A Reexamination of ‘Measuring the Congruence Between Market Requirements and Manufacturing: A Methodology and Illustration'*

This paper reexamines the idea of developing an index of manufacturing fit with market requirements. Bozarth and Berry's (1997) recent work provides a starting point. Several conceptual and methodological issues relating to the Bozarth and Berry approach are raised. It is argued that the indifference profile concept suggested by the authors bears reexamination.     

Strategy implementation: A review and an introductory framework

Effective strategy implementation is a critical component of organizational success and a potential source of competitive advantage. However, despite many calls for increased attention, research on the subject remains a disparate constellation of recommendations, case studies, and empirical work that provides insight but lacks a cohesive framework. As a result, strategy research most often treats implementation as a black box and overlooks sources of performance heterogeneity derived from differences in strategy implementation effectiveness. To improve our understanding of the strategy implementation process, and to promote its inclusion in strategy research, the authors systematically review and synthesize findings in the extant strategy implementation literature to abductively derive an integrative framework comprised of three components: (1) actions through which managers influence the implementation process, (2) conditions necessary for strategy implementation effectiveness, and (3) the underlying dynamic managerial capabilities to create the best possible combination of conditions by enacting the most appropriate managerial actions. By explaining the relationships among these three components, we provide an introductory foundational framework on which to build future knowledge about this important field of inquiry.     

公司战略定位与竞争环境适应性实证分析

WTO环境下,中国企业将与世界一流企业直接交锋。面对激烈的竞争环境,公司如何根据自身的特点,采取相应的竞争战略确定自己的战略性市场定位是急需解决的问题。论文利用我国企业调研的实际数据,对竞争战略定位与市场竞争环境的关系进行了实证分析。研究揭示公司战略的选择受竞争对手、消费者需求等市场环境因素影响;并且,战略类型的积极与否与行业市场环境的复杂性、资源的稀缺性等存在一定的相关性。     

Risk Matrix Integrating Risk Attitudes Based on Utility Theory

Recent studies indicate that absence of the consideration of risk attitudes of decisionmakers in the risk matrix establishment process has become a major limitation. In order to evaluate risk in a more comprehensive manner, an approach to establish risk matrices that integrates risk attitudes based on utility theory is proposed. There are three main steps within this approach: (1) describing risk attitudes of decisionmakers by utility functions, (2) bridging the gap between utility functions and the risk matrix by utility indifference curves, and (3) discretizing utility indifference curves. A complete risk matrix establishment process based on practical investigations is introduced. This process utilizes decisionmakers’ answers to questionnaires to formulate required boundary values for risk matrix establishment and utility functions that effectively quantify their respective risk attitudes.     

Strategy implementation: Taking stock and moving forward

Strategy implementation (SI) is a significant managerial, and organizational challenge as many practitioners struggle to make strategies actionable and to achieve intended results. Moreover, there is no unified body of research on SI. This is problematic for academics aiming to contribute to a research-based body of knowledge on implementation. To remedy this problem, we draw on the strategy-as-practice perspective and conceptualize SI as a particular type of ‘strategy work’, manifest in the activities, actors, and tools through which strategy is executed. This conceptual framework allows us to synthesize the fragmented literature into five implementation practices: structure and process matching, resource matching, monitoring, framing, and negotiating. We show how these implementation activities operate at different levels and involve different actors and tools. With its emphasis on what managers (and other people) do within specific structural, temporal, and material arrangements, the strategy-as-practice perspective offers exciting opportunities for future implementation research.     

Strategy as engagement: What organization strategy can learn from military strategy

Strategy process and practice research has illuminated the internal dynamics of strategy work – at the cost of backgrounding processes and practices that relate to engagement with external actors. In this conceptual paper, we argue for an extension of this body of work by shifting the focus of research from internal practices and processes towards externally oriented practices of engagement. We do so by critically building on the military strategy literature and develop the concept of strategy as engagement. This concept suggests understanding the role of strategy as bridge between policy and tactics; the importance of grand strategy as the making of policy; and the need to focus attention on tactics as distributed collective action. Thus, we contribute to strategy process and practice research through 1) extending its repertoire to practices of engagement and 2) broadening its epistemic foundation through a critical reading of military strategy.     

The performativity of strategy: Taking stock and moving ahead

This special issue groups a set of contributions that together question and extend the boundaries of strategy research by examining strategy work as a performative pursuit. In this introduction, we position the special issue papers within the broader context of performativity studies in organization and management theory. To do so, we ground the analysis of the performativity of strategy in the recent developments of strategy-as-practice research, clarify the ambitions of a performative turn in the study of strategy, introduce the plurality of performativity meanings and uses in prior research and specify the conceptualizations of performativity mobilized in the seven contributions that form this special issue. Taking stock of their rich insights, and reflecting on our editing of this special issue, we then identify key challenges underlying the constitution of the body of studies on the performativity of strategy, and propose three avenues of research that together sketch a research agenda for advancing the study of strategy as a performative endeavour.     

均值-方差模型具有一般不确定性下的最优资产组合选择

引入以记忆系数和无差异系数表征的随机变量测度均值-方差模型的一般不确定性特征,反映投资者的模型信任程度,研究均值-方差模型具有一般不确定性下的最优资产组合选择问题。基于资本市场线理论,构建最优资产组合选择是模型信任程度和基于均值-方差模型的传统资产组合选择的线性函数;基于记忆系数和无差异系数的不同组合,运用基于事例推理的方法求解二次效用投资者的最优模型信任程度,获得均值-方差模型具有一般不确定性下的最优资产组合,并以上证综指1997年1月-2014年8月的月度收益数据形成两个研究样本予以实证比较研究。结果表明,较大风险规避投资者,在较大记忆系数和较小无差异系数下,其模型信任程度调整较快、资产组合调整幅度大,表现出可获得性和代表性行为偏差,通常采取积极资产组合策略;反之,其模型信任程度调整渐进、资产组合调整幅度小,表现出锚定性和保守性行为偏差,通常采取消极资产组合策略;模型一般不确定性对最优资产组合选择的影响强于股票市场记忆性的影响。研究体现了投资者的有限理性,将传统的资产组合选择问题延伸至行为金融学领域。     

Temporal Resolution of Uncertainty and Recursive Models of Ambiguity Aversion

Dynamic models of ambiguity aversion are increasingly popular in applied work. This paper shows that there is a strong interdependence in such models between the ambiguity attitude and the preference for the timing of the resolution of uncertainty, as defined by the classic work of Kreps and Porteus (1978). The modeling choices made in the domain of ambiguity aversion influence the set of modeling choices available in the domain of timing attitudes. The main result is that the only model of ambiguity aversion that exhibits indifference to timing is the maxmin expected utility of Gilboa and Schmeidler (1989). This paper examines the structure of the timing nonindifference implied by the other commonly used models of ambiguity aversion. This paper also characterizes the indifference to long‐run risk, a notion introduced by Duffie and Epstein (1992). The interdependence of ambiguity and timing that this paper identifies is of interest both conceptually and practically—especially for economists using these models in applications.     

Analyzing the Value of Service Quality Management: Gaining Competitive Advantages

Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1990) demonstrate Service Qualitymeasurements that incorporate customer expectations provide richer informationthan those that focus on perceptions only. Also, executives in companies thathave switched to a disconfirmation-based measurement approach have greaterdiagnostic value.The research method design includes two alternative questionnaire formats:expectations and perceived levels of service quality. PZB (1994) theorizedthat the three-column format generates separate ratings of desired, adequate,and perceived service with three identical, side-by-side scales. It requirescomputing the perceived – desired and the perceived-adequate differencesto quantify measures of service superiority (MSS) and measures of serviceadequacy (MSA).Rust Zahorik and Keiningham (1993), Devin and Dong (1994) emphasized thereturn on service quality, as an investment is required to remain competitivein a global market. This research will give the university's administrators,as well as all corporate leaders the opportunity to implement `servicequality' improvement strategies in areas of weakness.     

Manufacturing Practices and Strategy Integration: Effects on Cost Efficiency,Flexibility, and Market‐Based Performance

Manufacturing plant managers have sought performance improvements through implementing best practices discussed in World Class Manufacturing literature. However, our collective understanding of linkages between practices and performance remains incomplete. This study seeks a more complete theory, advancing the idea that strategy integration and enhanced manufacturing capabilities such as cost efficiency and flexibility serve as intermediaries by which practices affect performance. Hypotheses related to this thesis are tested using data from 57 North American manufacturing plants that are past winners and finalists in Industry Week's“America's Best” competition ( Drickhamer, 2001 ). The results suggest that strategy integration plays a strong, central role in the creation of manufacturing cost efficiency and new product flexibility capabilities. Furthermore, strategy integration moderates the influences of product‐process development, supplier relationship management, workforce development, just‐in‐time flow, and process quality management practices on certain manufacturing capabilities. In turn, manufacturing cost efficiency and new product flexibility capabilities mediate the influence of strategy integration on market‐based performance. These findings have implications for practice and for future research.     

Manufacturing Proactiveness and Performance*

Since Skinner's [40] landmark article depicting the manufacturing function as the “missing link” in corporate strategic processes, a portion of the blame for inferior performance in many firms has been attributed to the subordinate strategic position of manufacturing. It has been argued that part of the solution to misalignments between the capabilities possessed by manufacturing and the requirements dictated by customers is for manufacturing to take a more proactive stance. However, little research has been reported which examines manufacturing proactiveness empirically. In this paper, we address this gap by developing an operational definition of manufacturing proactiveness and testing empirically whether a link exists between proactiveness and performance based on data collected from a sample of manufacturers. Based on the manufacturing strategy literature, we identify two major dimensions of manufacturing proactiveness: (1) the degree of manufacturing's involvement in the strategic processes of the business unit; and (2) the degree of commitment to a long-term program of investments in manufacturing structure and infrastructure aimed at building capabilities in anticipation of their need. We develop reliable scales for measuring each of the dimensions of proactiveness and use the data to provide evidence of a clear link between manufacturing proactiveness and business performance. We show that investments in structural programs coupled with either high levels of manufacturing involvement in strategic processes or planned investments in infrastructural programs correlate with higher than average performance.     

建立与企业战略相适应的IT战略的路径和方法研究——对UPS和FedEx的战略匹配案例研究

IT技术的广泛应用引起了众多行业戏剧性的变化,企业管理人员越来越发现IT已成为组织的一个战略性要素,如何建立与企业战略相适应的IT战略也成为实业界和学术界讨论的热点问题。本文结合Henderson与Venkatraman提出的战略匹配模型,通过研究UPS与FedEx公司在不同竞争阶段应用相应的IT战略来支持竞争的整个发展过程,指出了UPS和FedEx在不同的环境下运用不同的战略匹配模型来选择与企业战略相匹配的IT战略的途径,从而提出了在不同的竞争环境下,根据企业关注的焦点不同,选择不同的IT战略与企业战略相适应的方法,这一方法将有助于指导企业管理人员制定与企业战略相匹配的IT战略。     

Establishing best practice university research funding strategies using mixed-mode modelling

This paper develops a model representing the university research funding problem under a performance based research funding (PBRF) scheme during the ‘lead-up period’ using a mixed-mode modelling approach (involving soft and hard models) and suggests a solution heuristic. The resultant model facilitates the development of ‘best practice’ strategies to assist in raising the level of research quality and participation, thus placing the university (or academic unit) in the best possible position for facing the final hurdle, the formal research assessment process. This assessment process constitutes the ‘positioning problem’, for which models already exist to assist individual universities to adopt the most favourable strategy. However, the ultimate position of the university depends on the results from the lead-up period. The suggested model facilitates ‘research enhancement’ strategy formulation, evaluation and revision and actively involves the researchers themselves. Benchmarking, an Expert Panel (operating on panel consensus) and subjective strategy impact evaluation are the key tools used. The suggested methodology relies on the knowledge, wisdom and experience of the researchers themselves and will hopefully facilitate the achievement of an academic unit's research goals over the lead-up period preparing them for the ‘positioning problem’. The paper also offers some suggestions as to how to establish and obtain maximum usefulness from the expert panel. Lastly, the suggested solution to the suggested model is user friendly, requiring no more than the use of a spreadsheet.     

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.     

Business Ethics through Meditation: The Ethical ‘I,’ the Ethical ‘You,’ the Ethical ‘We’⋆

Environmentalists have been criticizing the ethics of business people concerning the natural environment. Citing Thomas Berry as an example, this paper attempts to bring his three abstract values (presence, subjectivity, and communion) closer to the understanding of the average business person through meditation. The introduction describes business ethics in terms of relationships to the individual, or the ethical ‘I’ to the natural environment, or the ethical ‘You’ and to interpersonal relationships, or the ethical ‘We.’ Meditation is also defined, according to Webster's Third New International Dictionary (1986), as a meditative experience together with a period of reflection and small-group discussion. More specifically, meditation takes on three forms. Part one describes nondiscursive meditation in the context of what Berry means by presence. The problem addressed here is how to meet and cultivate the ethical ‘I.’ Part two will deal with semidiscursive meditation in the context of what Berry means by subjectivity, or the ethical ‘I’ in relation to the earth. The earth then becomes the ethical ‘You.’ Part three will deal with Berry's definition of communion, or the ethical ‘We.’ The practice of discursive meditation gradually leads to what Thomas Berry calls a renewed ‘visionary experience.’ The article concludes with a redefinition of business ethics in terms of our relationships to ourselves, as human persons, to the earth as our living environment, and to each other as members of the human community. The redefinition of our relationships through meditation is ‘visionary,’ or a new ‘paradigm,’ that, hopefully, will lead to the renewed ethical practice that other environmentalists are also advocating, for example, Arnold Berleant. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

效用函数意义下投资组合有效选择问题的研究

我们知道,每个投资者在进行投资过程中,都有自己对收益与风险的偏好程度,即投资活动要遵循一个关于收益与风险的效用函数。按照古典经济学的分析,这个效用函数称为无差异曲线 (IDC),它是用均值 -方差来表现风险 -回报率相互替换的大小和形式的。每个投资者都拥有一条无差异曲线来表示他对于预期回报率和标准差的偏好。那么投资者如何确定他的一条无差异曲线,使他的最佳资产组合位于这条无差异曲线上 ?本文运用自己独创的一种几何方法解决了这个难题。本文首先把Markowitz模型的有效前沿用投资组合的权重向量表示出来,然后将无差异曲线也用抽资组合的权重向量表示出来,再由资产组合的有效选择原则就求出这个无差异曲线了。     

战略本质与企业战略内在层次结构

本文在回顾企业战略概念与内容的相关研究基础上,给出了企业经营管理及其它各领域战略的共同本质。由此并结合以往对企业战略内容及其结构的不同研究,试图探讨企业战略分层次的内在结构,以此加深对战略分析、战略生成等企业战略管理过程的认识。     

Linking Product Planning and Process Design Decisions

Manufacturing strategy reflects the goals of the business strategy and directs the manufacturing function in achieving them. In this study, we focus on two decision areas with crucial implications for manufacturing strategy: product planning and process design. Using mathematical programming models as a research tool, we test several conjectures in the manufacturing strategy literature regarding linkages between the two decisions. Our results show that a close integration between these decisions helps control the product offerings, stabilize process requirements, improve process technology choices, and increase net cash flows over time. Using the concept of environmental clusters, we found that a close linkage is more critical when the environment is more complex, less uncertain, and tighter. Based on these findings, we present some managerial implications and suggestions for future research.