The Role of the Social Context for Strategy-Making

Examining the impact of embeddedness on the performance of strategic initiatives
Softcover Nachdruck of the original 1. Auflage 2004
ISBN: 978-3-8244-8211-5
Verlag: Deutscher Universitätsverlag

Buch, Englisch, 274 Seiten, Format (B × H): 148 mm x 210 mm, Gewicht: 381 g

In recent years, a new form of strategy-making has evolved within firms, which focuses on the continuous development of strategic initiatives. Nevertheless, our understanding of the professional management of strategic initiatives remains limited. Why do some initiatives fail to materialize? What role does organizational context, and more specifically its social aspect, play in this process?

Karolin Marx analyzes the impact of the social context, represented by the embeddedness of the initiative teams in the intrafirm network, on the performance of strategic initiatives by studying a sample of 54 corporate strategic initiatives. The results support the significance of the social context for strategy-making. However, it is shown that social relationships are not only positive, but can also impede the successful development of strategic initiatives. Furthermore, it is underscored that exploratory initiatives prosper in a different social setting than their exploitive counterparts. Therefore management should create a balanced environment in which both types of initiatives can develop and survive.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Marx, Karolin

Fachgebiete

• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Organisationstheorie, Organisationssoziologie, Organisationspsychologie
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Coaching, Training, Supervision
• Sozialwissenschaften Pädagogik Berufliche Bildung Coaching, Training, Supervision
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaft Management Unternehmensorganisation & Entwicklungsstrategien

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1 Introduction.- 1.1 Research objective and research question.- 1.2 Theoretical relevance and contribution.- 1.3 Practical relevance and contribution.- 1.4 Outline of the dissertation.- 2 Theoretical Background.- 2.1 Strategy process research: Developing a basic understanding of the field.- 2.2 Evolutionary theory: The social context as internal selection mechanism.- 2.3 Exploring strategic initiatives: The core vehicles for strategy-making.- 2.4 The social context of strategic initiatives: An embeddedness perspective.- 2.5 Summary and discussion.- 3 Theoretical Model.- 3.1 The core model: The impact of embeddedness on the performance of strategic initiatives.- 3.2 The extended model: Degree of exploration as a key contingency.- 3.3 Summary and discussion.- 4 Methodology.- 4.1 Methodological approach.- 4.2 Research sites.- 4.3 Data collection and sample.- 4.4 Measures.- 4.5 Analytical strategy.- 4.6 Summary and discussion.- 5 Results.- 5.1 Results on the assumptions of multiple regression analysis.- 5.2 Results of the core model.- 5.3 Results of the extended model.- 5.4 Summary and discussion.- 6 Discussion and Implications.- 6.1 Discussion of the results.- 6.2 Implications relating to theory.- 6.3 Implications relating to management practice.- 7 Conclusions.- 7.1 Limitations of the dissertation.- 7.2 Directions for further research.- 7.3 Final conclusion.- Appendices.- References.

Über Autor(innen)

Dr. Karolin Marx war wissenschaftliche Assistentin bei Prof. Dr. Günter Müller-Stewens am Institut für Betriebswirtschaft der Universität St. Gallen. Sie ist als Unternehmensberaterin bei einer international führenden Managementberatung tätig.