Strategic Context Research Articles

Coordinación, cooperación y colaboración interorganizacional para la transformación digital empresarial

The ability of an entrepreneur to create is limited by the lack of resources. Among the dominant resources in emerging countries, the creation and adoption of new technologies stands out. It is understood that the power to compete and lead in the markets resides in the rarity and distinction in the selection of resources. Many companies choose to increase the complexity of their products and promote the sophistication of services, however; They neglect to strengthen the business model by diversifying their values with the support of external agents. The research objective of this article is to understand the disposition of enterprises to collaborate, cooperate, and coordinate with external agents in order to adopt technology programs and digital competencies. The methodology is based on closed questionaries for twenty-one managers. The results indicate that there is a greater willingness to collaborate and cooperate than to coordinate, which translates into a greater openness of businesses to work together in an operational rather than strategic context. In depth, the interest in collaboration for the development of digital competencies and cooperation in the transfer of personnel focused on technology exceeds, in comparison, the interest in jointly planning investments in digital transformation programs or making joint hires of information technology specialists. Additionally, companies have high expectations for collaborative work in generating new digital platforms and launching new products, but they lack initiative in creating patents, licenses, or new ventures. Realidad Empresarial No. 18, 2024: 65-75.

Change competence: An integrative literature review.

Organizations are in a state of continual evolution, driven by the relentless shifts in their external environments. Numerous theories have been proposed to understand the essential skills and capabilities for successful organizational change. Yet, there remains a gap in capturing a holistic view necessary to fully comprehend the dynamics of competence in today's rapidly changing landscape. This research aims to explore and consolidate the concept of 'competence' in the context of organizational change processes. Employing an integrative literature review approach, a total of 3,230 studies were screened. Out of these, 32 studies were selected based on strict relevance and quality criteria, providing a robust foundation for the analysis. The findings reveal a multi-layered nature of organizational change, highlighting that the nature and prerequisites of change vary significantly across different organizational levels. By applying a competence lens, we discern how required competence during change are not uniform but rather vary depending on whether they are applied in an operational or strategic context. This demonstrates a nuanced, level-dependent variability in change competence across the organizational hierarchy. We conceptualize 'change competence' as a dual-faceted construct. It encompasses both the capacity to leverage existing organizational competence and the adeptness to develop new competence, thereby meeting the evolving demands imposed by both internal and external drivers of change. This comprehensive understanding paves the way for more effective strategies in managing organizational change.

Foreign investment screening mechanisms and emergent geographies of (post)globalization

Technologically advanced states and large emerging economies increasingly use foreign investment screening mechanisms (FISM) to block inward foreign investment targeting sectors considered critical. Is the proliferation of FISM auguring an era of deglobalization, a re-assertion of national-state sovereignty over globalized economic ties, and the end of neoliberal orthodoxies of liberalized investment regimes? To answer these questions, the article draws upon geographic political economy and legal geographies. It argues that the multiplication of FISM is a response to a strategic context defined by three macrogeographic trends: (1) contemporary industrial restructuring and the salience of intellectual property-based monopolies; (2) a historic episode of centralization of capital driven by strategic mergers and acquisitions; and (3) evolving landscapes of state capitalism under conditions of intensified geoeconomic competition. Although FISM reproduce the fiction of state power as expressing the will of the sovereign nation to defend itself against foreign interference, market distortion, and technology theft, they consist of legally enshrining state authority to support national champions, and making sure they engage favorably with competitive dynamics of capital centralization, notably by conserving their monopoly over key intangible assets and strategic resources. FISM are best seen as tools that explicitly mobilize state power and coercion to aggressively (re)negotiate globalization.

Optimizing municipal solid waste management in industrial ports: A case study of source separation implementation

ABSTRACT With the acceleration of industrialization and population growth, there has been a notable surge in municipal solid waste (MSW) production globally. This necessitates the development of efficient waste management strategies that align with sustainable economic, environmental, and social goals. Implementing sorting and source separation policies serves as foundational steps toward optimizing material flow and resource utilization. In industrial areas, waste generation around a primary source may improve policy implementation and participation. Given the unique strategic context of port environments, Bahregan Port in Iran was selected as a case study to evaluate the proposed methodology. Three integrated scenarios were formulated and prioritized using the ELECTRE-I model: currently practiced collection method, and segregated collection followed by source separation of MSW into two or three groups. The analysis identified the third scenario as the most effective approach. Remarkably, when evaluating the results under optimistic and pessimistic conditions, the ranking of preferences remained consistent across scenarios in the optimal state. Under pessimistic conditions, all scenarios received identical scores, indicating significant uncertainty in criteria weights. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis revealed that criteria such as the raw material sources protection, emissions in the waste separation sector, and greenhouse gas emissions were highly influential. Interestingly, criteria with the highest weighting did not always dictate the final scenario selection. External factors, such as expert opinions on specific criteria, played a pivotal role in scenario prioritization. This research serves as a foundational study for source separation initiatives, offering practical and technically viable strategies to enhance environmental sustainability within industrial settings. Implications Statement Rising industrialization and population growth have led to increased municipal solid waste (MSW) production worldwide. To address this, efficient waste management strategies are essential, focusing on sustainability and resource optimization through sorting and source separation policies. By prioritizing the scenario of segregated collection followed by source separation – industrial areas can optimize material flow and resource utilization. The study highlights the influence of criteria like raw material protection, emissions, and greenhouse gases, making this research foundational for enhancing environmental sustainability in industrial settings. This study provides practical strategies for enhancing environmental sustainability in industrial settings through source separation initiatives.

Wood-based policies as a driver for the climate transition

Abstract In the context of global accelerating urbanization, the total floor area of buildings is expected to double by 2060, with a significant impact on the environment. While cities made consistent progress towards increasing energy efficiency, accounting for, and reducing embodied emissions for new and renovated constructions represents one critical priority for mitigating this impact and reaching genuine carbon neutrality. Wood is a renewable and carbon-positive material, which can have a meaningful contribution to changing paradigms on net-zero carbon ambitions of cities, but still faces the challenge of an immature integration into urban development policy framework. Through the Horizon 2020 “Build-in-Wood” project we addressed the challenge of translating novel wood building systems, pilots, wood value chains for the construction of multi-storey wood buildings, and promising practices into policy. As a result, we formulate transferable lessons learned, recommendations, and criteria that can serve as guidance for municipalities and policymakers who aim to channel their efforts toward creating a more sustainable built environment by prioritizing wood, either implicitly or explicitly. We achieved this by working on understanding the real needs of cities and territories, the drivers, and the key entry points and preconditions for new policies supporting multi-storey wood buildings and genuine carbon neutrality. Specifically, the findings are based on the close collaboration with seven affiliated cities (Early Adopter Cities in Europe), outlining and integrating the results of (i)Multi-criterial urban planning, strategic and regulatory context analysis, (ii)Participatory and co-design approaches implemented with their local stakeholder ecosystem from the wood construction value chains and (iii)Research of different best practice policies at national, regional and local level from different parts of the globe, that incentives through informative, financial, research or regulatory instruments building with wood. The entire process is presented in the form of a Build-in-Wood Policy Catalogue [1], offering insights on working with Early Adopter Cities and guidance for improving policy, governance, and the decision-making process for subnational governments. The research was not intended to be exhaustive in documenting all existing policies because of the field’s dynamics, but rather to provide an overview and understanding of different policy instruments’ applicability and potential impact.

Top management team gender diversity and power dynamics in times of change

Abstract Extant research examining the effects of top management team (TMT) gender diversity on firm performance report equivocal findings. We seek to enhance understanding of this critical relationship in the context of an acquisition, which necessitates changes in one or both firms during a process characterized by non-routine decisions, time pressures, high uncertainty, and frequent debates among strategic leaders. Specifically, we examine the effects of gender diversity of top management and female executives’ formal and informal power on post-deal performance. Our results indicate gender diversity has negative effects on post-deal performance. Further, in a subsample of acquirers with gender diverse teams, our results reveal that female executives’ structural power and ownership power have negative performance effects, while power conferred through an elite education has positive performance effects. Our findings highlight the need to expand gender diversity research to consider the strategic context facing diverse TMTs and power dynamics among them.

Analysis of payment methods in merger and acquisition deals within the United Kingdom

Purpose This study aims to examine the effects of payment methods used in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) conducted by UK companies spanning the period from 2007 to 2019. Design/methodology/approach The study used the estimated expected returns method to identify abnormal returns during the deal announcement period, applying event study analysis with both univariate and multivariate regression models to detect cumulative abnormal returns around the announcement timeframe. Findings The results show a short-term positive return increase for acquiring firms, controlling for deal-specific characteristics like target firm location and payment methods. The authors observed a preference for cash financing across domestic and cross-border transactions. Multivariate analysis revealed insignificance between payment methods and deal characteristics like cross-border acquisitions and diversification. Research limitations/implications The study’s focus on publicly traded firms in the UK and the absence of a comparative analysis across different regions and markets limits the sample size and may impact the generalizability of findings. Practical implications The study proposes three practical implications. Firstly, firms should tailor payment methods to each transaction, aligning with strategic goals to optimize value and mitigate risks. Secondly, decision-makers must prioritize comprehensive due diligence and strategic alignment throughout M&A processes to enhance success and maximize synergies. Finally, analysing broader strategic contexts and regulatory landscapes when structuring transactions enables goal attainment, such as market expansion or value creation. Social implications The study’s findings can promote transparency and accountability among corporate decision-makers in M&A transactions. Stakeholders can advocate for transparent decision-making processes, enhancing trust in corporate governance. Originality/value This study provides valuable insights into the impact of payment methods on shareholder value in M&A transactions involving UK companies, informing strategic decision-making and contributing to the understanding of corporate finance dynamics.

Beyond SWOT: A New Approach to Strategic Planning

Abstract: This article argues that the traditional SWOT analysis framework that has long been used by organizations for strategic planning is no longer sufficient in today's dynamic business environment. While SWOT provided value in the past by examining internal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, numerous studies have shown it has important limitations. A key critique is that SWOT focuses too narrowly on internal factors rather than understanding changing external forces. It also lacks structure to prioritize issues and typically does not translate cleanly into actionable strategies. Given these limitations, the article proposes that organizations should supplement or replace SWOT analysis with the PESTLE framework. PESTLE systematically analyzes the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental macro-level factors impacting industries. It facilitates ongoing scanning of trends rather than a static snapshot. The article demonstrates how PESTLE analysis provides richer strategic context through examples in the tourism and healthcare industries. Making this transition allows organizations to develop more robust, resilient strategies aligned with dynamic macro environmental conditions.

Changing Warscapes, Changing Islamists? Religion, Organization, Strategic Context and New Approaches to Armed Islamist Insurgencies

This framing essay to the Special Issue on Islamists in Warscapes argues for the value of engaging with the concept of warscapes, developed primarily by anthropologists of violence in Africa, for theorizing about armed Islamist groups in protracted conflict situations. The warscapes concept better captures the nature of many of the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Africa, and beyond by focusing on its protracted but intermittent nature, temporal and spatial variability, international and transnational dimensions, and production of wartime orders. Within this framework, this article and Special Issue focus on armed Islamist groups, asking whether and why they perform differently than non-Islamist groups and how they evolve through embeddedness in warscapes. The article reviews literature on protracted conflict and warscapes, armed Islamist groups and jihadists, and the study of religion in conflict. It concludes by arguing that the warscapes literature can significantly add to our understanding of armed Islamist groups, and that focusing on armed Islamist groups can enrich the study of warscapes.

Pathways to Enhancing the Quality of Agricultural Statistical Services in the Context of Rural Revitalization

In the strategic context of rural revitalization, optimizing the quality of agricultural statistical services is a crucial element for advancing agricultural modernization and sustainable rural economic development. This paper focuses on the significance of enhancing agricultural statistical service quality under the backdrop of rural revitalization. It addresses current issues such as inadequate implementation of agricultural statistical survey systems, an imperfect data quality control system, and a shortage of statistical service personnel. Proposals are made to improve the statistical survey system, enhance the data quality control framework, and strengthen personnel training. These pathways offer references for elevating the quality of agricultural statistical services and implementing the rural revitalization strategy in the new era.

Visitors’ attraction and co-creation at World Expo – a qualitative study unveiling visitors’ delight and engagement with immersive technology

ABSTRACT Global business events like World Expo attract massive numbers of visitors to attend this event. The present study investigates internal and external factors that attracted visitors to attend World Expo – Dubai 2022 and uncovers the core elements of these factors which are important for the strategic & planning context too. To this end, the attendees of this Expo were interviewed using the in-depth interview technique. The results revealed that internal factors such as functional, mechanic, and human cues affect visitors’ perception, whereas external factors, which include technological, socio-cultural, political, economic, and environmental aspects, contribute to the collaborative process of shaping visitor experience. The results also demonstrate that strategic planning and marketing strategies align with the AIDA model and that technological integration can help attract more visitors to Business-Expo, thereby boosting local tourism. Taken together, our findings provide meaningful implications for marketers, stakeholders, and governments.

Artificial Intelligence as a Strategic Decision-Maker in Modern Business

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has ushered in a new era for strategic decision-making in business, presenting unprecedented opportunities and challenges. This paper explores the evolving role of AI, not merely as a support tool but as an autonomous decision-maker in strategic business contexts. By examining AI's capabilities in data compilation, outcome forecasting, and strategic evaluation, this study highlights how AI can transform business model decision-making. Through a detailed analysis of AI's potential and current applications in various industries, this paper provides insights into the profound implications of AI-driven strategic decisions. Ethical considerations and future trends in the integration of AI in strategic management are also discussed. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Strategic Decision-Making, Business Strategy, Machine Learning, Data Analysis, Business Model, Ethical Considerations, Future Trends

EU Enlargement Policy Goes East: Historical and Comparative Takes on the EU’s Rule of Law Conditionality vis-à-vis Ukraine

The article discusses a unique case of the EU’s application of rule of law conditionality vis-à-vis Ukraine, while the latter is in active war with Russia. It is demonstrated that the EU utilized momentum, created by the confluence of the invasion and Ukraine’s EU candidateship, to apply ambitious rule of law conditionality in its relations with Ukraine. Despite the unique strategic and political context, the conditionality is path-dependent, strongly relying on the achievements and outstanding tasks of the EU’s pre-war rule of law promotion in Ukraine. Also, both the design and substance of EU conditionality vis-à-vis Ukraine strongly resemble the one the EU applied vis-à-vis Western Balkans. This concerns specifically the contents of conditionality, focusing on building effective anticorruption institutions and judicial reform. Current geostrategic pressures have not yet led to major changes in the philosophy behind the enlargement process or the EU’s framing of the rule of law concept. Yet, changes to be underscored include the EU’s focus on specific benchmarks within pre-defined realms and strong alignment between political and financial instruments.

Morality, strategy, and emotions: What can contemporary psychological research tell us about their relationship?

Previous research has shown that morality matters to strategy, often through emotions. However, this research has not fully engaged with contemporary psychological research to enunciate our understanding of the relationship between morality, strategy, and emotions. This article argues that a proper engagement with contemporary psychological research usefully contributes to our understanding of the given relationship, particularly in the context of strategic studies. Specifically, contemporary psychological research highlights the importance of distinguishing among various specific emotions, explains the complicated relationship between emotion and behavior, allows for finding patterns in variance, and offers an opportunity to study the malleability of morality in strategic context. This improved understanding of the relevant relationship provides solid grounds for further research on the subject.

Comparison of Operation Trikora and Dwikora in the Context of the Rules of War

This study explores the fundamental differences in the approach and application of the rules of war between Operations Trikora and Dwikora, two significant milestones in Indonesian history related to the defense of national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Operation Trikora was a military campaign against Dutch efforts to seize the territory of West Irian, demonstrating Indonesia's commitment to asserting its claim over Papua and achieving unification with the homeland. Dwikora, on the other hand, was a confrontation with Malaysia that began in 1963, aiming to strengthen national identity and defend sovereignty. The research employs descriptive qualitative analysis, supported by literature reviews, scientific journals, anecdotes, relevant documents, and theoretical frameworks. Through this approach, the study highlights how differences in the rules of war between Trikora and Dwikora reflect each conflict's distinct historical and strategic contexts and their impact on how Indonesia defended its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The findings offer insights into the dynamics of war and diplomacy in Indonesian history and their implications for the development of nationalism and foreign policy. The study concludes that understanding these differences is crucial for appreciating the complexities of war and diplomacy in the context of Indonesian history and its influence on the country's national identity and foreign policy. The analysis provides valuable knowledge that can guide future research and policymaking in related areas.

The United States, the Defence of the Middle East and Türkiye: 1946-1952

This study analyses the early years of cooperation between Türkiye and the United States (US) in the field of security and defence by utilising US government documents and the secondary sources that heavily depend on primary sources. It emphasizes the link between the elements of the strategic context in which the US developed its approach to the defence of the Middle East and the American interest in developing defence ties with Türkiye. The major outcomes of Turkish-American cooperation were American support for Türkiye against the Soviet Union in 1946, the provision of American military assistance in 1947, the modernization of the Turkish military, the construction of military bases on Turkish territory, American support for Turkish membership in NATO and Turkish willingness to conduct its relations with the Middle East in coordination with the West. This study reveals that those outcomes reflected for the most time American political and strategic preferences. For this reason, the typical characteristics of those relations between great powers and small states can be observed in Turkish-American security relations during their formative years.

Mapping the evolution of algorithmic HRM (AHRM): a multidisciplinary synthesis

High levels of confusion persist around the term “algorithm” in general; and in addition to this, there is also conceptual confusion around the application of algorithms to human resource management (HRM) strategy and functions. Although there are several systematic reviews of various algorithmic applications to HRM and many of its functions, no comprehensive evolutionary map of the emergent field of algorithmic HRM (AHRM) could be found in the academic literature. This study has dual aims. The first is to provide conceptual clarity for the field of AHRM, and the second is to map the evolution of AHRM from 2000 to 2022. To address the first aim, we conduct a multidisciplinary synthesis of the concepts related to algorithms which results in a General Framework for Algorithmic Decision-Making. This framework then informs the empirical part of the study which addresses the second aim. A science mapping review is employed to chart and assess the extant literature on algorithmic HRM from 2000 to 2022. This study presents a General Framework for Algorithmic Decision-Making across all business functions and then a Framework for Algorithmic AHRM Tools. This provides conceptual clarity and distinguishes between automated and augmented HR decision-making. Findings also reveal the multidisciplinary nature of this emergent field of inquiry and point to current research, which focuses on specialized applications for HR functions such as workforce planning, learning and development, allocation and scheduling, and recruitment; but lacks emphasis on more integrative strategic HRM contexts. The study also has implications for organizational strategic decision-making. HR practitioners may need to form project teams with their information technology (IT) and data analyst colleagues when making strategic decisions about algorithmic applications for HR strategy and HR functions. This also lends itself to future research with multidisciplinary research teams including HR researchers along with computer scientists, computational engineers, and data analysts.

Results from a global pharmacy leadership needs assessment: Opportunities to advance pharmacy leadership

Background: Leadership skills in the pharmacy profession are essential for career development and advancement. Pharmacy education is often not focused on developing these leadership skills. This study determines the exact pharmacist leadership traits needed across the globe. Methods: A three-part leadership needs assessment was developed by three International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) global leads for leadership development. Pharmacy management leaders within FIP headquarters vetted the survey for external validity, and their feedback was incorporated. In January 2021, the survey was disseminated to around 3000 FIP members using Qualtrics. The survey took approximately 15 minutes to complete 28 questions. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were used for the data. Results: A total of 239 participants (~8%) completed the survey. On average, participants felt that innovation/entrepreneurship, negotiating, strategic context, conflict management, and vision were among the top five leadership competencies that they would like more training in. When stratified by work setting, pharmacists in academia ranked conflict management, in inpatient hospitals ranked change management, and in community/retail settings ranked prioritisation as the top leadership competency need. Conclusion: Pharmacists in different work settings and different parts of the world have a need for different leadership skills which should be carefully considered when providing leadership training.

DWSTr: a hybrid framework for ship-radiated noise recognition

The critical nature of passive ship-radiated noise recognition for military and economic security is well-established, yet its advancement faces significant obstacles due to the complex marine environment. The challenges include natural sound interference and signal distortion, complicating the extraction of key acoustic features and ship type identification. Addressing these issues, this study introduces DWSTr, a novel method combining a depthwise separable convolutional neural network with a Transformer architecture. This approach effectively isolates local acoustic features and captures global dependencies, enhancing robustness against environmental interferences and signal variability. Validated by experimental results on the ShipsEar dataset, DWSTr demonstrated a notable 96.5\% recognition accuracy, underscoring its efficacy in accurate ship classification amidst challenging conditions. The integration of these advanced neural architectures not only surmounts existing barriers in noise recognition but also offers computational efficiency for real-time analysis, marking a significant advancement in passive acoustic monitoring and its application in strategic and economic contexts.

Agents’ context-specific conduct in making strategic investment decisions

PurposeThis study aims to explore how managers exercise agency in strategic investment decisions (SIDs) by drawing on their knowledgeability of the strategic context. Specifically, the authors address the role of position–practice relations and irresistible causal forces in this conduct.Design/methodology/approachThe authors examine SID-making (SIDM) practices in four case organisations operating in highly competitive markets, conducting interviews with managers at various levels and analysing company documents. Drawing on strong structuration theory, the authors show how managerial decision makers draw upon their knowledge of organisational context when exercising agency in SIDs.FindingsThe authors provide insights into how SIDM behaviour, specifically agents’ conduct, is shaped by a combination of position–practice relations and the agents’ comprehension of their organisation’s context.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors extend the SIDM literature by surfacing the issue of how actors’ conjuncturally-specific knowledge of external structures shapes the general dispositions they draw on in exercising agency in practice.Originality/valueThe authors extend the SIDM literature by surfacing the issue of how actors’ conjuncturally-specific knowledge of external structures shapes the general dispositions they draw on in exercising agency in practice. Particularly, the authors contribute to this literature by identifying irresistible causal forces and illuminating why actors might not resist in SIDM processes, despite having the potential to do so.