Strategic Management Tool Research Articles

The energy industry's response to competitive intelligence in green marketing (case study of Qatar)

Competitive intelligence can be used as a catalyst to guide green marketing strategies as well as to create and maintain competitive advantage. The purpose of this article is to identify and rank the effective factors of competitive intelligence on green marketing and understand the effects of competitive intelligence components on green marketing components. This is a descriptive and applied research that was conducted on a case-by-case basis among the employees of 4 companies that are active in the field of energy industry in Qatar. The research tool is a questionnaire that confirmed the convergent and divergent validity of the two-stage structure. Analysis by PLS software showed that competitive intelligence has a positive effect on green marketing. Also, the ranking of the components was determined completely. The results of this research state that competitive intelligence as a strategic marketing management tool can modify their approaches to differentiate themselves from others and position themselves as industry leaders in sustainability. According to the study background, this research has an important contribution to the existing knowledge in terms of subject and geographical area and provides a suitable insight to the decision makers of this field.

Improvement of enterprise risk visualization: risk mapping

The object of the study is the risks that disrupt the accomplishment of any enterprise's missions. Therefore, mastering these risks is a significant asset for organizations and the overall health of the enterprise. Thus, working comprehensively on organizational risk prevention enables the enterprise to formulate a strategy aimed at guarding against all risk factors. Simultaneously, it identifies areas where more targeted actions need to be undertaken, potentially leading to positive changes within the company. To achieve this and allow for a robust and reliable assessment for better governance of harmful elements in the enterprise, we have used the risk mapping method. It is a data visualization tool aimed at highlighting vulnerabilities in various processes and activities that an organization faces, even allowing for informed decisions to prevent and cope with risks. Risk mapping is defined as the approach of identifying, evaluating, prioritizing, and managing risks inherent in an enterprise's activities. It even delves into a thorough investigation of all managerial, operational, and support processes that activities require implementing. This mapping technique is based on an objective, structured, and documented description of existing risks. The assessment allows for a more detailed analysis of initial and residual risks at all levels of the enterprise, thereby facilitating the development of a prioritized action plan accompanied by an analysis of its funding. This obligation is part of a continuous improvement approach to the quality of life and working conditions, even engaging in a sustainable management process. As a case study, we have chosen to focus on the SAIDAL Group of Constantine. Through this case study, we aim to illustrate the practical implications and benefits of using risk mapping as a strategic tool for risk management in a complex organizational context. Now, having a risk map not only promotes a proactive approach to risk mitigation but also contributes to broader goals of continuous improvement and sustainable risk management practices: a necessity for any enterprise.

Development of a system of key performance indicators in the management system of aviation training complex

The relevance of the research topic is due to the fact that Air Training Complexes (ATC) are systems of many interconnected business processes, where the violation of one of the processes can hinder the achievement of the company's goals. Modern approaches to managing the commercial activities of companies define key performance indicators (KPIs) as a system of indicators that assess the degree of achievement of certain business objectives. Our study of the commercial activity of AZAL "Flight Training Centre" shows that the system of key performance indicators is not used to assess the effectiveness of commercial activity, although the sphere of ATC services requires increased attention to the construction of effective management with the possibility of assessing the results. In addition, the authors propose the use of Dupond's analysis as a tool for comprehensive assessment of the efficiency of the commercial activity of the ATC in order to identify the weaknesses of the ATC and timely development of measures to improve and increase the efficiency of its commercial activity. The purpose of this study is to develop a system of KPI indicators for a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of the management of the commercial activities of aviation training complexes, taking into account the specifics of the airline and the main areas of activity, using the tools of strategic management and marketing. Research methods - in the process of research the authors used both empirical and theoretical research methods, qualitative methods of interpretation and explanation of the characteristics of the studied economic object, methods of system analysis and decomposition. Significance of the study - the theoretical and practical results obtained can be used by ATC management as a tool for assessing and improving the efficiency of business activities. Results of the research - as a result of the research conducted on the basis of the analysis of the commercial activity of AZAL "Flight Training Centre" ATC, a system of key performance indicators of commercial activity in the following main areas has been developed: financial, production, customer relations and development indicators.

Mediation as a Strategic Tool in the Manager's Practice

This paper presents the results of a study conducted on the applicability of mediation in managerial practice. In the development, mediation is seen as a strategic management tool for influence and interaction at the workplace, and in addition to managers, members of the teams they lead also participate in the study. The thesis defended is that mediation can be used as a management tool in the practice of managers and as such, it increases the effectiveness of workplace interaction between participants in the implementation of a task, project or process. A working hypothesis is also introduced according to which managers use the statutory mediation technology in their practice in a targeted and adapted way. The survey found that in business organizations where managers use mediation in their practice, employees feel more relaxed and motivated, and destructive conflicts are significantly less.

The Art of Designing Work: Work/Family Interface as a Mediator in the Relationship between Work Design, Burnout, and Performance.

Because of the massive changes experienced within work contexts over the last decades, work design has received renewed attention both from scholars and practitioners interested in carefully balancing job demands with employees' needs, aiming to boost performance. Hence, work design, meant as a strategic human resource management tool to craft job context and content, has been proven to impact on work performance and burnout. However, despite this evidence, the literature clearly explaining the paths through which work design might lead to positive or negative organizational outcomes is still scarce. To address this gap, the present study investigated the contribution of work-family interface aspects (i.e., work-family conflict and work-family enrichment) as mediators in this relationship. The participants were 160 white-collar employees, invited to fill in an online survey encompassing socio-demographical information (e.g., age, gender, education, and professional role) and individual self-report responses on the study variables (i.e., work design, work/family conflict, work/family enrichment, burnout, and work performance). The path analyses were conducted to investigate the direct and indirect relationships among constructs. The results showed that work-family conflict mediated the relationships between some work design characteristics and burnout, whereas work-family enrichment had a mediating role in the paths leading both to burnout and to work performance. The implications for research and practice were discussed with respect to an evidence-based human resource management perspective.

Tools for Implementing Strategies in the Context of Digital Transformation of Industrial Enterprises

Under conditions of uncertainty caused by sanctions and geopolitical changes, the correct choice of both strategic development priorities and management tools for their implementation becomes important. Given the global trend towards digitalization and the growing supply from software developers, it is necessary to understand clearly, which software products and for what purposes can be used effectively at specific enterprises. The challenge here is that due to instability, sanctions pressure, and withdrawals of foreign software from the Russian market, enterprises are forced to change business and technological processes, and to look for new tools for implementing development strategies. The purpose of the article is to determine the basic principles for choosing strategic management tools and information technologies as elements of strategic management at enterprises in the context of digital transformation. The article shows that due to the ongoing digitalization of industrial enterprises any tools for implementing the strategies must be considered within the framework of an automated process management model. It can be based on various information technologies or platform solutions, depending on the coverage of enterprise business processes, and the readiness to adopt digital technologies in strategic and operational management. The modern trend is to implement strategic development directions, relying on the internal ecosystem of the enterprise. Making the right choice of information technology within an enterprise ecosystem requires that technology investments are aligned with the company’s business goals, adaptable to changing needs, can integrate with existing systems, are user-friendly, secure, and provide a short-term return on investment. Ultimately, these principles enable businesses to successfully navigate the digital transformation journey and leverage technology as a strategic enabler for sustainable growth.

Families, Schools and the Image Communication in the Education Market

In this paper we intend to discuss the growing importance of communication as a tool for strategic management of educational institutions, including the communication between schools and parents. Claiming transformational leadership and effective communication system as essential to the success of educational institutions, management turns image communication into a key task, alongside the traditional management of human, financial and resources assets. In Portugal, this task seems hesitantly assumed by the school administration, but in other countries it is already the subject of an advanced theoretical approach. Actually, if many of the factors that influence the recruitment of students are outside the control of schools, the way schools are perceived by families is something that can be managed by them. Collected as part of a doctoral research project, the empirical data supporting this article are the result of observation of everyday life of a group of schools and from the testimonies collected over three years in that setting. In Portugal, it seems to point to the centrality of communication processes in the transformation induced by the new public management on behalf of a ‘quality school’, regardless its exact meaning to the different social actors, including students and their families.

A Decision Support System Based on the Integration of a Theory of Constraints and Strategic Management Tools for the Selection of Product Mixes

The selection of products to be offered on the market is a critical decision-making process encountered in all industry sectors. It is not just a matter of maximizing profit or optimizing the utilization of corporate resources but also specifically concerns determining a product portfolio that is most suitably aligned to corporate strengths and that appeals to the most attractive and emerging markets. Hence, corporate competencies such as strategic management and production capabilities must be taken into account concurrently. Starting from this point of view, a twofold decision support system (DSS) has been developed. On the one hand, a theory of constraints (TOC)-based analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach, including a taboo search algorithm, has been developed in order to derive the right product mix for maximizing the total profit amount by considering the bottleneck problem. On the other hand, a GE/McKinsey screen matrix is added to this consolidated approach to support decision-makers in the formulation of product portfolio strategies. The DSS provides a platform to compare outputs coming from the preceding two processes, which allows for the refinement of the solution. The proposed DSS is executed with a problem dataset from the industry to test its accuracy and reliability.

Redefining Strategic Management:

This article discusses strategic management from the perspectives of various experts in the area as well as from the perspectives of foundational strategic management theories and tools. Current issues are discussed which require strategists to expand their thinking about items which are relevant to the strategic management of their respective organizations. Part of this article is descriptive based on research relating to strategic management experts, theories, and tools. The rest of the article explains in detail the 5P's Leadership Model (which was created by one of the authors) so that it can be used by both academicians and organizational leaders. The 5Ps Strategic Leadership Model is introduced as complementary to many of the foundational theories of strategic management. It positively contributes to the strategic management academic discipline because it includes required organizational elements which must be aligned to ensure successful strategic management of an organization. We observe that the 5Ps Strategic Leadership Model positively contributes to the strategic management academic discipline and to the practitioners’ need for assistance in the execution of strategic plans.

MODERN APPROACHES TO PROJECT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT IN THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

The project approach is successfully implemented in all areas of human activity, in particular in the transport industry, and has proven itself as an effective and efficient tool for managing transport companies. Considering the large number of areas of activity in the transport sector, it is expedient to combine individual projects that are being implemented into programs and portfolios. In this study, an analysis of scientific works in the transport industry was carried out, which showed that the current state of affairs in this field requires the development of strategic management tools and their implementation in their activities. The works of scientists on strategic management and management of project portfolios of companies in various fields of activity were also considered, which showed that the available works can become the basis for developing models and methods of managing project portfolios in the field of road construction, but do not fully take into account the peculiarities of this field. The authors propose the application of a portfolio approach to the company's activities in the field of road construction. In this work, a study of the development directions of the road industry was carried out and the sources of filling the state road fund, from which financing of the specified development directions was provided, were determined, as well as an analysis of the standard of project portfolio management was carried out. In order to improve the quality of project portfolio management in the field of road construction, it is advisable to improve the implementation of strategic management processes, portfolio management, and to introduce those processes that are not yet being implemented. This can also be done by developing and implementing project portfolio management information technology in the field of road construction, which will enable the implementation of strategic management and project portfolio management.

Innovating the Innovation System Thinking: a Systemism Model

AbstractThe complexity of an innovation system, how it works and how to achieve high performance, represents a significant management challenge. As in any complex system, in an innovation system it is mandatory to operate with a clear idea of the various key elements and relationships in the system, what constitutes the emerging properties of the system and to identify effective channels to influence the performance of such a system. Bearing this in mind, we adopt asystemism approach, applying the principles of Mario Bunge’s CESM metamodel. We suggest a new generic model that can be adapted to fit many different aspects of real-life innovation decision making. An important objective for this generic model is to combine all critical internal and external systemic factors, i.e., to depict all critical nodes and interaction processes between subsystems (internal factors) and all critical nodes and interactions processes with the broader innovation ecosystem (external factors). Another key objective was to establish a model suitable for communication and decision making that is compatible with the key terms and the definitions in the new ISO 56000 standard on innovation management. The paper defines the main elements of a generic innovation model and exemplifies the potential usefulness of the model by showcasing three distinct applications. We hope that our newsystemism modelcould be an additional tool for better strategic management with respect to emerging properties of knowledge dynamics, risk assessment and mitigation, and the monitoring and continuous improvement of critical innovation processes.

Management tools for the public-private partnership model of construction enterprises

The article explores the mechanisms and challenges of applying public-private partnership (PPP) in strategic management of construction enterprises in Ukraine. It analyzes the impact of globalization and liberalization on the effectiveness of construction firms and seeks ways to optimize PPPs to ensure their adaptation to the changing market conditions. The article emphasizes the need to harmonize PPP practices with contemporary demands of sustainable development and to define a set of criteria that take into account economic, technical, organizational, and social aspects. Five main groups of criteria are proposed, aimed at improving PPP models and assessed through a wide range of indicators, including in line with the policy of the European Union. Expert interviews have been used to determine the relevance of the criteria, allowing for an objective assessment of the importance of each one. The essence of PPP as a tool for strategic management, providing a coordinated interaction between the state and private investors in the construction sector, is provided. The current state and prospects for the development of PPPs in Ukraine are analyzed, taking into account international experience and the specifics of the national market. The defined criteria and sub-criteria for innovative development should form the basis for creating an effective management model that considers all aspects of sustainable development and facilitates the implementation of strategic initiatives. The research results highlight the importance of technical-technological and organizational development as key elements of a successful PPP model. The proposed approaches and recommendations may serve as a foundation for improving the management of construction enterprises, including through the introduction of innovative technologies and management methods

Using the Balanced Scorecard in the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development

The balanced scorecard gives managers a more balanced view of the entire organization's operations, providing a basis for selecting performance indicators that help managers evaluate the effectiveness of the organization. comprehensively execute the strategy while linking short-term goals with long-term strategy and vision. As one of the banks with a large market share, Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank) needs to build a balanced scorecard as a strategic management tool. The establishment of a balanced scorecard at Agribank should be approved by senior managers for all employees in the bank, with the support of the information technology system, it is certain that the balanced scorecard will be a strategic management tool to help the bank achieve its strategic goals and gain a long-term competitive advantage to become a bank with a large market share in Vietnam.

Стратегическое управление региональными туристскими ресурсами как фактор развития территории в новых условиях

Based on the analysis of regional tourism strategies, the article emphasizes the challenges and benefits of the strategic approach to tourism development. The authors analyzed various approaches to strategic management of tourism resources and identified current trends and contradictions. The conceptual provisions for strategic management of tourism development in the region based on subject-object and systemic approaches are presented. The methodological basis of the study is presented by the results of research by domestic and foreign specialists, in which a comprehensive analysis of the conditions and specifics of strategic management of regional development with the identification of promising opportunities for the integration of relevant innovative methods in the regional social and economic system was carried out. In accordance with this, the following general theoretical and special research methods were applied in the course of the study: statistical analysis, generalization, grouping, systematization, deduction, and induction. The study showed that the methodology for the promotion of tourism resources requires the improvement of strategic management tools, especially in the current context of an increasingly turbulent external environment and the transition to modern methods and models of territorial development. Taking into consideration the two main directions of development of the tourism industry, i.e., external and internal tourism, the following factors of strategic development are expected to be analyzed: the geographical position of the region, the development of transport infrastructure, and natural and climatic features. External factors such as sanctions, pandemics, and other restrictions also affect the formation and development of tourism potential. Thus, in the context of the restrictions caused by the pandemic, domestic tourism grew considerably. Government-supported regional initiatives in the form of the National Project “Tourism and Hospitality Industry” became a strategic stimulus for regional tourism. The management of the strategy for the development of regional tourism resources involves the development of a desired image of the tourism sector in the region, the identification of priority areas, and effective promotion tools based on the methods of territorial marketing.

A Balanced Scorecard Proposal for Gender Equality and Sustainable Development

Gender equality and women’s empowerment are essential for sustainable development, yet several constraints make achieving them difficult. A strategic management tool is required to address these challenges and manage objectives and goals effectively. This study aims to redesign Balanced Scorecard (BSC), a strategic management tool for gender equality, to enable the strategic management of goals and indicators related to the fifth sustainable goal (SDG 5) proposed by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The BSC for gender equality was developed through a comprehensive literature review on gender-specific targets and indicators and the restructuring of the traditional architecture of the BSC to include new dimensions, guiding questions, and objectives to achieve this study’s goals. Moreover, a strategy map was constructed to illustrate the strategy and cause-and-effect relationships across the BSC dimensions. This research provides concrete gender strategies that help organizations implement a management tool to measure and manage their performance related to gender equality and sustainable development. The findings suggest that the BSC for gender equality can contribute significantly to a clearer understanding of how organizations can measure and promote gender equality. The implications of this study are significant for promoting and advancing gender equality, helping organizations, researchers, and civil society translate this goal into practical terms, and applying the concepts discussed for sustainable development and women’s empowerment in practical circumstances. Ultimately, using the BSC for gender equality is expected to result in social and economic benefits for current and future generations, making it a valuable tool for organizations and policy makers to promote sustainable development and gender equality.

Tourism Monitoring as a Strategic Tool for Tourism Management: The Perceptions of Entrepreneurs from Centro de Portugal

Gathering information on the impact of tourism in territories is fundamental for the responsible management of tourism businesses and destinations. Therefore, it is important to monitor tourism performance using indicators that can assess its impacts. Monitoring tourism is a management technique that should adopt a stakeholder network perspective, i.e., all stakeholders should be involved and collaborate with each other by sharing information to increase the competitiveness of the destination. However, it is unclear whether stakeholders are aware of the importance of monitoring and whether monitoring considers their interests, which often leads to a lack of involvement. In this study, we adopt the stakeholder network perspective with tourism entrepreneurs from Centro de Portugal, where we aimed to evaluate the importance assigned to the monitoring of tourism and to the understanding of entrepreneurs’ information needs. To do so, the same survey was conducted twice, for the first time in 2018 and later repeated in 2022. The second survey sought to analyze whether tourism entrepreneurs’ perceptions changed after the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that tourism entrepreneurs valued the economic area more than the social and environmental ones in both periods. Nevertheless, from 2018 to 2022, entrepreneurs became more committed to monitoring tourism in Centro de Portugal.

Creativity development as an imperative for strategic human resource management

The article is devoted to the development of creativity using methods and tools of strategic human resource management. As a result of a number of factors, the need for every organization to create is increasing as the main source of its competitiveness and business success. The author examines different approaches to creativity and gives her own vision of its characteristics with other related concepts. With this in mind, creativity is not just any creative action, but creativity in the field of specific business processes, focused on profit (income) by satisfying certain needs of consumers, both real and potential. Unlike other manifestations of creativity, the article puts forward and substantiates the idea of creativity as a strategic imperative, the achievement of which requires a purposeful and coordinated interaction of all processes in the field of personnel management. To ensure the imperative, it is necessary to develop a human resource management strategy focused on the creative development of personnel and the organization in general. The strategy of managing the creative development of personnel allows you to build a cycle of creativity with a certain sequence of elements, as well as to develop a mechanism for reproducing this cycle. The article analyzes HR technologies that contribute to the development of creativity of human resources. A new look at the problem is the justification of the need for methods of “soft” creativity management by creating a favorable environment for its development.

Philanthropy as a Strategic Tool for Corporate Reputation Management: The Albanian Case

Developments in technology, communication, and various spheres of economic and social life have brought about new approaches to public relations management. As companies continue to develop, there is a growing need not only for capital management, but also for reputation management. Over the last two decades, charity has been a vital element for corporate image consolidation and participation in addressing social needs in the Albanian society. However, recently there has been a shift in managing public relations and charity in corporations, leading to philanthropy as a more sustainable means of creating long-term strategies for reputation management. This paper aims to explore this evolution in the Albanian companies, focusing on their philanthropic activities. The study looks into the reasons why companies engage in such activities and the possible role the latter play in improving their reputation. For this study, we selected cases from five of the largest companies that utilize philanthropic activities as part of their PR strategies in Albania. In-depth data collection and analysis provides a comprehensive and contextualized understanding of the impact philanthropy has on reputation management. Additionally, the study employs a qualitative method, including interviews with industry professionals, academics, and media experts. The collected data shows that philanthropy has become a long-term and strategic element of corporate plans, influencing thus reputation management approaches that aim for continuous and sustainable relationships with all involved stakeholders.
 
 Received: 28 May 2023 / Accepted: 26 July 2023 / Published: 5 September 2023

Is corporate environmental investment a strategic risk management tool? Evidence from short selling threats

This study examines whether corporate environmental investment is employed as a strategic management tool in response to short-selling threats. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we find that corporate environmental investment increases in response to short-selling threats in threatened firms. The impact is more pronounced for firms with greater financial opacity and lower institutional ownership, which is consistent with the risk management hypothesis. Furthermore, we document that companies tend to increase their environmental disclosure in complement to the increase in environmental investment. We also find significant increases in environmental voluntary over regulatory investment after the firms have been added to the short-selling list. Additional analysis suggests that environmental investment reduces overinvestment and investment inefficiency, and it is negatively associated with stock price crash risk.

Digital tools of strategic management in agrarian business

Introduction. The paper examines trends in the definition and application of digital technologies in the system of strategic management of agrarian business entities. Considered the content of digitalization of the economy and its role for the activity of modern agricultural companies of Ukraine. The purpose of the paper is to characterize the state of the current level and determine the potential of using digital tools of strategic management by subjects of the agrarian business environment based on the results of the study of theoretical aspects, methodological justifications and practical foundations of implementation. Results. Digital transformation facilitates significant progress in human analysis and thinking. Thanks to large-scale cloud bases and the calculations carried out on their basis, humanity has the opportunity to create and use innovative technologies based on more reliable, highly intelligent and fast technologies. A significant number of progressive business models have appeared, which provide for differentiated management based on data arrays and artificial intelligence. Machine intelligence technologies ensure the quality of decision-making, increase the efficiency of both internal and external processes of the company, and also improve the customer experience. At the same time, the most important factor of ensuring competitive advantages is achieved - the speed of development. Conclusion. The most promising digitalization tools that will allow to significantly increase the efficiency of management are: automation of financial and investment planning processes, use of programs to ensure users' access to financial data in real time, expansion of operations analytics to speed up the decision-making process, application of large-volume processing technologies data for related business processes. Digitization of the strategic management of an agricultural company allows to change not only the management of its material part of production, but also to transform the contour of regulation and control of activities as a whole, since the ability to obtain valuable information from highly productive digital information exchanges appears.