Studying Strategy Process in Organizations That Are Structurally Modulating between Exploration and Exploitation: Comparison of Computational Modelling and Case Study Approach

This paper analyses research methods that could be applicable for studying the strategy process in organizations that are shifting in their strategic change process between the modes of exploration and exploitation by the means of structural modulation (Nickerson & Zenger 2002). As the structural modulation phenomenon poses new methodological challenges in terms of handling processual and longitudinal data, then the traditional cross-sectional approach cannot be effectively used. For this purpose, the analysis focuses on two potential, seemingly opposite approaches ñ quantitative computational modelling and qualitative in-depth case study analysis. It finally concludes with a "to do" list in order to establish the next steps in the research plan.