Strategic Management Issues Research Articles

An interview with Zahirul Hoque

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to discuss the lack of harmonization between US rules‐based and European principles‐based approaches to accountancy standards.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is an interview with Zahirul Hoque.FindingsZahirul Hoque has written widely on international accounting, strategic management and organizational issues and public sector reform, and here shares his opinions.Originality/valueThe paper provides an outline of developments and issues regarding harmonization of accounting standards.

Assessing future disorders in organizations: implications for diagnosing and treating schizophrenic, depressed or paranoid organizations

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to highlight the relevance of the inner future of an organization for diagnosing and treating organizational disorders, as it relates to the concept of future‐oriented psychotherapy.Design/methodology/approachThis paper combines the concept of future‐oriented psychotherapy, with the categorization of organizations using the means of psychiatric disorders.FindingsThe paper finds that the importance of an organization's future is underlined by evidence from psychiatry. Time distortions in psychiatric illness can cloud the personal future of an individual and distort the view of the future and thereby disrupt goal‐directed behavior. The claim of future‐oriented psychotherapy is that in order to treat mental disorders, the future needs to be brought under self‐control; this process is futuring. It is suggested that in an organizational context, the Scenario technique or Strategic Issue Management can be applied to treat organizational disorders.Research limitations/implicationsAdditional research will be needed to explore the implications of future‐oriented psychotherapy for other disorders, besides those discussed here (depression, schizophrenia, paranoia), and which methodologies beside the Scenario technique and Strategic Issue Management can be applied for future‐oriented psychotherapy for organizations.Practical implicationsThe paper suggests that how the future is dealt with in an organization, has implications for diagnosing the mental health of an organization and for treating such disorders in an organization.Originality/valueThis paper fills a gap in the research on organizational disorders by highlighting the relevance of the inner future of an organization.

Customer satisfaction analysis based on rough set approach

Customer satisfaction analysis has become a hot issue in strategic management. Traditionally the conjoint analysis is used in order to obtain data from the questionnaires to build a collective utility function representing customer preferences. In this paper, we propose an alternative methodology to analyze the data from the questionnaires. Our approach is based on the rough set theory and it aims at representing the preferences of the customers by means of simple decision rules. The interpretation of the decision rules is simpler and more direct than the interpretation of the utility function given by conjoint analysis. The proposed methodology provides also a measure of expected efficiency of strategic interventions aimed at improving the quality of the offered products and services. In this way, our approach supplies an integrated support to customer satisfaction oriented management.

A Consumer Perspective on Value Creation

I show how company strategies that focus on improving consumer benefits can create value by increasing consumer payments to an entire value system. This “consumer benefit experienced” viewpoint on value creation complements the value capture orientations of the firm positioning, transaction cost, and resource-based approaches. It helps to clarify often-blurred distinctions between value creation and value capture and offers an additional tool for addressing intractable issues in strategic management.

'Coaching' small biotech companies into success

The paper reports an empirical study on the way Venture Capital organisations (VC here means Venture Capital or the VC organisation) support biotechnology start-ups, not just by providing capital, but through support and advice in strategic management issues, that is, nonfinancial value added. The paper draws attention to differences among assorted types of VC organisations regarding their ways of operating. The study is based on a full population of biotechnology start-ups in Finland and on a survey and interviews with the CEOs of the investee firms. Central findings of the study include an observation that all the investigated VC types did provide value added in the meaning outlined above. Nevertheless, there were clear differences between them in terms of the estimated overall value added as well as in their activity profiles. Informal investors (business angels) were assessed most positively by the CEOs and maintained the closest contacts with their investee firms.

On the Origins of Competitive Advantage: Strategic Factor Markets and Heterogeneous Resource Complementarity

Strategic factor market theory suggests that, excluding luck, superior expectations are necessary for firms to appropriate gains from valuable resources. I argue that this is only true in the absence of heterogeneous resource complementarity. Extending factor market theory, I show that firms can profit when they exhibit superior complementarity to target resources, and I determine the components of appropriated value in such markets. I thus demonstrate the power and simplicity of coalitional analysis while shedding light on central issues in strategic management.

Online cultural heritage exhibitions: a survey of strategic issues

PurposeThis paper seeks to report findings from a study that looked at a range of strategic issues faced in the development, management and maintenance of online cultural heritage exhibitions. The study examined exhibitions from different types of cultural agencies and asked questions about whether, for instance, the exhibitions are part of the strategic plan of the institutions, what their objectives are, how they are funded and a range of other management as well as technical issues.Design/methodology/approachA semi‐structured online survey questionnaire was administered to project managers and curators of such online exhibitions between July and December 2005.FindingsA number of strategic management and technical issues related to the development and management of online exhibition projects have been identified in this study. It needs to be noted however, that the survey sample consists of far more museums than other types of memory institutions.Research limitations/implicationsThe research concerned is by no means a comprehensive or an all‐inclusive survey of all relevant initiatives. It is meant to be an exploratory study of cultural heritage online exhibitions across different types of cultural and memory institutions available on the web.Originality/valueThe findings from this study provide a snapshot of key strategic issues faced by those involved in the development, management and maintenance of online cultural heritage exhibitions. The paper aims to highlight key issues, offers challenges and invites further discussion and innovation in this area.

Technology management in services: knowledge‐based vs. knowledge‐embedded services

Abstract Technology has had a profound effect on how services are designed and delivered. There have been many changes emerging in services as a result of technology. This paper describes and provides illustrations of a framework which is useful for technology management in the service sector. The framework focuses on managing according to where the value is added in the service: in the service production system/process (knowledge‐embedded) or in the worker him/herself (knowledge‐based). This paper explores the strategic technology management issues on different types of service. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An analysis of hospital capacity management patterns using Miles and Snow's typology

In this research, we have explored capacity management changes US hospitals have made to move from service-providing orientation to market orientation. The study focuses on strategic capacity management issues and identifies various capacity management patterns that have been developed by US hospitals in response to the market change. In this study, we used a number of hospital demographic variables to analyse hospitals' capacity management decisions. A comparison of the capacity patterns among large, median, and small hospitals is provided through evaluating prospector, analyser, defender and reactor hospitals using Miles and Snow's typology. The study contributes to the existing literature in the health service capacity management area by indicating the effects of capacity decision patterns on the expected performance. The study also provides useful information for hospital administrators when they are making capacity decisions and evaluates expected performance related to each capacity pattern.

Improving strategic management with the fundamental principles of system dynamics

AbstractA system dynamics perspective has a powerful logic that offers substantial improvements in dealing with issues in strategic management, whether one‐off challenges or the continuous direction of enterprise strategy. First, successful strategic management of business and non‐commercial organisations requires attention to how performance is changing through time. Since performance reflects the state of resources in any period, steering strategy requires policies and decisions that control the flow rates of those resources. Lastly, this is complicated by the additional dependence of these resource flows on the current state of existing and potential resources at each point in time—a dependence that gives rise to feedback. These principles can be organised into a rigorous approach to strategy that is grounded in solid evidence from the situation of concern. Important implications from this perspective include the unavoidable causal ambiguity caused by accumulating resources, and the value of explicit and quantitative examination of resource development prior to investigating feedback structures. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Who competes with whom? A demand‐based perspective for identifying and representing asymmetric competition

AbstractA host of strategic management and marketing issues, including competitive analysis and strategic decision making, hinges on accurately identifying and representing competitive market structures. It is readily acknowledged that competitive market structures are typically asymmetric; namely, one firm may actively compete with another in a given market but not vice versa. However, empirical efforts to assess these competitive asymmetries have been lacking in the strategy literature. We propose a new spatial methodology to identify and represent asymmetric competitive market structures. Specifically, we devise a new stochastic multidimensional scaling procedure that is calibrated from actual consumer consideration/choice sets to estimate and uncover competitive asymmetries. The proposed methodology can be effectively employed in the analysis of appropriate data from either demand‐ or supply‐side approaches to assess competitive market structure. We illustrate our proposed methodology with survey data collected from two different commercial applications: one from the U.S. luxury automobile market and the other from the U.S. portable telephone market. We contrast the findings of the proposed methodology against traditional symmetric approaches for identifying and representing competitive market structures, and discuss the respective strategic insights. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Strategic Management Issues of Klaipėda Seaport Enterprises

The article deals with the problems related to the necessity to strategically manage enterprises basing on the universal principles of strategic management. The issue becomes urgent while solving managerial problems of Klaipėda stevedoring companies. The transition from the planned to market economy, the boom of privatization and entrepreneurship, rapid integration into European economic system as well as a close dependence on Russia and other Eastern countries in the field of raw materials bring to light the problems which are vital to Klaipėda stevedoring companies and to the Lithuanian seaport as a whole. The main method of research is the study of the scientific literature and statistics dealing with Klaipėda seaport. The study has helped to investigate and systemize the issues related to Klaipėda seaport strategic management. This analysis has allowed substantiating the change of practical objectives of enterprise strategic management depending on macro-environmental change dynamics in Lithuania. The article presents a lot of statistical data taken from the author‘s study “Changes in Seaport Activity in Company Bega Under the Influence of Lithuanian Integration Into the European Union and Globalization“ (2003) and the information collected from practical activity (the author is a member of the enterprise “Bega“ board).

Strategic supply chain management issues in the automotive industry: an Australian perspective

The automotive manufacturing industry is an extremely competitive one. Many companies are focusing on their supply chains for sources of competitive advantage. This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study that examined contemporary issues related to supply chains in the Australian automotive manufacturing industry. Data from interviews with managers from vehicle manufacturers, component suppliers, peak industry bodies and government agencies enabled the articulation of 10 key issues. These issues were validated as being relevant to the industry by another group of managers from the industry. Review of these 10 issues showed that the relationships between the parties in supply chains are complex, and despite the success of the industry, there are a number of structural weaknesses. These issues, when taken individually, pose significant risks to the industry. When considered collectively, these risks are magnified several fold. This paper also presents research questions in the form of formal propositions associated with the 10 issues that need to be rigorously tested in order to assess the long-term viability and success of the industry. The issues that are raised can also be relevant to other industries with similar supply chain dynamics.

Strategic human resource development in public libraries in Botswana

PurposeThe broad objective of this study was to present a model for strategic human resource management through an effective staff performance appraisal system in Botswana Public Libraries in order to enhance the provision of delivery of information services.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents and discusses the partial findings of the study, which were revealed in an attempt to provide a strategic human resource management model for public libraries in Botswana. Public libraries aid the public as a whole, and they often lack funds and human resources. It is because of these constraints that the study was embarked on by the author.FindingsFrom an empirical investigation the main critical qualities required to provide efficient public library services were revealed as: enthusiasm, positive attitude, innovative thinking, commitment. The other staff related and motivational issues were identified as: a sense of achievement, a feeling of self‐worth, job‐security, staff recognition, status, career development, good salary, effective communication, job satisfaction, delegation of authority, clear job description, performance feedback, conducive working environment. Some other strategic management issues were acclaimed as: organisational culture, transformational leadership, employee recognition and reward systems, performance measurement system, productivity improvement, and customer orientation.Originality/valueThis paper recommends a strategic human resource management model for the public libraries in Botswana, which may assist in enhancing the provision of library services to fulfil the aims of the Botswana National Library Service (BNLS) more efficiently and facilitate the strategic plan process of BNLS which is currently working on its strategic plan and human resource strategy.

A comparative analysis of strategic human resource management (SHRM) issues in an organisational context

PurposeThis paper analyses the opinions of the Botswana National Library Service's (BNLS) Headquarters (HQ) staff and staff of the Botswana public libraries on strategic human resource management issues, which were tested by six hypotheses.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis was carried out by statistical means. The t‐test was the method used for comparing the two groups' mean scores. Analyses were repeated using the Chi‐squared test.FindingsThe study identified a number of issues where staff had differences of opinion: changing employees' expectations about work, transformational leadership, job satisfaction, performance feedback and delegation of responsibility. The paper briefly discusses the issues where the status of the library influenced staff opinions.Research limitations/implicationsIt is to be noted that the data collected from HQ has to be used with caution because the number of respondents there was smaller than the respondents from public libraries.Practical implicationsThe author throws light on human resource management techniques in the everyday library environment. This paper may help policy makers to identify ways in which they can motivate their employees; it may help policy planners to identify their staff's different requirements.Originality/valueThis paper provides a useful and insightful application of a general human resource management tool to the specific organizational context of public libraries.

Book reviews

R&D ManagementVolume 35, Issue 1 p. 101-106 Book reviews First published: 27 January 2005 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9310.2005.00375.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Abstract Books reviewed: Abigail Edwards and John R. Wilson, Implementing Virtual Teams: A Guide to Organizational and Human Factors Susan Greenfield, Tomorrow's People Paul Dobson, Kenneth Starkey and John Richards, Strategic Management Issues and Cases Volume35, Issue1January 2005Pages 101-106 RelatedInformation

Strategic scanning in a new competitive landscape: towards a learning approach

In this paper, we will attempt to throw new light on the increasingly relevant, albeit not new, subject of strategic scanning by applying a learning perspective to well-known theoretical approaches to strategic scanning and issue management. The reason for doing so is quite simple - in hyper-competitive markets, it has never been more important to be able to scan the environment and learn from the signals of the scanning system. At the same time, theories of organisational learning have risen to prominence in management research only relatively recently and, thus, many years after the strategic scanning was first discussed. The main contribution of the paper is an analysis of three theoretical approaches to strategic scanning investigating their potential for creating and securing organisational learning.

The Complexity of Change in Universities

This paper relates to the implementation process of the Universitaetsorganisationsgesetz 1993 (University Organisation Act of 1993) at an Austrian university. In accordance with the idea of a managed university, the Austrian government aimed this law at transferring a greater scope of responsibility for strategic decisions and management issues from the ministry to the universities. The empirical basis is derived from a 2-year, in-depth field study showing that the transformation to a ‘simple’ management orientation is in itself complex. We suggest therefore a frame of reference that is based on an understanding of universities as complex and self-referential organisations. This view explains changes in universities as nontrivial transformation and conceptualises the management of change in universities as a paradoxical intervention.

Strategic Issue Management vis-à-vis Knowledge Management

Knowledge management is a current management concept dealing with information gathering and implementation processes for the organizational performance advantage. The study investigates knowledge management in two perspectives: internally, organizational information processing structure and externally, strategic issue management system. The study proposes the existence of filtering processes in the organizations. Based on this argument, the authors propose that organizations need to employ strategic issue management system for the successful implementation of knowledge management

Challenges of Hong Kong toy manufacturers operating plants in the Pearl River Delta

For years, Hong Kong has been the world’s largest toy exporter. However, as the costs of rent and labor have increased drastically over the past years, Hong Kong toy manufacturers have moved their labor-intensive operations to other lower-wage areas. The Pearl River Delta (PRD) region of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has been one of their favorite choices for outsourcing because of cheap and available labor. This paper explores, using data culled from interviews with the senior management of five leading Hong Kong toy companies, how some Hong Kong toy manufacturers overcame various strategic management issues after having made the move to the PRD. The results are presented within five major areas of concern: rules and regulations, the less-developed infrastructure, R&D, relationship with suppliers, and new technology, and they are used to show how the manufacturers were able to overcome various strategic constraints in order to accomplish outstanding performance. Supporting data were gathered through factory visits in order to better understand the actual operations within the PRD. This collected experience should be beneficial to other manufacturers interested in operating plants within the PRD.