Data-based approaches to decision-making are gaining ground, but many managers still rely largely on “gut feel” and factors such as intuition and experience when exploring business possibilities, according to a new survey by management consulting firm Accenture.

Analytics capabilities are still weak at most firms. Silos are a problem, with more than one-half of respondents reporting that their organizations are structured in ways that prevent them from leveraging data and analytical talent. Doubts about data quality and security issues are two more factors that underlie the relatively slow uptake of analytics tools even in areas where they could make the most difference, such as predicting future business events.

A summary of the study is available here.