the need to strengthen internal analytical capabilities while simultaneously reducing external barriers through policy reforms, infrastructure development, and intersectoral collaboration. These findings provide a practical guide for policymakers, business leaders, and development partners seeking to use BIS as a driver for organizational change and economic growth. By redefining BIS success as a context-dependent leadership achievement rather than merely a technological outcome, the study advances global BIS scholarship and offers practical insights to boost profitability in emerging countries.