Evolutionary patterns of strategic change prior to liquidation: the case of Bioglan plc

Purpose – This paper aims to contribute to understanding of strategy development by reporting a detailed case study of one pharmaceutical company over an 11‐year period using a framework for classifying strategic actions developed from a broader study of strategic behaviour in the industry. Design/methodology/approach – The paper utilises a longitudinal text analysis using published documentary sources to explore the strategic actions and grand strategies realised by Bioglan during 1992‐2002. Findings – The findings develop concepts from the economics, ecology and strategy literature in order to highlight that, rather than strategy research focusing on “with whom and how do firms compete?” the emphasis should be on “with whom and how do firms co‐evolve?” Research limitations/implications – The paper only explored the realised strategies of one firm during an 11‐year period using only published documentary sources. Originality/value – Previous research does not appear to have explored the evolution and co‐evolution of a firm's strategic actions prior to its death, a gap that this paper aims to help to fill.