The AI Strategic Imperative: Navigating Growth in the VUCA Era

By Dr.Dwi Suryanto, MM., Ph.D.
Date: 25 february 2026

Introduction

We have moved beyond the “hype cycle” of Artificial Intelligence. For the modern C-Suite, AI is no longer a technical curiosity; it is a fundamental shift in the mechanics of value creation. As global markets face unprecedented volatility, the divide between “AI-enabled” and “legacy-stuck” firms is widening into a chasm.

Consider a leading regional bank in 2024. Despite investing millions in software, their customer retention rates remained stagnant. The issue wasn’t the code—it was a lack of strategic alignment. Once they integrated AI into their core leadership vision and marketing mix, they saw a 15% surge in campaign effectiveness. This scenario underscores a critical truth: AI success is 10% technology and 90% strategy and leadership.

Concepts and Theoretical Foundations

To navigate this transition, leaders must anchor their initiatives in two foundational pillars:

Strategic Alignment: As explored by Taskin (2022), the maturity of enterprise systems depends entirely on how well they “sync” with organizational objectives. Without this bridge, AI becomes an expensive silo.
Innovative & Transformational Leadership: Theoretical frameworks by Zelienkova (2022) and Noviyanti (2025) suggest that in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) environment, leaders must shift from “command and control” to “adaptive stewardship,” treating AI as a partner in innovation rather than just a tool for automation.

Evidence and Synthesis

The integration of AI across business functions yields measurable competitive advantages when executed through a multidisciplinary lens:

Marketing Optimization: Research by Fareniuk (2023) demonstrates that Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) optimized by AI can significantly boost retail media strategy. This is echoed by Awad (2025), who found that data-driven AI applications in banking directly enhance ROI by personalizing the customer journey at scale.
Sustainability as a Competitive Edge: A significant trend for 2025 is the marriage of AI and “Green Strategy.” Shwawreh (2025) and Pranata (2025) argue that AI-driven digital marketing doesn’t just sell products; it builds brand equity by proving a company’s commitment to sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Resilience and Adaptability: Korneyev (2022) provides a poignant analysis of how businesses in extreme conditions (such as wartime Ukraine) utilize digital marketing and AI to remain viable. AI provides the “structural plasticity” needed to survive systemic shocks.

Current Data, Trends, and Policies (2023–2025)

The global landscape confirms these findings:

Investment: According to the OECD (2024), global AI investment is projected to approach $200 billion by 2025, with a massive shift toward “Generative AI” in corporate strategy.
Economic Impact: McKinsey & Company estimates that Generative AI could add the equivalent of $2.6 trillion to $4.4 trillion annually to the global economy.
Adoption: The World Bank notes that digital transformation is the primary driver of GDP growth in emerging markets, provided that the workforce is “AI-literate.”

Cause–Effect Patterns

The logic of AI-driven success follows a clear mechanistic flow:

Strategic Alignment (Taskin, 2022) → Effective AI Adoption → Optimized Operational Efficiency (Awad, 2025) → Enhanced Market Viability (Mvunabandi, 2024) → Long-term Sustainable Growth.

Essentially, leadership vision acts as the “Operating System,” while AI serves as the “High-Performance Application.”

Cross-Domain Insights

Bridging AI strategy with Psychology and Complexity Theory reveals deeper insights. In complex systems, “emergence” occurs when simple rules lead to sophisticated collective behavior. Similarly, a business that fosters Psychological Safety (a concept often missing in tech discussions) allows employees to experiment with AI without fear of replacement. This creates a “Co-evolutionary” environment where human intuition and machine intelligence augment one another, much like symbiotic relationships in biological ecosystems.

Practical Recommendations

For CEOs & Founders:

Redefine the Vision: Move AI out of the IT department and into the Boardroom. Use the Erdag (2019) Strategic Alignment Maturity scale to assess your readiness.
Invest in Culture: Prioritize transformational leadership that rewards “human-AI collaboration” over pure cost-cutting.

For Middle Managers:

Process Re-engineering: Leverage AI to automate routine tasks, but redirect your team’s saved time toward “high-value” activities like relationship building and complex problem-solving (Nkurunziza, 2018).
Data Literacy: Ensure your team understands the “why” behind the data, not just the “how.”

For Policymakers:

Sustainability Integration: Incentivize firms that use AI to achieve “Green Business” goals, following the frameworks proposed by Shwawreh (2025).

Conclusion: From Insight to Action

AI is not a destination; it is a journey of continuous adaptation. The evidence is clear: the most successful organizations are those that align their technology with a deep sense of purpose and innovative leadership.

To help your organization navigate this transition, Borobudur Training & Consulting offers specialized AI Training Programs designed for leaders and practitioners. We understand that every business is unique; therefore, we also provide Bespoke Business Consulting Services for companies ready to implement AI strategically to drive growth and sustainability.

The future belongs to those who can master the machine without losing the human touch.

References

Awad, A. (2025). Data-Driven Marketing in Banks: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Enhancing Marketing Efficiency and Business Performance. International Review of Management and Marketing. Available at: https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.19738
Erdag, O.V. (2019). Stratejik Uyumlaşma Olgunluk Ölçeğinin Türkçeye Uyarlanması. Ömer Halisdemir Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi. Available at: 10.25287/ohuiibf.542171
Fareniuk, Y. (2023). Optimization of Media Strategy via Marketing Mix Modeling in Retailing. Ekonomika. Available at: https://doi.org/10.15388/Ekon.2023.102.1.1
Korneyev, M. (2022). Business marketing activities in Ukraine during wartime. Innovative Marketing. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/im.18(3).2022.05
Mvunabandi, J.D. (2024). Marketing mix Framework as a Tool to Enhance Women’s Business Viability in Limpopo-South Africa. International Review of Management and Marketing. Available at: https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.14707
Noviyanti, A. (2025). The Role of Transformational Leadership in Adaptive Business Strategy Implementation in the VUCA Era. SIMBA. Available at: 10.63985/simba.v1i1.9
Pranata, S. (2025). Peningkatan Kesadaran dan Implementasi Green Marketing Bagi UMKM. Aspirasi Masyarakat. Available at: 10.71154/f1ntkf73
Shwawreh (2025). The Role of Green Business Strategy in Enhancing Digital Marketing Strategy for Sustainable Business Intelligence. International Review of Management and Marketing. Available at: 10.32479/irmm.18287
Taskin, N. (2022). An Empirical Study on Strategic Alignment of Enterprise Systems. Acta Infologica. Available at: 10.26650/acin.1079619
Zelienkova, A. (2022). What Theories Explain Entrepreneurship as Compared to Innovative Leadership? Acta Academica Karviniensia. Available at: 10.25142/aak.2022.019