LEVERAGING BUSINESS ANALYTICS FOR STRATEGIC GROWTH: THE ROLE OF MARKETING INTELLIGENCE AND MARKETING AGILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

The higher education landscape in Indonesia is facing increasing competitive pressures, requiring institutions to transform operational and student data into actionable strategies for sustainable growth. Although business analytics has been widely adopted in the corporate sector, its integration with marketing intelligence and marketing agility in higher education governance remains underexplored. This study aims to examine how Indonesian higher education institutions utilize business analytics to strengthen marketing intelligence and enhance marketing agility in responding to dynamic market conditions. A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed, involving in-depth interviews with 15 key informants, including faculty deans, marketing and admissions directors, and data analysts from selected public and private universities in Indonesia. The collected data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. The findings reveal that business analytics plays a fundamental role in transforming raw institutional data into actionable marketing intelligence, enabling higher education institutions to improve decision-making and respond more adaptively to changing market dynamics. Furthermore, the integration of marketing intelligence and marketing agility facilitates institutional responsiveness and supports strategic growth. This study contributes to Dynamic Capabilities Theory by explaining how data-driven capabilities operate within the bureaucratic structures and organizational cultures of Indonesian higher education institutions. The study recommends strengthening adaptive data infrastructure, establishing cross-functional analytics units, and enhancing staff data literacy to support institutional adaptability and sustainable strategic growth.