Strategic Management Policy Commons^™

Sports And Corporate Innovation, Bing Qin

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Driven by the digital economy and intensifying global competition, corporate innovation has become a core driver of sustainable growth. Topmanagement members are key strategic decision-makers, and their individual characteristics critically influence the formulation and implementation of innovation strategies. While existing studies have examined the impact of topmanagement’s cognitive and psychological traits on innovation performance, significant gaps remain in understanding how their routine behavioral preferences—particularly running, a globally prevalent exercise—affect innovation performance through psychological mechanisms. The systematic relationship between running preferences, top management’s psychological traits, and organizational innovation outcomes remains underexplored.

Against this backdrop, the study investigates the mechanismthroughwhich top management’s …

Project Learn Strategic Analysis Project, Isabel Ladaika, Kalpana Ghimire, Noah Johnson, Caleb Keiper

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This honors project involves working in a team to conduct a comprehensive strategic analysis of Project Learn of Summit County. We will evaluate the organization’s external environment (such as industry trends, competition, and community factors) and internal operations (including strengths, weaknesses, resources, and capabilities). Using strategic management frameworks, as a team we will develop actionable recommendations to strengthen the organizations marketing, financial sustainability, and community outreach efforts. Throughout the semester, we will engage directly with the client organization to gather data and insights that inform our analysis. Final deliverables include a formal written strategic analysis paper and a professional presentation …

Corporate Social Responsibility Portfolios In Mncs: Strategic Antecedents And Performance Implications, Mariam Yasmin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this dissertation is to provide theoretical and empirical insights into strategic antecedents and financial performance implications of corporate social responsibility (CSR) portfolios in multinational corporations (MNCs). Specifically, the following research questions are studied: 1. How do the international cultural exploration, exploitation, and ambidexterity of a firm influence its CSR portfolio? (Study 1) 2. Do MNCs earn higher profits if they spread their CSR activities across many sustainable development goals (SDGs), or if they concentrate on them among a few? (Study 2) 3. Does environment, social, & governance (ESG) performance (ESG reputation and ESG controversies) moderate this relationship, …

The Impact Of Executives’ Social Networks And Digital Capabilities On Firm Performance In Dynamic Environments, Lijun Men

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

With the acceleration of digital transformation, improving firm performance in complex and dynamic market environments has become a central challenge for companies. This study examines the effects of executives’ social networks and firms’ digital capabilities on firm performance. Further, it investigates the moderating roles of digital capabilities and environmental dynamism in these relationships. Using panel data for Chinese listed firms from 2005 to 2024, we conduct empirical analyses with fixed-effects models. The results indicate that executives’ political, business, and academic networks all contribute positively to firm performance, underscoring the importance of executives’ social networks in resource acquisition, information flows, and …

Design Thinking For Corporate Social Responsibility Program Proposal Creation, Michelle "Mindy" D. Danovaro

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study used action research to explore how the use of design thinking engaged employees in the creation of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program proposal in a small- to medium-enterprises (SME) in the Sacramento region of California. The purpose of the study was to assess whether employee participation in a design thinking exercise could improve employee perception of engagement, inclusion, and reciprocity during the CSR program proposal creation. The study was grounded in social exchange theory, stakeholder theory, and design thinking methodologies. The iterative research process followed action research cycles (i.e., plan, act, observe, and reflect) integrated with …

When Social Inflation Pushes The "Good Neighbor" Away: How Market Exit Behavior Triggers Brand Betrayal And Trust Erosion, Waros Ngamsiriudom, Mohan Menon, Mitra Devkota

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Social inflation, marked by rising litigation severity, shifting jury attitudes, and expanding third-party litigation funding, has intensified financial pressures on insurers operating in disaster-prone markets. In response, many insurers have withdrawn or restricted coverage, creating a sharp disconnect between long-standing brand promises and current market behaviors. This article examines how these systemic pressures produce “brand betrayal,” a consumer perception arising when insurers’ market exit actions contradict their relational positioning as reliable, community-oriented partners. Drawing on signaling theory, relationship marketing, and institutional perspectives, the article develops a conceptual framework linking social inflation to brand trust erosion through market exit behavior. The …

Filipino Teachers’ Grit And Organizational Resilience During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jyro B. Triviño, Moses G. Manalang

Leadership and Strategy Faculty Publications

This study explores the relationship between employee grit and organizational resilience, focusing on perceptions from Filipino teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing a quantitative survey, data from 108 teaching faculty from a Southern Luzon university were analyzed using Spearman correlation to identify potential associations between these constructs. Findings reveal significant but weak to moderate correlations between dimensions of grit and facets of organizational resilience. Notably, adaptability to situations emerged as the most substantial grit component linked to organizational resilience, indicating its critical role in fostering organizational adaptability and planning strategies during uncertain times. The results suggest that individuals with high …

Trading With The Enemy: A Coopetitive Perspective Of Resource Exchange At Arm’S Length, Zhefei Li, David Gomulya, Heli Wang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Research Summary: Research on inter-firm cooperation often focuses on long-term strategic alliances while overlooking the distinct form of arm's-length resource exchanges. Our study addresses this gap using the National Basketball Association (NBA) data for precise resource exchange measurements. Contrary to strategic alliances, where competitive pressure fosters cooperation, we find that competitive pressure reduces cooperation in arm's-length exchanges. However, relational capital helps to facilitate resource exchanges. We also found that while resource bundling exacerbates the negative effect of competitive pressure, it amplifies the positive effect of relational capital. Interestingly, relational rivalry intensifies the impact of competitive pressure but does not diminish …

Multihoming And Single-Homing Complementors' Responses To Intensified Between-Platform Competition: Evidence From The Youtube–Twitch Rivalry, Niloofar Abolfathi

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Research Summary: This paper examines how heterogeneous YouTube content creators-specifically, single-homing and multihoming channels-respond to a sudden increase in the exposure of the rival platform, Twitch. Contrary to expectations, I find that multihoming channels reduce their content creation efforts and underperform relative to single-homers. To make sense of these surprising results, I develop a formal model that characterizes the strategic behavior of different types of complementors operating across two platforms with varying levels of user exposure. The model offers a plausible explanation for the observed empirical patterns, suggesting that intensified competition between platforms, as a consequence of their changing exposure, …

Algorithm Envelopment In Platform Markets, Liang Chen, Zhou Zhou, Lester Chan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The theory of platform envelopment rests on network effects as the key mechanism for value creation, which nonetheless receives mixed support for its efficacy in determining competitive outcomes. We argue that the value of network effects depends on matching quality, which is a function of platform-specific algorithm technology and market-level data-driven learning. In formalizing these conceptualizations, we analyze a model that demonstrates how an entrant with a superior algorithm technology may outcompete an incumbent possessing a user base advantage, a strategy we call “algorithm envelopment.” By considering specific characteristics of data-driven learning, our analysis leads to propositions regarding the entry …

Board Attributes, Firm Performance, And The Moderating Role Of National Culture: A Meta-Analysis, Matthew Farrell, Chris H. Willis, Nathapon Siangchokyoo, Ryan L. Klinger, Jamil Kreugel, Hami Usta, Timiry R. Tian, Ying Thaviphoke, Samuel Wilson

Management Faculty Publications

Research Question/Issue

The impact of board structures on firm performance remains a contentious governance topic with competing theoretical paradigms and inconclusive empirical support. Scholars propose that national culture could reconcile contradictory evidence; yet, argumentation is fragmented and direct tests are rare. We meta‐analyzed 513 samples across 54 countries to examine relationships between board structures (i.e., board size, board independence, and CEO duality) and firm performance. We model national culture, using Hofstede's six cultural dimensions, as moderators to test whether these relationships align with agency or stewardship theory across different cultural settings.

Research findings/insights

Findings indicate a substantial moderating role of …

The Fox Versus The Hedgehog: Firm Survival During Unprecedented Crises, Sheng Fang, Shaomin Li, Liu Wang

Management Faculty Publications

This paper examines how sales channel diversification influences firm resilience during the COVID crisis. Drawing on a series of logit regressions analyzing 11,662 firms across 31 developing countries, we find that firms embodying an open mind-set and a diverse array of sales channels, akin to foxes, are more likely to survive, as compared to their hedgehog counterparts, which focus on one particular task. Our mediation analysis suggests that this is mainly due to their faster growth in sales and exports. Moreover, we find that the impact of fox-like traits on firm survival is moderated by female leadership and corporate innovation.

90-Day Consulting Engagement Grounded In Authentic And Servant Leadership Approaches–Building Capacity For Small Business, Michon Hicks

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

This doctoral capstone project examined a 90-day consulting engagement designed to strengthen organizational capacity in a small, M/WBE-certified professional services firm operating in a government contracting environment. Grounded in authentic and servant leadership frameworks, the engagement used a structured 30-60-90-day intervention model to assess leadership alignment, administrative infrastructure, human resources capacity, data management practices, and marketing readiness. The project employed an organizational health check-up approach to diagnose systemic gaps, co-create solutions with organizational leadership, and implement practical tools to improve operational consistency, compliance readiness, and leadership effectiveness. Outcomes of the engagement included improved leadership alignment, standardized administrative and operational workflows, …

Case Study: The Economic And Legal Challenges Moving From A Township To A City, George F. Dierberger Dr., Ibrahim Keita Dr., Cory Erickson

Journal of the North American Management Society

The paper examines the economic and legal challenges moving from a township to a municipality in the state of Minnesota. One of the authors was a member of the township board as they went through the process of educating the citizens on the risks and rewards of changing from a township to a municipality.

Maximizing Online Intersession Enrollment Through Targeted Course Offerings, Heather S. Mcmillan, Charles D. Mcallister

Journal of the North American Management Society

Abstract

Online winter intersession courses have become an increasingly important strategy for universities seeking to support accelerated student progression while generating incremental tuition revenue. This study examines ten years of winter intersession enrollment data from a public, master’s-level comprehensive university in the Midwestern United States to identify course characteristics associated with higher student enrollment. Using 12,520 individual enrollment records, the analysis focuses on course type (general education versus major requirement), course classification (lower level, upper level, blended undergraduate/graduate, and graduate), and course discipline. A series of ANOVAs and Bonferroni post-hoc tests reveal significant differences in enrollment across these dimensions, with …

Organizational Pitfalls Of The Dual-Identity Leader, Yvonne Randolph, Asa Wilson

Journal of the North American Management Society

The dual-identity leader (D-IL) is an individual assigned to one job description yet is, in practice, fulfilling an additional position’s role. This secondary role is self-determined; has not been assigned yet is being allowed by those with governance and/or executive authority. Three case examples of the D-IL are presented and discussed as a problematic leadership configuration for an organization. The personal characteristics driving this approach are identified as a foundation for clarifying the organizational consequences of such an executive leader. Preventative and corrective tactics are discussed that eliminate or minimize the adverse impact of the D-IL’s organizational behavior.

Reflections At The Close Of My Freshman Year As Editor, Heather S. Mcmillan

Journal of the North American Management Society

No abstract provided.

Kegagalan Kepastian: Membingkai Ulang Manajemen Strategis Melalui Kompleksitas, Brian Hoffni

Jurnal Manajemen dan Usahawan Indonesia

This paper explores the integration of complexity theory into the field of strategic management, arguing that traditional, positivist-based models—such as the planning school, positioning school, and resource-based view—are increasingly inadequate for addressing the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) of contemporary business environments. While classical theories emphasize linearity, stability, and top-down control, complexity theory reconceptualizes organizations as complex adaptive systems (CAS) characterized by emergence, nonlinearity, and continuous learning. Drawing on insights from both historical and contemporary strategic paradigms, this study proposes that complexity theory does not replace but rather extends classical frameworks by enabling more adaptive, iterative, and resilient approaches …

Data Storytelling For Reputation Management: A Multiple Case Study Of Formula 1, Patagonia & Spotify, Michael O. P. Lowsley-Williams

Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates data storytelling as a reputation management strategy by examining how organizations leverage data narratives to enhance brand identity, build stakeholder trust, and reshape public perception. Through analysis and comparison of three qualitative case studies of Patagonia, Formula 1, and Spotify, this research explores how these companies construct and utilize data-driven narratives to address reputational challenges across distinct industry contexts. Drawing on elements of framing, situational crisis and stakeholder theories as well as the concepts of encoding and decoding, this study analyzes narrative structures, framing devices, and audience engagement tactics within reports, campaigns, and multimedia content from 2015-2025. …

The Impact Of Market And Nonmarket Strategies On Firm Performance In Lithuania, John A. Parnell, Michael W. Davidson

Economic and Business Review

This study examines the impact of market strategies (global growth, differentiation, and cost leadership) and nonmarket strategies (political engagement and social responsibility) on firm performance in Lithuania. Based on survey data from 114 managers analyzed using partial least squares structural equation (PLS-SEM) modeling, a global growth/differentiation strategy has a positive impact on performance, whereas cost leadership does not. Nonmarket strategies positively influence firm performance, with larger firms benefiting more, ostensibly due to greater resource availability and institutional influence. Firm size moderates the relationship between nonmarket strategies and performance, highlighting the importance of tailoring strategies to an organization's specific characteristics. By …