Contemporary Strategic Management Research Articles

Keys to the future – new business models in mobile organisation

New and innovative business models are crucial for organisations trying to compete in today's hyper-competitive environments, not least so in mobile organisation. Concepts such as strategic innovation, blue oceans and killer applications are common in state of the art literature on contemporary strategic management. In the paper, we will induce a number of conclusions regarding business models and business concepts as well as strategic management. These conclusions will lead us to a detailed case study of the telecommunications industry, which serves to illustrate the importance of formulating innovative business models in order to succeed in the future in mobile organisation.

Six steps to better crisis management

Crises can threaten the continued existence of an organization. In today’s highly uncertain and turbulent business environment, managers must develop stronger crisis decision‐making skills. This article outlines a practical six‐step approach to improving organizational crisis‐preparedness. It also suggests that crisis management is a critical component of contemporary strategic management. Managers can be expected to do a better job in dealing with crises if they follow the recommended six‐step approach and make a conscientious effort to integrate crisis management into the process of strategic management.

Knowledge Management in E-Banking: A Competence-Based Perspective

The claim that Knowledge Management is rooted in the foundations of contemporary strategic management and most specifically in the theory of resource-based view of the firm has not yet exhibited significant implications for the organizational arrangements of the work context. Based on a study of the implementation of Knowledge Management to support the e-Banking activities of a retail bank, a framework of competence-based Knowledge Management practice is proposed combining tacit and explicit forms of knowledge and collective forms of learning in the context of work practices. A conceptualization of the type of technological support required for the realization of the Knowledge Management practice framework is also provided through the case study discourse. The framework constitutes for organizations and especially banks an innovative proposition for Knowledge Management with clear methodological and technological implications.

Agroindustrial Chains and Institutional Strategies: The Case of the 'Cocoa Bioplant', in Bahia, Brazil (1997-2000)

This paper describes the process of institutional interchange and conflict negotiation conducted by various stakeholders of the cocoa agroindustrial chain, during the implementation of the Bioplant, in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The Cocoa Bioplant is the first unit, in the world, to propagate special genetic material for cocoa farming on a industrial scale. It also figures as a strategic piece for the competitive reestructuration of this agribusiness. To explain this trajectory, the authors utilize a theoretical approach based on the so called new-institutionalim and contemporary strategic management concepts.

Swot Analysis from a Resource-Based View

An approach to SWOT analysis is delineated and illustrated that mitigates shortcomings fostered by prevailing SWOT analysis conventions. SWOT analysis - the identification and assessment of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats - is intended to yield strategic insights. However, typical procedural guidelines consist largely of catchall questions devoid of explicit theoretical underpinnings. Too often, they produce shallow misleading results. As shown in this article, more penetrating strategic insights can be gained by following SWOT analysis guidelines derived from contemporary strategic management theory, especially the resource-based view of the firm.

Integrating contemporary strategic management perspectives

Building on evalving perspectives about business strategy, the authors develop an integrative framework for examining the role and contribution of various contemporary views of business strategy. The major dimensions of the framework are creating a market-driven culture and learning process, determining the organization's unique value proposition, leveraging its distinct capabilities, making relationship strategy decisions inside and outside the organization and implementing necessary organizational change.