Business education is changing as companies increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making. According to Sarita Himthani, a graduate student at Pace University’s Lubin School of Business, the days when business students only needed to master spreadsheets are over. She notes that businesses now collect vast amounts of information, including web traffic, customer preferences, and supply chain metrics.
Professor Vishal Lala, PhD, who teaches quantitative marketing courses at Lubin, commented on this shift: “Today’s businesses, armed with more data than ever before, are eager to unlock the power of data. They are looking for executives that have a sound understanding of business, have the ability to write computer code to analyze data, possess the statistical know-how to interpret it, and the acumen to effectively communicate results to senior management. They are looking for a Data Scientist who understands Business.”
Himthani points out that while spreadsheets can explain past events in business operations, data science allows professionals to predict future trends through methods like predictive modeling and machine learning. These skills help organizations make evidence-based decisions rather than relying on intuition alone.
The demand from employers has also changed. Companies now seek leaders who can combine business strategy with analytical thinking. Even basic knowledge of data science can provide an advantage in fields such as consulting, finance, or marketing.
Data science is not limited to technical tasks like coding or building algorithms; it involves using these tools to inform better choices and reveal complex patterns in business environments. The value comes from turning insights into action and making sense of large volumes of information.
For today’s business students at institutions like Pace University’s Lubin School of Business, acquiring data literacy is seen as essential preparation for leadership roles in a rapidly evolving landscape.
