Central European Business Review X:X | DOI: 10.18267/j.cebr.422

Balancing Data and Intuition in a VUCA World: Cross-Cultural Evidence from Austria and India with Implications for Central European Management

Andreas Zehetner ORCID...1, Christopher Kanitz ORCID...1, Monica Khanna ORCID...2
1 University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Department of Global Sales and Marketing
2 K J Somaiya Institute of Management, Somaiya Vidyavihar University

This study examines how intuitive (experiential) and cognitive (data-driven) processes interact in business decision-making, comparing professionals and early-career participants from Austria and India. This country-dyad selection was made on the basis of rising trade relations between a developed and rising economy. Using a sequential mixed-methods approach (194 survey responses and 159 reflective essays), the authors developed a 2×2 cognition–intuition typology and conducted thematic analysis to identify culturally and gender-influenced decision patterns. Findings show: (1) analytical reasoning dominates structured, high-stakes decisions, while intuition supports rapid and creative choices; (2) Austrian participants tend toward strategic, data-oriented thinking, while Indian participants emphasize context-sensitive, experience-based intuition; and (3) women more often report integrating both approaches. We discuss practical implications for Central European firms, highlighting the need for dual-process decision training and culturally responsive leadership development, particularly in the light of deepening EU–India trade relations.
 Implications for Central European audience: This study shows how cross-cultural cognitive styles influence collaboration in Eurasian value chains, offering practical advice for Central European firms working with Indian partners. As EU–India trade grows, firms should adjust procurement and negotiation to balance structured analysis with intuition. We recommend: (1) formalizing decisions while allowing brief storytelling at meeting starts, (2) training teams to blend narrative sense-making with analytics, and (3) creating mixed decision committees with experiential experts. These steps help bridge differing thinking styles, analytical (Austrian) and intuitive (Indian), and can improve joint decisions and innovation in high-stakes contexts.

Keywords: cross-cultural decision-making; intuition and data-driven strategies; gender differences in business decisions; dual-process decision models; EU–India business relationships; cognitive, intuitive competencies

Received: October 2, 2025; Revised: May 4, 2026; Accepted: June 30, 2026; Prepublished online: July 15, 2026 

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