Perceptions of competitive strategy : realised strategy, consensus and performance
This is a study of managers' perceptions of the strategicpriorities in their strategic business unit (SBU). The perceptionsmanagers have of the current competitive strategy of their SBUare used to explore four main research themes. Managers'perceptions are accessed through a brief, standardisedquestionnaire which contains statements about current strategicpriorities.Firstly, the perceptions of managers from the same SBU are usedto make inferences about the realised strategy of that business.SBUs in the sample (38) are classified into i3ur realised st:a:egycategories. These are derived from Porter's (1 980) genericstrategies. A number of hypotheses concerning the performanceimplications of these realised strategy categories are developedand tested. Additionally, hypotheses about relationships betweenconsensus (the extent to which managers from the same SBUshare the same perceptions of strategic priorities), realisedstrategy, performance and organizational change are developedand tested.Secondly, the perceptions of managers from rnany different SBUsare used to derive a "mznagerial theory" of competitive strategy.This is developed in the context of a critique zf F'o;:erls genericstrategies.Thirdly, the research addresses the sources of influence onmanagers' perceptions of strategic priorities. Specifically, theinfluence of the function the manager belongs to, and the industrythe SBU conlpetes in are explored. Evidence of functicrnal andindustry influence on perceptions is presented.Fourthly, the surfacing of managers' perceptions of currentstrategic priorities has been used to facilitate strategy debateswith managenxnt teams. Examples of the issues raised, and thecontributions to management discussion are presented.Finally, the thesis suggests ways in which the approaches takenin the study could be developed to address other issues in thefield of strategic management.
Year of publication: |
1991-06
|
---|---|
Authors: | Bowman, Cliff |
Other Persons: | Johnson, Gerry (contributor) |
Publisher: |
Cranfield University |
Saved in:
freely available
Saved in favorites
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