Strategy development processes in Central and Eastern Europe: a cross-regional perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess strategy development processes in organizations operating in the Central and Eastern European region, and compare them with those headquartered in Western Europe. Design/methodology/approach – Strategy development processes are measured using a multidimensional scale, incorporating elements of the following six dimensions: command, planning, incremental, political, cultural, and enforced choice. The study includes 366 participants from 52 organizations, with close to 40 percent headquartered in CEE countries. Findings – While responses of western top management were consistent with previous findings, differences prevailed in comparison to the current sample reports of CEE top management. For example, managers in CEE organizations tended to place more emphasis on the top executive, while internal politics were significantly more pronounced in western firms. Research limitations/implications – Additional variables potentially influencing strategy development processes could be explored, using a more targeted sample. Practical implications – The results suggest that despite surface level appearances, the overall management trends and business dealings characterizing CEE societies are still not identical to those in the west, highlighting the importance for top management teams to consider local approaches and practices when entering novel markets. Originality/value – This study addresses a gap in the available literature by concerning strategy development processes through multiple dimensions, and in organizations operating in the relatively under-represented region of CEE countries.