Strategic Community Management with Customers: Case Study on Innovation Using IT and Multimedia Technology in Education, Medical and Welfare Fields

This paper discusses the management processes for forming strategic communities by means of strategic partnerships between businesses and customers, for introducing into the Strategic communities the knowledge of customers with a high degree of learning experience with respect to the products and services provided by the businesses, thereby creating new business models and at the same time extending the results of the strategic communities to many other associated customers. Innovations in the fields of education, medicine and welfare utilizing IT and multimedia technology over the past four years are taken as examples in this case study. Here a strategic community of business and innovative customers has established a new business model in the fields of education, medicine and welfare on the basis of IT and multimedia technology. The results of the activities of the strategic community of innovative customers were then extended to many other related customers in a chain of community creation, and the new systems were widely proliferated throughout Japan. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Age,Experience and Corporate Synergy: When Are They Sources of Business Unit Advantage?

When do older businesses have a competitive advantage over new startups? When do the corporate subsidiaries have advantages over independent firms? This paper tackles these questions by comparing the performance of businesses classified according to age and affiliation in the game of competitive survival. The research is based on an analysis of 377,000 United States business units between 1978 and 1984. Our results suggest that age confers substantial advantages in competitive environments where intangible assets, accumulated through experience, are critical to success. These include industries with high-labour intensity, high skill levels and heavy reliance on push marketing. For other industries, e.g., where competitive advantage can be built through superior service or media hype, age advantage is generally much more limited. Affiliation with a corporate group, meanwhile, allows young businesses to overcome some of their handicap by ‘borrowing’ experience through their parent. Once a business is well established, however, affiliation is immaterial.     

家族企业网络化成长模式的主要影响因素及机制:基于中国东西部地区的实证研究

本文利用浙江、重庆等东西部省市家族企业的调查数据,实证检验了资源/战略需求、关系治理、权力结构、企业家特质对家族企业网络化成长模式的影响及机制,结果发现,资源需求对二级网络持久度有显著的负向影响,对二级网络开放度有显著的正向影响;合作机会对网络范围、二级网络强度有显著的正向影响;关系管理对一级网络强度、二级网络开放度有显著的正向影响;家族所有权对一级网络范围有显著的正向影响,对二级网络强度有显著的负向影响,家族管理权对一级网络范围有显著的正向影响;企业家年龄对一级网络强度有显著的负向影响,企业家行业工作经验对二级网络范围、网络持久度有显著的正向影响,企业家文化程度为大学本科的家族企业二级网络强度、二级网络开放度明显大于其它类型家族企业。研究结论对中国家族企业成长实践有重要指导意义。     

Using Single Respondents in Strategy Research

A survey of empirical papers has revealed a number of studies that have used single respondents, usually the CEO or a top management team member, to make inferences about certain strategic dimensions of their business. In this note, we highlight some of the problems in using this approach. We base our comments on a study of 76 businesses where multiple respondents were accessed. We conclude that, because of often wide variations in responses between members of the same top team (measured by Cronbach alpha), the use of single respondents in this type of strategy research is probably unreliable.     

A fundamental approach to strategy development

The problem of developing sound business strategy is probably more difficult now than it has been at any time since the war. In the midst of conflicting pressures of inflation, recession, unemployment, business failures, and social and political upheaval, today's businessman faces an environment which is both unfamiliar and uncertain. The lack of predictability concerning economic affairs can make it seem impossible to plan effectively for the future. Yet without sound strategy today, corporate survival itself may be called into question. What should be done?In this, the first of two articles, the author suggests that the key to strategy development now is to focus more than ever before on ‘fundamentals’. For the individual business, market share appears to be paramount, as is shown by the ‘experience curve effect’, a concept developed by the Boston Consulting Group in the course of its international work in advising companies on corporate strategy problems. Relative competitive position thus becomes the required simple but fundamental strategic goal. However, the quest for a superior market share must take place within the confines of an appropriately defined strategic business segment.In a further article in the February 1977 issue of LRP the author will go on to expand these conclusions concerning individual businesses, considering their implications for the sound development of strategy for the multi-business company.     

Strategic management of consumer services

A period of more rigorous strategic management is under way in consumer service businesses. In banking, insurance, lodging, media, retailing, housing, restaurants and education, more growth must come from competitive share shift. This paper b shows the need for a different set of strategies to win in services than have been shaped in the product business context. Specific illustrations show how leading U.S. consumer service companies are building strategic advantage while also improving the value of their business.     

Identifying the business value of superior environmental performance: Current deliberations from the aspen institute

The growing connection between the environment and economic growth has created many challenges for business. In response, a set of recent dialogues, convened by the Aspen Institute, focused on the business opportunities inherent in environmental leadership. The conclusion? In a nutshell, businesses that integrate their environmental planning with their strategic business planning can improve their corporate performance and gain a competitive edge. Investors and analysts who understand these connections will be better positioned to identify companies with superior stock appreciation in the newly emerging sustainability-driven marketplace of the 21st century.     

IT人员业务能力与技术能力的互补性对企业竞争优势的影响

以资源基础观为理论指导,研究IT人员的技术能力与业务能力以及二者的协同效应对企业竞争优势的影响。在已有研究成果的基础上,构建了企业IT人员能力及其互补性与企业经营绩效关联的概念模型,通过对国内300家大中型企业的问卷调查和统计检验,验证企业IT人员的技术能力和业务能力与企业绩效都有着显著的正相关关系,而且这2种能力之间也存在较强的互补性。研究结论显示,技术能力是IT部门人员区别于其他部门的根本,业务能力使IT人员能够更好地理解企业业务,进而充分发挥IT系统的战略作用,产生的协同效应能够进一步提升企业的经营绩效。     

Does governance confer organisational resilience? Evidence from UK employee owned businesses

Current economic crisis has highlighted the importance of an organization’s ability to withstand economic shocks. This has rekindled interest in organization resilience on the one hand, and the relationship between alternative governance forms such as employee owned businesses (EOBs) on the other. We explore this relationship using performance data on 204 publicly traded non-employee owned businesses and 49 EOBs prior to the economic downturn (2004–2008), and during the economic downturn (2008–2009). This data is complemented with a survey of resilience related governance and organizational practices in 41 EOBs and 22 non-EOBs. Our results show that: (a) employee ownership that is combined with employee involvement in firm governance is associated with greater stability in business performance over a business cycle; (b) EOBs have longer investment payback horizon when compared to non-EOBs across a number of activities; (c) Top management in EOBs are more likely to seek employee input in strategic decision making; (d) EOBs are more likely to use employee involvement to achieve tighter coupling between feedback from operations and the setting of strategic direction for the firm. These results suggest that employee stock ownership programs alone are not sufficient to develop higher levels of organizational resilience. Managers must combine employee stock ownership with employee involvement in governance if they wish to build up resilience in advance of adverse economic conditions.     

Value drivers of social businesses: A business model perspective

Hybrid organizational forms that combine commercial and welfare institutional logics play an increasingly important role in addressing the grand societal challenges we face today. Building on the literatures on hybrid organizations and social business models, we explore the characteristics of social businesses from a business model perspective. This study seeks to better understand the particularities and value drivers of hybrid social purpose in contrast to purely commercial business models. We follow a grounded theory approach and our findings are based on interview data from 17 social business firms. Building on social businesses' identified particularities, we propose four value drivers of social business models: 1) responsible efficiency, 2) impact complementarities, 3) shared values, and 4) integration novelties. We link our findings to the literature, contributing new insights into social businesses models and implications for practitioners.     

战略维度间的匹配关系与企业战略定位选择——基于战略群组理论视角

基于战略群组理论视角,分析了企业战略定位中不同战略维度的匹配问题。以境内外交易所上市的中国互联网企业为样本,选取移动互联业务比重和IT投入强度这两个关键战略维度,采用面板数据回归模型检验了研究假设。研究发现,当企业的移动互联业务比重和IT投入强度同时处于较高水平时,这一战略组合能为企业带来高绩效,是一种合理的战略位置;另一合理的战略位置则是较低的移动互联业务比重配以较低的IT投入强度,它也明显好于一者较高、另一者较低的战略组合。以上结果表明,战略定位的关键是实现不同战略维度决策之间的合理匹配,从战略组合的角度理解行业中的战略位置。研究结论不仅有助于理解移动互联市场的竞争战略与绩效,也验证了战略群组理论在战略定位研究中的重要意义,对战略组合的分析不可简化为对各战略维度的单独分析。     

An Exploratory Study of Procurement Strategies for Multi‐Item RFQs in B2B Markets: Antecedents and Impact on Performance

This research explores procurement strategies for multi‐item requests for quotation (RFQs) in business‐to‐business (B2B) markets using responses from 825 purchasing professionals. The study first establishes procurement strategies that differ based on their level of strategic emphasis, i.e., the importance that is placed on the pursuit of four strategic objectives. Underlying objectives, which are obtained via factor analysis, include the focus on price, security of supply, internal procurement efficiencies, and bundle building. Next, cluster analysis is used to derive prototypical strategic approaches. The three cluster groups that emerge possess the same relative ranking of the four objectives, but differ based on the intensity with which these objectives are pursued. The clusters are labelled as the three strategic groups of strategists, opportunists, and responders. The research then explores, using an industrial buyer behavior lens, the impact of environmental antecedents in determining a particular strategy. Environmental variables include purchase importance, market uncertainty, supply base availability, buyer bargaining power, item experience, and supply base experience. Finally, the study tests the impact of procurement strategy on the buyer's perceived performance, suggesting that strategists, placing more emphasis on the pursuit of strategic sourcing objectives, achieve better performance than opportunists and responders.     

开放型商业模式NICE属性与价值创造关系的实证研究

企业竞争优势或价值创造的源泉在哪里,或者企业绩效异质性的成因是什么?这一问题一直是战略管理领域的研究焦点。移动互联网时代,企业纷纷通过重塑商业模式来实现转型升级或跨界发展,并将其作为价值创造和竞争优势的一种重要来源。因此,本文旨在以开放型商业模式为研究对象,探讨其内在属性与价值创造之间的关系。首先,本文阐述开放型商业模式的内涵及构成;接着,识别出其内在属性特征,即新颖性(N)、锁定性(I)、互补性(C)、效率性(E);同时,重点借助战略网络理论、新木桶理论、平台经济学等理论基础论证NICE与价值创造间的关系及背后的作用机理,提出理论假设;最后,运用调查问卷和结构方程模型的方法实证检验,且演绎结论的管理含义。本文所使用的数据来源于中国最大的服务交易平台:猪八戒网和EMBA、MBA、EDP等项目课堂。研究表明,开放型商业模式新颖性与企业价值正相关、互补性与顾客价值正相关、效率性与企业价值和伙伴价值均呈正相关关系;而新颖性与顾客价值及伙伴价值正相关;互补性与企业价值及伙伴价值呈正相关关系等结论未得到印证。本文的研究回答了"企业竞争优势或价值创造源泉在哪里?"这一问题,并且本文的理论机理分析和实证结论有利于指导企业创新商业模式并获取竞争优势的战略决策。     

家族企业跨代资源整合与组合创业

跨代创业是家族企业传承和永续经营的核心问题,涉及到两代企业家之间的资源整合和传承创新.现有研究大多关注家族企业的独特资源对创业的影响,但忽视了家族企业资源在代际之间形成的异质性结构及其在传承过程中的动态变化,二代涉入带来的资源异质性及其与一代资源之间的整合是组合创业的资源基础,也是推动跨代创业的动力.本文从资源基础观的角度出发,探究家族跨代资源异质性及其整合对家族企业创业行为的影响.基于1999年-2012年中国上市家族企业的数据进行回归分析,结果显示:家族二代异质性的知识资源对家族企业组合创业有显著的促进作用,而家族一代社会资本与二代异质性资源的整合也会正向影响家族企业的组合创业行为.分析结果还表明,地区市场化水平会负向调节知识资源异质性与家族企业组合创业的关系.本文结论对资源观在家族企业研究中的应用以及转型经济背景下的组合创业研究有重要贡献.     

Staying Close to the Core: Lessons from Studying the Costs of Unrelated Alliances in Spanish Banking

This article analyses whether alliances create shareholders value, and if this value differs depending on the similarity of the partners' businesses, or on the similarity of the partners' businesses with that of the alliance. Using data from 467 equity and non-equity based strategic alliances from 1996-1999 involving at least one listed Spanish bank, we find that, overall, alliances create shareholder value, but that the returns to shareholders are significantly higher when alliance activity is closer to the core business of the banks, than when alliances involve unrelated activities. Although there is no evidence that unrelated strategic alliances destroy value on average, the results obtained show that banks need to assess the benefits and costs of diversification strategies carefully, as their likelihood of success is initially smaller.     

How are Methodologies and Tools Framing Managers' Strategizing Practice in Competitive Strategy Development?

Criticisms have been levelled at the use of traditional strategic tools such as SWOT, PEST and BCG in contemporary business environments. In light of these criticisms, the objective of this research is to understand how senior executives engage with methodologies and tools as they develop competitive strategy. Within a broader strategy‐as‐practice approach, we use an activity theory framework to capture strategizing insights of senior executives in the UK responsible for competitive strategy. Our sample includes executives leading manufacturing organizations embedded in networks and CEOs reported in the financial press as adopting innovative business models. Our data suggest there is no one preferred practice approach by these highly regarded executives. Rather, methods and tools are adapted as they are contextualized in alternative practices. Three dominant strategizing practice models emerged from the data reflecting alternative applications of methodologies and tools. The first model captures routinized behaviour adopted by those who view their future as predictable, and an extension of the current environment. The second model posits reflective interaction between the strategist, organizational processes, culture, relationships and practice, and the final model shows an imposed engagement with strategizing methodologies and tools that bypass the organization's collective structures. These practice models suggest strategy leaders' activities depend upon their interpretation of the operating environment.     

Integrating the Content and Process of Strategic MIS Planning with Competitive Strategy*

This paper presents a framework that links strategic MIS planning and business strategy and relates it to competitive advantage and company performance. To achieve this objective, the paper first delineates the dimensions of strategic MIS planning, focusing on both content and process issues. The notion of fit within dimensions, between sets of dimensions (process and content), and between MIS planning and competitive strategy is also introduced. Next, employing the Miles-Snow typology of business strategy, the paper posits normative differences in the dimensions of strategic MIS planning along different business (or competitive) strategies. The implications of our study for both decision makers and scholars are discussed. Propositions that tie competitive strategy, strategic MIS planning, and company financial performance are then presented. The paper concludes by providing direction for future research.     

Agents of trust: business associations in agri-food supply systems

The generation of trust between business partners is a strategic issue for firms in competitive agri-food markets. It is asserted that business associations can be important facilitators of trust between firms. Cross-national comparative research on the UK and Dutch potato industries is conducted to find out how and to what extent business associations perform functions that can facilitate trust. The results show that there are considerable national differences in the intensity and range of such functions performed by business associations. The findings indicate that, in spite of globalization trends, nationally distinct ways of generating trust via business associations continue to exist.     

Competitive and Cooperative Positioning in Supply Chain Logistics Relationships*

Cooperative logistics relationships require the sharing of information, which must be enabled by the integration of disparate information systems across partners. In this article, we theorize business‐to‐business logistics relationships should be managed using cooperative and competitive postures. Based on data from 91 dyadic relationships using interorganizational information technology (IT), we find that performance gains accrue when parties share strategic information and customize IT; mutual trust enables IT customization and strategic‐information flows and equitable relationship‐specific investments positively impact IT customization, mutual trust, and performance. Among other scholarly and practical implications discussed, partners should compete on resources for IT customization and cooperate to share strategic information. Managers tend to think of relationships with firms as polar opposites and view them as entirely cooperative or entirely competitive. Our results support active balancing and understanding of both competitive and cooperative stances. Such an approach enables conditions for participation symmetry that yields greater performance gains.     

Strategy and the “business portfolio”

In this article the author goes on to develop the conclusion reached in his previous article which appeared in the December edition of Long Range Planning. These conclusions concerned the requirements for strategic success for an individual business, here they are developed into their implications for strategy development in the typical multibusiness company.It is argued that relative competitive position and growth are the two fundamental parameters which must be considered in determining the strategy that an individual business should follow when viewed within the context of the company's overall ‘business portfolio’. The likely patterns of business strategy which will lead to overall corporate success are discussed and contrasted with those which can lead to disaster.The key is that strategies should be made to differ widely from business to business, as a function of the growth and relative competitive position of each business and the company's overall resource position particularly with respect to cash. The ‘across the board’ defensive measures which many companies have adopted in recent years as their response to the pressures of inflation and recession are therefore argued to be singularly inappropriate for the long term. The ‘business portfolio’ concept provides a superior approach for developing the differentiated strategic business objectives which are necessary for any company to make the most of its opportunities.