Strategic Change Process Research Articles

Shared sensemaking during a strategic change process: a non-managerial perspective

PurposeThis study offers insight into how individuals in non-managerial positions make sense of a strategic change as it unfolds. We explore the dynamic aspects of how these individuals perceive and engage with the evolving process, and how shared strategic understanding is created. The study aimed to bridge the gap between structure and action by highlighting the agency of faculty staff members, during strategic change, in a business school context.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilized a longitudinal, real-time, inductive approach based on a single explanatory case study to describe how phenomena change over time in context, focusing on faculty staff members in non-managerial positions. Qualitative data was collected in three phases involving real-time reflective diaries and observations, interviews, and documentation. A combinatory process-practice ontology, was adopted, complemented by a “temporal lens” to capture the strategic change process as it unfolded.FindingsThe authors present a temporal process model of strategic change and identify four enabling factors through which shared sensemaking was achieved during the change process. Additionally, the study explores the role of tensions and dissonance in fostering reflection and progress within the context of organizational change.Originality/valueFindings contribute to the concept of shared sensemaking, and we illustrate how a change process is enabled through the interplay of dynamic (less visible) practices and static (prescriptive) elements of a change process. We contribute towards theory development through a more comprehensive understanding of contextual dynamics and how change processes unfold and interweave, by considering process, structure, and context.

Strategic organisational change process for managing a bank’s change and transition from a crisis situation

Whether banking executives want or not, the implementation of strategies aimed at mitigating a crisis may in one way or another involve the change and transformation of a bank’s particular area of operations. Hence, organisational change and transformation is part and partial of the overall process of a bank’s crisis management. Unfortunately, most of the banking executives often accomplish crisis management as though it does not involve any form of change and transformation, only for the effectiveness of the crisis management strategies to be marred by the poorly managed change related complications. To address such complexities, this seminal paper used the qualitative meta-synthesis to assess, identify and extract a combination of the strategic change management processes that the banking executives can use during the implementation of changes that are essential for enhancing the successful implementation of crisis management strategies. During a bank’s crisis management, findings revealed that irrespective of the types or the dimensions undertaken by the organisational change and transformation, theories and literature still insinuate that social organisational change and transformation is not just a random process, but a more systematic process aimed at achieving some pre-determined outcomes. To accomplish that, findings imply usage of a systematic organisational change and transformation process is a necessity for enhancing Situational Analysis, Vision Setting, Communication of the Impetus for Change, Change Implementation, and Measuring and Improving Progress of Change Implementation.

Masculinist Actionism: Gender and Strategic Change in US Cyber Strategy

How do gender hierarchies inform processes of strategic change? Drawing upon feminist institutionalism and security studies, we argue that gender hierarchies form the boundaries of acceptability for strategic change. We conduct a qualitative feminist analysis of cyber strategy policy documents and expert commentary around a 2018 shift in US cyber strategy. We identify two ideal-typical modes of masculinity—military and “tech”—as influential in conditioning US cyber strategy. The interaction of these masculinities facilitated the emergence of “defending forward” and “persistent engagement” as proactive, dynamic, and suitably masculine new strategic concepts. The previously preferred strategic concept, deterrence, conversely, was constructed in line with feminized tropes as weak, passive, and reactive. Strategic change is facilitated by a change in the meaning of a specific gender norm—masculinized action—while still constrained by the continuation of a broader gender hierarchy of masculinities over femininities, and the associated valorization of action over passivity and dependence.

Internal Communication and Change Management at Cotton Web Private Limited

Cotton Web Private Limited (CW), an apparel company based in Lahore, was established in the late 1990s by entrepreneurs who faced limitations in resources and experience within the textile manufacturing and export sector. Despite these constraints, the directors successfully capitalized on a narrow window of opportunity, leveraging their entrepreneurial skills with the dedicated support of experienced employees and fostering a positive ‘can-do’ culture. By 2013, they had transformed the company from its inception in 1998 into a substantial enterprise with over 2,000 employees. At this juncture, the directors, particularly Daniyal and Waseem, decided to initiate a strategic change aimed at transitioning the flat, entrepreneurial structure of the company into a systematically managed organization. To facilitate this transformation, the directors enlisted the services of an external HR consultant to assess, design, and implement the strategic change process. Despite the positive intent behind the change process to foster organizational growth and enhance management systems, it encountered significant challenges. Communication breakdowns emerged at various levels and junctures, including between the directors and the HR consultant, between the consultant and the employees, and between the management and the workforce. The change process, unfortunately, resulted in thirteen resignations within a short timeframe, indicating its disruptive impact. This challenging situation left the directors in an uncomfortable position, compelling them to contemplate difficult decisions to address the issues at hand.

Navigating Strategic Change Process in Healthcare Organizations During Unexpected Crisis Change Process in Healthcare Organizations During Crisis

The Radiation Oncology (RO) clinical department is a significant healthcare facility in university hospitals dedicated to treating cancer patients using radiation. Radiation oncology has undergone significant workflow changes, patient appointments, patient scheduling, treatment flow, medical care, and many more to continuously treat cancer patients safely in healthcare facilities during the pandemic crisis. The present study examined the decision-making, change initiatives, implementation process, and post-transition review of these changes in the department of a major university hospital. In contrast to the usual change initiatives, the executive level made all the crucial decisions with the support of a network of teams and then passed them on to the lower-level employees for quick implementation in the crisis. formulated quickly implemented the formulated decisions, sending the essential communications through various electronic methods. The department performed well in this change initiative/ process, allowing patients to continue radiation treatments by taking the necessary steps to tackle the crisis effectively. The department revenue was reduced over the period, and no employee lost their job due to the effective involvement of the management from the beginning of the crisis. Many employees were allowed to work from home, implemented telehealth programs for patient consultations, and provided patients with specific appointment times for radiation treatments. These steps considerably reduced department traffic to control viral spread issues successfully.

Impact of Digital Transformation on Strategic Change Processes in China

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of digital transformation on strategic change processes in china.
 Methodology: The study adopted a desktop methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library
 Findings: The impact of digital transformation on strategic change processes in China has yielded several key findings. First, digital technologies have significantly accelerated the pace of strategic change, enabling companies to adapt swiftly to market dynamics. Second, digital tools have facilitated data-driven decision-making, enhancing the precision and effectiveness of strategic planning. Finally, successful strategic change in China increasingly hinges on digital capabilities, emphasizing the necessity for organizations to prioritize digital transformation as a core component of their strategic agenda.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Resource-Based View (RBV) Theory, Institutional Theory & Innovation Diffusion Theory may be used to anchor future studies on impact of digital transformation on strategic change processes in china. Companies in China should invest in developing digital talent internally Policymakers in China should continually adapt regulations to accommodate the dynamic nature of digital transformation.

Scaling Up Sustainability From an Operational Capability to a Dynamic Capability: The Case of Royal Bank of Scotland

This article reports on a case-based, longitudinal study of the micro-foundations of business sustainability development in the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) in the turbulent years between 2002 and 2012. The study proposes an emerging 3-i process model, mapping the role of bounded, shared, and embedded intentionality; operational, functional, and strategic integration; and constraining, accelerating, and stabilizing institutionality as they relate to the micro-foundations underpinning the development of corporate sustainability from an operational capability to as a dynamic capability as it evolved across multiple levels of context and over time. The research extends extant literature exploring transformations toward sustainability as part of the strategic change process, the micro-foundations of capabilities as well as discussions on sustainability and temporality.

Does Strategic Change Enhance the Relationship between Firms’ Resources and SMEs Performance in Pakistan?

There are approximately 3.2 million SMEs in Pakistan. It is believed that more than 90% of the economic establishments are SMEs. They contribute 40% of the economic growth and create 70% of Pakistan’s overall employment opportunities. Despite substantial presence and contribution, 95% of SMEs fail within the first five years. Out of the remaining 5%, 25% of the SMEs survive up to four more years, adversely impacting economic growth, employment, and living standards. Previous studies indicated SMEs’ low performance as a significant cause and provoked entrepreneurs to shut down their businesses. Therefore, this study aims to examine the performance of SMEs in Pakistan. Based on the problem, the study contextualized the research model that investigates the relationship between financial capital availability (FCA) and innovative work behavior (IWB), which is believed to be crucial for enhancing small and medium-sized businesses’ performance through accelerated strategic change (SC). In addition, the moderating role of Government support (GS) on SMEs’ performance was also considered. The quantitative, cross-sectional research design was considered appropriate for this research. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire to 340 SMEs in the Pakistan manufacturing sector. The hypothesized relationships were tested through structural equation modeling (SEM) using Smart-PLS 4. Results showed a positive link between FCA, IWB, and SMEs’ performance. Furthermore, FCA and IWB are the key drivers to achieving an optimum level of SME performance, which translates the SC process within the SMEs in Pakistan. Additionally, this research discovered that SC partially mediates the relationship between FCA and IWB on SMEs’ performance. Moreover, GS strengthens the relationship between SC and SMEs’ performance. The present findings offer valuable insight to SME owners, policymakers, and first-line managers to understand the radical change in the process. The study also outlined policy interventions to uplift the diminishing SMEs’ performance.

Framing the Digital Transformation: Evidence from Taiwan

This paper examines the framing of the digital transformation, which has recently been emphasized increasingly through various organizations around the world. We apply framing theory to emphasize the use of languages and vocabularies in the strategic change process. Within our empirical setting of Taiwan, we use topic modeling approach to recognize framing structures. Our data sources are both secondary (newspaper and magazine articles) and primary (12 interviews). We identified five linguistic framings that Taiwanese sectors and organizations typically use to legitimatize their move toward digitalization: cross-field integration, demand orientation, smart cloud platform, international competition, and R&D innovation. We also find that organizations’ choice of framings is shaped by the firms’ characteristics, referred to as publicly governed entities, traditional private business, or technology-based ventures.

Leadership competencies for digital transformation: An exploratory content analysis of job advertisements

Harnessing the opportunities of emerging information technologies is one of the great challenges companies are facing today. To successfully master digital transformation, organizations need leaders who can grasp the opportunities of digitalization for their business and transform them into new business models. Aiming at providing empirical evidence regarding competencies sought by practitioners for managing digital transformation, we analyze 239 job advertisements targeting digital transformation experts and examine the skills and traits explicitly called for. Our results reveal that technical skills and in-depth expertise in information technologies play only a secondary role in job requirement profiles. Like in earlier strategic change processes, digital transformation experts should primarily possess collaboration, strategic thinking, leadership, customer orientation, and communication skills. Moreover, in contrast to purely conceptual studies limited to skills and abilities, our analyses emphasize the importance of specific personality traits, such as proactivity and creativity, since these are often explicitly mentioned in corresponding job advertisements.

Management control systems and the strategic management of innovation

PurposeThis paper aims to understand the strategic management of innovation by examining the effect that management control systems (MCS) have on innovation activities during the strategic change process.Design/methodology/approachA case study was carried out at an innovative company as they undertook a strategic change from closed innovation to open innovation. Simons’ levers of control was used to frame the ways in which MCS were designed and used by managers and the effect MCS have on the innovation activities of organization members.FindingsThe findings indicate that while managers designed and used MCS to support a drive toward open innovation, organization members did not change their innovation activities. Instead, the findings show that new MCS enabled improvements to their closed innovation strategy. This led to a decrease in the time taken to develop new products, which resulted in increased customer satisfaction, which contributed to the achievement of organizational goals.Originality/valueBy focusing on the relationship between MCS and innovation activities in the strategic change process, the paper sheds new light on the ability of MCS to change the innovation activities of organization members. Even though the innovation activities at our case company did not change the interactions between the MCS enabled organizational goals to be achieved as they provided the necessary information infrastructure and motivated goal congruence.

Rates, Barriers, and Facilitators of Outcome Collection on Hand Surgery Outreach to Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Global outreach to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) continues to grow in an effort to improve global health. The practice of quality measurement is empirically lacking from surgical outreach trips to LMICs, which may limit the safety and quality of care provided. Using convergent mixed-methods, we aimed to: (1) identify and evaluate barriers and facilitators to outcome measure collection; and (2) report the sample rate of such collection on hand surgery outreach trips to LMICs. Surgeons and administrators involved in hand surgery outreach trips completed a survey regarding rates of outcome measure collection and a semi-structured interview to explore barriers and facilitators of outcome collection. Survey data were reported descriptively. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and excerpts were categorized according to the Pettigrew framework for strategic change (content, process, and context). Results were combined through convergent mixed-methods analysis. Thirty-three participants completed the survey, and 21 participated in interviews. Rates of collection were the most common for total case number (83%) and patient mortality (65%). Longitudinal outcomes (eg, patient follow-up or time away from work) were less frequently recorded (9% and 4%, respectively). Content analysis revealed barriers related to each domain of the Pettigrew framework. This analysis demonstrates low levels of outcome collection on outreach trips and identifies priority areas for improvement. Developing context-specific solutions aimed at addressing barriers (eg, resource/database availability) and promoting facilitators (eg, collaborative relationships) may encourage higher rates of collection, which stands to improve patient safety, quality of care, and accountability when conducting outreach trips to LMICs.

Fluent in change: enabling strategic change in an established firm

While extant research has highlighted the role of leadership in strategic change, there continues to be a scarcity of empirical research on how and in what way top management can influence a firm's strategic transformation. Based on a case study of Haier Group Company, a global leader in the home appliances industry, this study examines how top managers can deliberately influence a firm's strategic change process by designing and implementing a specific enabling mechanism that supports change. The findings reveal that top managers align the management process to transformation through a process model by articulating, embedding and reinforcing the changes.

Materiality in action: the role of objects in institutional work

Public property owners currently face a great backlog of renovation work at the same time as there is a need to build new, increase cost-efficiency, and comply with new environmental regulations on energy efficiency. To manage these challenges many public property owners have initiated change processes to develop new strategic ways of working with their properties, often aligned with a project portfolio approach. This involves a quite radical shift of practices in these organizations, which requires individuals to engage in institutional work. Recent studies have highlighted how institutional work is shared between humans and objects. To increase understanding of objects’ role in institutional work through which public property owners develop new practices that support a holistic, long-term, and sustainable property management, we analyzed observational data of strategy project meetings in three Swedish public property owner organizations. Findings show how objects have an active role in institutional work through acts of attacking, justifying, and/or safeguarding to maintain, create and/or disrupt institutions. Objects take on multiple roles and both unite and divide human actors as well as evoke emotions that guide actions. Three types of agency are highlighted: relational, discursive, and emotional. Increased knowledge on the role of objects in institutional work and how objects (can) influence human agency assists actors in making better-informed decisions in strategic change processes.

Strategy as language and communication: Theoretical and methodological advances and avenues for the future in strategy process and practice research

AbstractResearch SummaryThe purpose of this introduction to the SMS collection is to take stock of advances in language‐based analyses of strategic processes and practices with an eye on the theoretical and methodological insights and opportunities. After a review of the articles included, we develop a framework that identifies four perspectives ranging from the more micro to the macro: (a) microlevel conceptual basis of strategy discourse, (b) use of language in strategy work processes in their socio‐material and multimodal contexts, (c) use of language and especially narratives in long‐term processes of strategic change, and (d) the rhetorical and discursive reconstruction of organizational strategies in their historical contexts. We then move on to offer a set of research opportunities and questions to form an agenda for future research.Managerial SummaryThis article takes stock of recent research on the role of language and communication in strategic decision‐making and strategy work. The key argument is that we should not treat language merely as a window into other aspects of strategic phenomena but as a central means through which strategies are shaped and made sense of. The paper underscores that language use is a crucial part of strategy work and strategic change—to be taken seriously in its own right in research as well as practice. Another key point is that we need to develop better understanding of the new communication technologies and media that play a key role in contemporary organizations. The new theoretical ideas and methods may also inspire practitioners to develop their communication practices.

Unbundling Strategic Change in Family Firms: the Influence of Familiness on the Strategic Change Process

The viability and adaptation of family firms is a key research area owing to the longevity and transgenerational vision of the family. Throughout their development, firms transition through strategic change episodes with a potentially significant impact on their performance and survival. In this article, we combine family firm with strategic change research to propose how familiness supports or limits strategic change. We put forward three tendencies of family firms in their ability to deal with strategic change. First, familiness creates an overemphasis on the cognition of gradual change triggers but limits the cognition of radical change triggers. Second, familiness creates a tendency to inappropriately scope and dimension strategic change in radical change episodes to protect the value of legacy resources. Third, familiness supports endurance during strategic change implementation while also creating a tendency to be too slow or stubborn when implementing an insufficient change decision.

Exploring influencers of strategic change processes: evidence from five government businesses in the Omani context

This article presents an exploratory multiple case study conducted on five different government businesses in Oman with the aim of developing a comprehensive framework of strategic change influencers and showing their impact on change implementation and change outcomes. Data was collected via in-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews with forty-two managers from the top, middle and lower levels and staff from different divisions. The study utilizes the process approach and the contingency perspective to highlight the main influencers of multiple strategic change processes. The data was analyzed via thematic analysis. The findings revealed four main influencers across the five cases one of which was found to moderate the effects of the remaining influencers. This study contributes to the fields of organizational change, strategy, leadership and HRM. It offers new and compelling context-specific insights based on a deep understanding of practice. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

The Covid-19 Pandemic and the Inescapable Challenge of the Anthropocene for Museums

Several indicators suggest that the Covid-19 pandemic has raised public awareness around climate and environmental emergencies, and expanded global consciousness around the interdependencies of natural systems and their individual components. These trends add up to a growing awareness of both environmental damage and social injustices, brought to wide global attention by the 2019 Climate Strikes and the ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests of 2020. How can museums take advantage of this new social and activist climate, as we resurface form the severe limitations imposed by pandemic-related health and safety measures? The concept of the Anthropocene stands out as the most powerful, all-inclusive topic that museums can leverage to reshape their relationship with a new form of citizenship during and following the Covid-19 crisis. In this article, and drawing on my work and experiences at the MUSE – Science Museum in Italy, I will offer some discussion around the urgent need, for the entire museum community, to review museum polices and activities in light of the Anthropocene paradigm, a process that museums must undertake thorough a complex process of internal strategic change. One key issue with pervasive consequences over several museum activities is the need to shift our storytelling from the humanity-against-nature narrative (a 20th-century environmentalist view) to a humanities-against-(other)-humanities narrative, which more properly describes the current Anthropocene-era conflict between different values and ethical principles with regard to the ontological status of our planet. Moreover and above all, museums need to become increasingly aware of their political role in society, and be prepared to assert it more than is customary in our practices. If the commitment to the United Nations 2030 Agenda honours the institutional task of museums, the proposal for critical debate on Anthropocene issues stands out as the main challenge for museums who wish to fulfil their social and political roles in a post-Covid-19 world.

Factors Influencing Strategic Change of New Energy Enterprises: An Analysis Based on Time Perspective

New energy enterprises are important production and operation units engaged in the nature of new energy in the national economy. With the development of modern society, it is crucial to have a deep understanding of new energy enterprises, especially in the face of changing environment, and how to carry out strategic transformation of new energy enterprises. In a constantly changing environment, strategic change is a key issue and a central issue in the field of management and strategy. Time is the foundation of all research on strategic change, whether or not it is recognized by existing research. In this paper, the factors that influence strategic change in new energy companies are critically reviewed from a temporal perspective. Firstly, the development status of new energy enterprises is analyzed, the strategic change is defined, and then the influencing factors are obtained by integrating the relevant studies of the time dimension in the change activities. Based on the time perspective, the dynamic understanding of the strategic change process of new energy enterprises can be improved.

A Study of Strategic Change Based on Coevolution

This paper analyzed the process of strategic change from the direction of the coevolution trait and learning ability by adopting a model of roller. Strategy change theories are sorted into two schools, namely the exogene school and the endogeny school. We wish to mix these two schools together to make use of the coevolution theory. Base on that, a model of roller to explain the process of the coevolution of the strategic change is then developed. In our opinion, the successful strategic change comes from the resultant force within-firm and without-firm.