John A. Parnell

Competitive strategy and performance measurement in the Malaysian context

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of competitive strategy and performance measurement in the Malaysian context by applying a modified version of Conant et als generic strategy scale and categorizing Malaysian firms along the Miles and Snow business strategy typology.Design/methodology/approach – Competitive strategy and performance measurement were assessed via survey. A total of 975 firms were randomly selected from the directory of Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) as listed in 2003. Overall, 133 surveys were returned, 120 of which were usable for analysis.Findings – Results suggest that Malaysian firms view competitive strategy differently and are more likely than their Western counterparts to emphasize the use of financial measures of organizational performance. Findings also highlight the difficulties faced when Western measurement scales are employed in non‐Western emerging nations.Research limitations/implications – Because greater emphasis wa...

New Evidence in the Generic Strategy and Business Performance Debate: A Research Note

Regardless of the numerous published tests of the business strategy–performance relationship, no consensus has been reached. Researchers continue to debate the merits of various theories, research methods, survey techniques and the use of different strategy typologies. This study tests for a strategy–performance linkage in a manner sensitive to prevailing research criticisms.

Strategy as a response to organizational uncertainty: an alternative perspective on the strategy‐performance relationship

Much of the literature suggests that strategies are formulated in light of perceived environmental conditions and internal capabilities. This study supports the notion that strategy is formulated in part as a response to management uncertainties about competitors, customers, and the environment. Responses from 137 wholesale grocers demonstrate that uncertainty varies by generic strategy, suggesting that businesses consider both the type and degree of uncertainty when crafting a competitive strategy. Specifically, the data suggest that viable strategic options may be limited more by the cognitive and perceptual abilities of an organization’s managers than by objective measures of factors such as organizational resources and industry competitiveness. The premise that strategy must “fit” with organizational or environmental factors to be effective may be incomplete. Rather, a strategy – to be successful – should also fit with the psychological characteristics and constraints of the managers responsible for its formulation and implementation.

Generic strategies after two decades: a reconceptualization of competitive strategy

Purpose – Current RBV‐grounded research has provided keen and valuable insight into the business‐strategy‐performance relationship. However, the accompanying shift away from the continued refinement of generic business strategy typologies has left a number of research opportunities uncultivated. This paper seeks to demonstrate how the generic strategy approach to strategy formulation can be applied today, especially in the development of parsimonious, prescriptive, and relevant tools for strategic managers.Design/methodology/approach – A new business strategy typology is developed and grounded in recent developments in the literature and in business practice.Findings – Building on Porters low cost‐differentiation framework, this paper integrates research founded on the resource‐based view of the firm, and proposes value and market control as the two prominent overarching factors in business strategies.Practical implications – The framework proposed in this paper incorporates several research perspectives...

Propensity for Participative Decision‐Making, Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, Organizational Citizenship Behavior, and Intentions to Leave Among Egyptian Managers

Relationships among job satisfaction, organizational commitment, organizational citizenship behavior, propensity for participative decision‐making (PPDM), and intentions to leave have been assessed in a number of studies of Western managers. However, there is a dearth of such research in non‐Western organizations. This study examines these relationships among Egyptian managers and suggests prospective directions for additional research in the field.

Cultural Antecedents of Behavioural Differences Between American and Egyptian Managers

Numerous researchers have studied behavioural characteristics typically common to American managers. However, few studies have considered how cultural differences impact behavioural management practice in developing Middle‐Eastern countries. This study reports the results of a top executive survey comparing and contrasting American and Egyptian management styles, providing strong support for the argument that management behaviour is deeply embedded in culture. Results also suggest that management behaviours seen positively in one culture are not always viewed as such in another.

Strategic capabilities, competitive strategy, and performance among retailers in Argentina, Peru and the United States

Purpose – This paper aims to assess the influence of strategic capabilities on the business strategy‐performance relationship among retail businesses in Argentina, Peru, and the USA.Design/methodology/approach – Zahra and Covins self‐reported scale was amended and utilized to categorize businesses along Porters typology. Strategic capability scales were adopted from DeSarbo and associates. Self‐reporting scales to assess relative competitive and objective performance in the present study were adopted from Ramanujam and Venkatraman. A survey containing these scales was administered to 277 attendees at a retail trade show in the USA. The survey – translated into Spanish – was distributed by mail and completed by 136 retailers in Peru and 163 retailers in Argentina.Findings – Links were assessed among strategic capabilities, generic business strategies, and performance in retail businesses in Argentina, Peru and the USA. Support was found for links between the focus strategy and both marketing and linking ...

Sustainable strategic management: construct, parameters, research directions

Much of the management scholarship on the strategy performance relationship has focused primarily on the economic, short- and intermediate-term outcomes associated with an organisations strategies. Recently, however, a largely disparate group of researchers has challenged the long-term viability of many such strategies, primarily from environmental and ecological points of view. Relatively few scholars have vigorously sought to bridge the gap between these ostensibly contradictory perspectives. This paper addresses this gap by defining and elaborating a subdiscipline within the management field ? Sustainable Strategic Management (SSM) ? concerned with the development and implementation of strategies that are sustainable from both market and environmental perspectives. It serves as a springboard for scholars who seek to pursue additional research in this arena.

Reframing the Combination Strategy Debate: Defining forms of combination

Researchers have not yet reached a broad consensus on the nature of the business strategy‐performance relationship and, specifically, the efficacy of combining competitive strategies. This paper examines empirical and anecdotal evidence that supports the notion that combination strategies at the competitive level can lead to superior performance. Propositions that identify specific, effective strategy combinations are developed and tested. Results suggest that some combinations are effective, while others are not.

Are SMEs meeting the challenge of integrating e-commerce into their businesses? A review of the development, challenges and opportunities

While e-commerce technology has spread rapidly throughout large firms in the developed world, growth among Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) has not been as pervasive. This paper discusses the current state of e-commerce development in SMEs, outlines challenges faced by many SMEs and proposes several options for e-commerce integration. Specific opportunities in the areas of customer service and relationship management, supply chain management and e-commerce support are discussed.