Does Management Development Add Value?

While the act of faith approach to management development assumes that training and development will improve performance, and that attention to the people factor will give organizations a competitive advantage, there has been little systematic study of the business benefits of management development. The extent to which competence-based management development made identifiable improvements to individual, organizational and business performance was examined in sixteen organizations using an in-depth embedded case-study protocol developed following the preparatory work of an expert group convened by the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE). Interviews were conducted with senior strategic managers, line managers and members of management work teams, and triangulation was sought with documentary evidence. Case reports were validated with the organizations, then evaluated and ranked by an independent consultancy not involved in the fieldwork. The results provide support for attributing business benefits to management development, particularly in relation to individual and business performance. The performance improvements were found to be most significant where management development is linked with organizational strategy and where Human Resource Development (HRD) systems and processes adopt the management standards developed by Management Charter Initiative (MCI).     

A Theory of Production Competence Revisited*

A recent article [3] proposed a definable relationship between production competence and business performance and presented empirical evidence to support the relationship. The purpose of this note is four-fold. First, it corrects the authors' numerical measure of production competence. The correction changes the nature of the relationship between competence and performance. Second, this note suggests an improved numerical measure of business performance (the dependent variable in the study). The authors of [3] defined performance in a manner which inadvertently captures elements used to measure production competence (the independent variable). The result is a deceptively close fit of the authors' model with the data. The third purpose of the note is to introduce a more appropriate theoretical framework for the production competence construct. It is shown that production competence is closely related to the formulation and implementation of manufacturing strategy and can best be understood within that context. Last, an alternative conceptual model of the relationship between business strategy, production competence, and business performance is presented. The new model includes a construct which measures the “fit” of a firm's business strategy to its external, competitive environment.     

A Study of the Role Played by Manufacturing Strategic Objectives and Capabilities in Understanding the Relationship between Porter's Generic Strategies and Business Performance

An appropriate alignment between business strategy, manufacturing strategic objectives and manufacturing capabilities reportedly influences business performance positively. However, few papers empirically analyse this proposition for the case of Porter's generic strategies of cost leadership and differentiation, and none jointly considers all four elements. This paper integrates strategies, capabilities and performance in a single model and proposes that both manufacturing competitive priorities and capabilities, articulated in terms of cost and flexibility, are essential for explaining the link between generic business strategies and business commercial and financial performance. Within this analytic framework, we test whether companies that emphasize one business strategy rather than another achieve a better alignment and superior performance. The analyses conducted with a sample of 148 Spanish manufacturers provide general support for these propositions and contribute to a deeper understanding of the role played by functional strategies in understanding the outcomes of business strategy.     

互联网平台多属策略、经营模式与商家绩效

目前互联网第三方平台发展迅速,平台选择成为商家重要的经营策略。然而,商家在传统经营模式下依然缺乏对互联网平台策略价值实现的认识,并面临着互联网平台价值实现路径选择的难题。根据资源依赖理论,本文以O2O平台（饿了么,美团,百度外卖）410家水果店商家为样本,实证分析了商家选择互联网平台多属策略对其绩效的影响,并考察了传统连锁加盟模式对该路径选择的调节作用。结果表明,线上平台多属策略正向影响商家绩效,连锁加盟模式强化了平台多属策略对绩效的积极作用。研究结论对未来研究和商家的创新实践提供了针对性的启示。     

BUSINESS STRATEGY,MANUFACTURING FLEXIBILITY,AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIPS: A PATH ANALYSIS APPROACH

It has been argued in the literature that business strategy and manufacturing flexibility independently affect the performance of an organization. However, no empirical examination of the interrelationship among these three constructs has been performed. In this paper, based on a field study of 269 firms in the manufacturing industry, the identified constructs have been used to test a theoretical model using path analysis techniques. Our results indicate that business strategy contributes both directly and indirectly to organizational performance. The findings provide evidence of direct effects of (i) business strategy on manufacturing flexibility and (ii) manufacturing flexibility on organizational performance.     

A Model for Implementing a Sustainability Strategy through HRM Practices

There is a rapidly growing interest in the topic of sustainability as it relates to long‐term business performance that optimizes the “triple bottom line”: economic, environmental, and social outcomes. This article articulates a multilevel conceptual model for executing a business strategy for sustainability primarily through the design and implementation of human resource management practices. The model builds on open systems theory, the resource based view of the firm, and the concept of line of sight to identify certain key organizational capabilities, group competencies, and individual abilities and other characteristics that combine to drive organizational performance when pursuing a sustainability strategy. The article concludes with a discussion of implications of the model for theory, research, and practice.     

A Theory of Production Competence*

Production competence is an enigmatic functional phenomenon. What is it? Can it be measured? Does it affect business performance? The literature barely touches on these issues. If competence is defined as a variable rather than a fixed attribute, it can be measured by how well manufacturing's strengths and weaknesses complement the priorities of the business strategy. Since performance is a measure of how well that strategy works, there should be a definable relationship between competence and performance. This study proposes just such a relationship and promotes production competence as the theoretical link between production process and business strategy.     

Aligning operations,marketing, and competitive strategies to enhance performance: An empirical test in the retail banking industry

The close linkage between competitive strategy and functional strategic activities is asserted to be a precondition to the achievement of optimal business performance. This study explores how the relationship between (and among) operations, marketing, and competitive strategies affects organizational performance in the banking industry. Our findings show that: (a) competitive strategy moderates the relationship between operations and marketing strategic activities, and organizational performance, (b) certain integrated strategic decisions of operations and marketing functions have a significant impact on organizational performance, and (c) the performance of retail banks within a strategic group differs depending on the quality of the strategic fit.     

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.     

Corporate social responsibility reporting and firm performance: evidence from China

A series of product safety and child labor scandals in the mid-2000s aroused global concerns over business ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in China. The general public expects companies to be socially responsible and to look beyond the maximizing of profits. In this study, we examine the relationship between the issuance of CSR reports and performance, in terms of accounting income, market return, and growth by firms listed in China in 2008–2009. We find that the historical performance of firms has significant and positive effects on the issuance of standalone CSR reports. There is also a positive correlation between current CSR disclosures and subsequent performance. Finally, we find that corporate donations are positively associated with improved performance in the following year. Our results support the view that CSR is a useful business strategy even in a developing country such as China. We call for government authorities in emerging markets to advocate CSR practices and for the market participants to change their perception of and attitude towards CSR.     

EXPLORING LINKAGES BETWEEN MANUFACTURING STRATEGY,BUSINESS STRATEGY,AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY

In recent years there has been an increased emphasis on the development of manufacturing and business strategies. In spite of that high level of emphasis, limited empirical research has been published on the linkage between manufacturing strategy, business strategy, and organizational performance. Our study examines that linkage. Our main contribution lies in (i) building constructs for some important elements of manufacturing strategy and business strategy and (ii) testing the impact of linkage between manufacturing strategy and business strategy on organizational performance. The study is based on 175 responses from senior executives in manufacturing organizations.     

Production Competence and Business Strategy: Do They Affect Business Performance?

The purpose of this article is threefold. First, a comprehensive measure of production competence that assesses the level of support that manufacturing provides for the strategic objectives of a firm is developed. Second, hypotheses relating production competence to several financial measures of business performance are tested using data from a large sample of firms (n=65) in the furniture industry. Third, the impact of business strategy both directly on performance and as a moderating variable in relation to production competence is analyzed. The results of the study suggest that production competence may have more of an effect on business performance for certain strategies than for others.     

The relative influence of country conditions, industry structure, and business strategy on multinational corporation subsidiary performance

Two competing theories of firm performance have been proposed in the business strategy literature, the industry structure view and the resource-based view of the firm. Empirical studies have estimated the relative contribution of industry structure, corporate, and business unit effects to business unit performance. These studies, however, have been restricted to using only single-country data. Missing from this debate is an international dimension that includes the relative importance of country conditions as a determinant of firm performance. The objective of this article is to fill this void by adding country characteristics to the analysis. Using cross-country data of four large multinationals in a single industry, we estimate the relative importance of country characteristics in addition to industry structure, corporate characteristics, and subsidiary strategy as determinants of subsidiary performance by using multiple regression analysis. This analysis also will contribute to the discussion on environmental determinism versus strategic choice. Country and industry characteristics are mainly outside the control of management, whereas corporate characteristics and subsidiary strategy are under management's control. Results show that country characteristics are by far the most important determinant of subsidiary performance, followed by industry structure, subsidiary strategy, and corporate characteristics. Thus, country conditions are a very important determinant of firm performance that so far has been overlooked in previous studies. These results indicate that subsidiary performance is determined mainly by conditions outside the control of subsidiary management. In terms of competing theories, these results support the environmental determinism view more than the strategic choice view and the resource-based view of the firm more than the industry structure view. These results also have important implications for multinational corporations' selection of countries for entry and investment and for performance evaluation of subsidiary management.     

The Impact of Competitive Strategy and Supply Chain Strategy on Business Performance: The Role of Environmental Uncertainty*

This article investigates the relationships among competitive strategy, supply chain strategy, and business performance while examining the moderating effect of environmental uncertainty. A total of 604 questionnaires were collected from three cities in China, and the statistical results show significant moderating effects of external environment on the relationships among competitive strategy, supply chain strategy, and business performance. Firms that primarily focus on a differentiation strategy emphasize an agile supply chain strategy. Cost leaders are inclined to implement both lean and agile supply chain strategies, but their emphasis on agile strategy is significantly greater in a volatile environment than in a stable environment. The choice of supply chain strategy does not appear to be an “either‐or” decision and firms could adopt either a lean or an agile strategy, or both, depending on the environment. This article provides significant managerial implications for supply chain practitioners to co‐align supply chain strategy and competitive strategy with the environment to improve performance.     

市场导向内涵与执行随企业成长阶段演变的规律——基于中兴通讯的案例研究

基于中兴通讯在竞争激烈的通信设备行业不断克服管理危机从跟随者成长为全球领先者的案例,从动态角度探讨了市场导向内涵及其执行随企业成长阶段演变的规律。研究结论如下:①随着企业成长阶段的变化,市场导向内涵从市场创新与模仿竞争者导向的市场驱动理念向顾客与竞争平衡导向的驱动市场理念转变;②执行市场导向的组织变革特征受企业不同发展阶段管理危机的影响,而在集权与分权、自主与协调间反复,但组织成熟度呈螺旋式上升;③顾客后向影响供应商的主动创新特征使市场导向内涵中的市场驱动理念包括适应市场和"OEM"协作,驱动市场理念包括引导市场和"共生互动"的内容;④市场不确定性对企业市场导向执行结果产生影响,这也解释了同一行业内企业市场导向与经营绩效之间并非简单的线性关系。     

Revisiting management innovation and change programmes: strategic vision or tunnel vision?

The information systems (IS) and management literature, broadly conceived, is replete with management innovation and change programmes. All are designed to enhance business performance and competitive advantage. This paper examines five approaches which have been developed in the post-war period to improve business performance. They are Total Quality Management (TQM), Just-In-Time production management (JIT), Activity Based Costing (ABC), Business Process Re-engineering (BPR), and Process Innovation. By comparing and contrasting these approaches, it is found that considerable overlap exists in their scope, style, content, aims and objectives. In view of this, the paper argues that instead of re-inventing the wheel every few years with a new management innovation and change panacea or fad, a broader, inter-disciplinary perspective should be adopted which seeks to understand the wider ideological, historical and empirical perspective which underpins these ideas. This is instead of the tunnel vision approach which seeks only to place these ideas in a narrow organisational or managerial context.     

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。     

Competitive strategies for service businesses

The Journal's American Editor writes to introduce a group of articles on the theme ‘Competitive Strategies for Service Businesses’. With the globalization of economic activity, productivity is of immediate concern to business worldwide—and as much in the service industries as in manufacturing. As competition intensifies, industries are re-structured and new technologies are introduced, strategic planning and competitive strategy have an important role to play. The following articles examine the role of planning in the service industries.     

整合能力与企业绩效：商业模式创新的中介作用

经济全球化的背景下,企业为了构建竞争优势,获取更好的绩效,开始利用整合能力和商业模式创新应对多变的外部环境。然而,当前研究对于两者之间存在何种联系的认识是模糊的。针对理论研究的缺陷,基于动态能力的理论视角,通过分析商业模式创新对整合能力与企业绩效的中介作用,揭示企业整合能力和商业模式创新促进企业绩效提高的内在机制,采用中国6省1市319个企业样本数据,运用线性回归的统计方法对理论假设进行实证检验。研究结果表明,整合能力和商业模式创新都对企业绩效具有正向的促进作用,同时整合能力与企业绩效之间存在着一定的中间机制。整合能力通过提高组织变革和价值创造效率两个方面促进商业模式创新,而商业模式创新作为中间纽带将整合能力与企业绩效联系起来。企业的整合能力越高,越有利于开展商业模式创新,进而促进企业绩效的提高。研究揭示了整合能力和商业模式创新共同促进企业绩效提高的内在理论机制,打开了能力与绩效间关系的“黑箱”,对于中国企业开展商业模式创新具有重要的实践指导意义。     

战略与结构匹配的影响因素——以我国台湾地区企业集团为例

随着我国市场经济的成熟,越来越多的企业开始向集团化和多元化方向发展。以往研究发现多元化战略和组织结构匹配的企业通常能够获得较好绩效,但较少探讨企业多元化战略与组织结构匹配程度的影响因素。本文以我国台湾地区1981~1998年间100家最大企业集团为样本,探讨影响企业集团多元化战略和组织结构匹配的因素。研究表明,行业集中度、金融市场制度以及所有权结构对企业集团的战略—结构匹配有显著影响:市场竞争越激烈、企业集团上市子公司越多、外国投资者所有权和政府投资者所有权所占比例越高,企业集团战略与结构的匹配程度就越高。本文的研究结果对我国企业集团未来的发展有重要的借鉴意义。