Business Analytics Capability and Firm Performance in Bangladesh: Evidence from Firm-Level Surveys and Sectoral Case Studies

Data shapes more business choices now in Bangladesh as the country changes fast both economically and digitally. In industries like banking, telecom, RMG, along with smaller firms, information output has climbed sharply over time. Still, turning that flood of numbers into real clarity when making decisions? Not everyone manages it well. Two different surveys, one looking at 52 cases, another covering 214 companies, help form part of this picture. Complementing those are deep dives into two specific sectors through case examples. Instead of just listing figures, methods such as consistency checks, summary stats, plus modeling relationships between multiple factors were applied. The goal: see how far advanced a company's use of data is, and what effect that actually has on daily performance and long, term planning moves. Surprisingly, companies with stronger data analysis abilities tend to perform better financially. Yet skill shortages often slow progress down. Infrastructure issues pop up just as frequently. A closer look at how firms in Bangladesh use analytics reveals these patterns clearly. Evidence gathered here adds weight to research about developing nations. What stands out is how real, world limits shape what tools get used.