Strategic Management Policy Commons^™

Client Strategies In Vendor Transition: A Threat Balancing Perspective, Cecil Eng Huang Chua, Wee-Kiat Lim, Christina Soh, Siew Kien Sia

CCX Research

Many outsourcing contracts are expiring, and vendor transition is an increasing concern. This paper attempts to develop guidelines for vendor transition by applying balance of threat theory, which suggests a client organization should pursue either a “soft” or “hard” balancing strategy, depending on the outgoing vendor’s capability and aggressive intent to disrupt client operations. Balance of threat theory is explored across two contrasting case sites. In addition to demonstrating the relevance of balance of threat theory, the cases identify specific tactics associated with hard and soft balancing, as well as key areas of conflict in vendor transition.

The Effects Of Culture And Structure On Strategic Flexibility During Business Model Innovation, Adam J. Bock, Tore Opsahl, Gerard George, David M. Gann

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study uses responses from 107 multinational firms to reveal CEO perceptions of the drivers of strategic flexibility during business model innovation. While the positive effect of creative culture is confirmed, partner reliance reduces strategic flexibility during business model innovation. Further, structural change is disaggregated into efforts that either focus managerial attention on core activities or reconfigure existing activities. CEOs perceive that structural flexibility requires structural simplification while retaining control of non-core functions. We find that the relative magnitude of business model innovation effort moderates the effect of reconfiguration on strategic flexibility. The implications for theories of organizational design and …

Is Specialization Desirable In Committee Decision Making?, Ruth Ben-Yashar, Winston T. H. Koh, Shmuel Nitzan

Research Collection School Of Economics

Committee decision making is examined in this study focusing on the role assigned to the committee members. In particular, we are concerned about the comparison between committee performance under specialization and non-specialization of the decision makers. Specialization (in the context of project or public policy selection) means that the decision of each committee member is based on a narrow area, which typically results in the acquirement and use of relatively high expertise in that area. When the committee members’ expertise is already determined, specialization only means that the decision of each committee member is based solely on his/her relatively high …

Analysis Of The Real Estate Investment Trust (Reit) Industry, Frederic Juillet

MBA Student Scholarship

In 2009, most REITs opted for the recapitalization of their balance sheets in order to respond to the recent global credit crisis, thus reducing their leverage and strengthening their financial statements (REIT, 2011b). In 2011, the REIT industry represented $54.3 billion in revenue and a profit of $7.8 billion. The industry annual growth expectation for the next 5 years (from 2011 to 2016) is 5.1% or $69.7 billion (IBISWorld, 2011b). The Hotel & Motel industry counted 14 REITs in the lodging/resort sector in the U.S. (REIT, 2011c) and represented 10.5% of the equity REIT Industry (IBISWorld, 2011b). The REIT structure …

Enhancing Internal Communications: How Microsoft Cuts Through The Clutter, Knowledge@Smu

Knowledge@SMU

The thought of having to rally thousands of employees, scattered across a diverse continent, behind a set of corporate goals may seem daunting. Not for Jovina Ang, an adjunct faculty of corporate communication at SMU and marketing communications director at Microsoft Services Asia. With a little out-of-the-box thinking and some coordination, Ang pulled together a series of weekly videos to achieve this objective and more. Best of all, the idea has proved itself to be low in costs but high in returns.

Organization Design For Foreign Subsidiaries Of Multinational Enterprises: A Contingency Perspective, William Q. Judge, Shaomin Li

Management Faculty Publications

There has been considerable research suggesting ways to design foreign subsidiaries for multinational enterprises. Unfortunately, much of this research is fragmented and some is even contradictory. This study seeks to comprehensively integrate this research stream by distilling the extant literature around two key contingency factors: (1) governance environment of the host country, and (2) the strategic role of the foreign subsidiary. Specifically, we distilled the multi-national organizational design literature using the institutional economics logic coupled with Galbraith’s classic organizational design framework. This approach yielded twelve new theoretical propositions that better integrates previous theory and research around the four dimensions of …

Broadening Boards: How Directorships Should Adapt For Challenging Times, Knowledge@Smu

Knowledge@SMU

Not only do Boards have a hand in the long term success of organisations, they are often expected to be the guardians of management – providing guidance and strategic inputs. Yet, names like Olympus, Enron, MF Global, News Corp and Hewlett Packard have turned the value of directorships on its head. To what extent should stakeholders trust Boards to look out for their interests, and is can diversity at the top really guard against the dangers of group-think? These questions were discussed at a panel discussion organised by SMU’s Office of Executive Education.

Signaling, Resource-Based Power, And Pre-Ipo Organizational Change, John S. Pearlstein, Robert D. Hamilton

New England Journal of Entrepreneurship

The theory presented suggests that underwriters are both advisors and independent agents in the issuer’s attempt to send “signals” of quality to investors by making pre-IPO organizational changes. These pre-IPO gambits are intended to increase IPO proceeds, and preemptively address potential investor concerns that would deter them from subscribing. These organizational changes initially can financially benefit founders, early investors and underwriters. But they can also have a longterm impact that some issuers, especially founders, would prefer to avoid. Utilizing signaling and resource-based power, we find that underwriter power is significantly associated with making pre-IPO gambits and lower levels of underpricing.

2012 Supplement Vol. 1, American Dental Association

ADA Transactions

This item is part of the Supplements subtitle of The ADA Transactions, a serial publication of the annual activities of the ADA House of Delegates (HOD)/Board of Trustees (BOT) made up of three separate subtitles: Annual Reports and Resolutions, Supplements, and the Transactions. Generally, The ADA Transactions are published in multiple volumes throughout the year. The Supplements function like an appendix and are, in more recent editions, numbered separately with page numbers determined by HOD reference committee assignation. Items are described variously as "Supplement #", "Volume #", etc. throughout the series but have been labeled here as Vol. # for …

Cultural Context And Its Affect On Management Practices In Organizations - A Special Focus Of Compensation Practices, Shandana Shuaib

Business Review

Management practices are carried out in organizations which operate in some sort of environment. The environment is basically divided into two types: internal environment and external environment. In both these environments culture constitutes the main part. Thus, in order to fully comprehend the management practices in organizations it is utmost necessary to understand the cultural context of that society in which it operates. Many management practices if enforced without taking into consideration its cultural context may not yield the expected results. Similarly a management practice which might be very effective in one culture may not be so in another cultural …

Building A Systems View Of Strategic Discourse Across Organizational Meetings, Brendan O'Rourke, Martin Duffy

Books/Book Chapters

The purpose of this paper is to explore and expand the theoretical resources available to conceptualise organisational strategy meetings as a ‘system’, rather than as singular strategic events or episodes.

The paper begins by reviewing the Meetings literature to explore the existing theoretical guidance on conceptualising meetings as a collective and integrated set of activities, rather than as singular events in isolation of each other. The Systems literature is reviewed to identify concepts which may be adopted to enable a systematised view of meetings. The central focus of the paper is to explore the theoretical ways through which organisations’ meetings …

Satisfaction With Airline Service Quality: Familiarity Breeds Contempt, Tamilla Curtis, Dawna L. Rhoades, Blaise P. Waguespack Jr.

Management, Marketing and Operations - Daytona Beach

The objective of this study is to investigate frequency-of-flight issues and the differences between frequent and non-frequent flyers’ levels of satisfaction and the importance attributed to overall airline service quality and select attributes. The results indicate that the level of satisfaction with overall airline quality and select attributes decrease the more passengers fly. Conversely, the level of importance attributed to airline amenities increased with flight frequency. Perceptions of airline quality may vary between different nationalities and different socioeconomic groups. Differences between the short- and long-haul flights, as well as domestic and international services could also exist. Airline managers need to …

Creating A State-Wide Transfer Program For Engineering Technology And Technology Management Studies, Gregory Arbuckle, Mark Doggett

SEAS Faculty Publications

The primary purpose of the Western Kentucky Pipeline for 2+2+2 Engineering Technology and Technology Management (ET/TM) students program is to significantly increase degree production and workforce preparation in central and western Kentucky through the construction of a long-term sustainable, reproducible model bridging program of cooperation between Western Kentucky University (WKU), Murray State University (MSU) and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). The program will significantly increase industrial and technology education opportunities, technology enrollment and two and four-year degree completion. Additionally, this project supports the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education’s (CPE) goal to double the overall number of undergraduate …

Facet Personality And Surface-Level Diversity As Team Mental Modelantecedents: Implications For Implicit Coordination, David Fisher, Suzanne Bell, James Belohlav, Erich Dierdorff,

College of Business Faculty and Staff Works

No abstract provided.

A Rasch Model Analysis Of Technology Usage In Minnesota Hospitals, John Olson, James Belohlav, Lori Cook

College of Business Faculty and Staff Works

No abstract provided.

The Emergence Of A Standards Market: Multiplicity Of Sustainability Standards In The Global Coffee Industry, Juliane Reinecke, Stephan Manning, Oliver Von Hagen

Management and Marketing Faculty Publication Series

The growing number of voluntary standards for governing transnational arenas is presenting standards organizations with a problem. While claiming that they are pursuing shared, overarching objectives, at the same time, they are promoting their own respective standards that are increasingly similar. By developing the notion of ‘standards markets,’ this paper examines this tension and studies how different social movement and industry-driven standards organizations compete as well as collaborate over governance in transnational arenas. Based on an in-depth case study of sustainability standards in the global coffee industry, we find that the ongoing co-existence of multiple standards is being promoted by …

2012 Transactions, American Dental Association

ADA Transactions

This item is part of the Transactions of the ADA, a serial publication of the annual activities of the ADA House of Delegates (HOD)/Board of Trustees (BOT). It is from the Transactions section, one of three subtitles that make up the full publication. Generally, the ADA Transactions are published in multiple volumes throughout the year. Pages from the Annual Reports and the Transactions are numbered consecutively (e.g. Annual Reports volume ends pg. 500 and Transactions volume starts at pg. 501). NOTE: All three subtitles are collectively known as the Transactions of the ADA or, alternatively, the ADA Transactions. Transactions refers …

2012 Annual Reports And Resolutions, American Dental Association

ADA Transactions

This item is part of the Annual Reports and Resolutions subtitle of the ADA Transactions, a serial publication of the annual activities of the ADA House of Delegates (HOD)/Board of Trustees (BOT) made up of three separate subtitles: Annual Reports and Resolutions, Supplements, and Transactions. Generally, the ADA Transactions are published in multiple volumes throughout the year. Older versions include reports from all departments as subsections, while more recent versions include only those of councils, commissions, and committees.

2012 Supplement Vol. 3, American Dental Association

ADA Transactions

This item is part of the Supplements subtitle of The ADA Transactions, a serial publication of the annual activities of the ADA House of Delegates (HOD)/Board of Trustees (BOT) made up of three separate subtitles: Annual Reports and Resolutions, Supplements, and the Transactions. Generally, The ADA Transactions are published in multiple volumes throughout the year. The Supplements function like an appendix and are, in more recent editions, numbered separately with page numbers determined by HOD reference committee assignation. Items are described variously as "Supplement #", "Volume #", etc. throughout the series but have been labeled here as Vol. # for …

2012 Supplement Vol. 2, American Dental Association

ADA Transactions

This item is part of the Supplements subtitle of The ADA Transactions, a serial publication of the annual activities of the ADA House of Delegates (HOD)/Board of Trustees (BOT) made up of three separate subtitles: Annual Reports and Resolutions, Supplements, and the Transactions. Generally, The ADA Transactions are published in multiple volumes throughout the year. The Supplements function like an appendix and are, in more recent editions, numbered separately with page numbers determined by HOD reference committee assignation. Items are described variously as "Supplement #", "Volume #", etc. throughout the series but have been labeled here as Vol. # for …

Strategic Management And Job Satisfaction: Agency-Level Effects In The Federal Government, Tara Bopp

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

As strategic planning and human capital strategies become more regulated in the United States government, a decision must be made by federal agency heads. Will agencies fully participate and buy into the process of participative strategic planning and management or will they comply with regulations and reforms merely for the sake of compliance with little further effort? The intent of this study is to show that agencies that choose to do more than simply comply with GPRA and implement strategic planning and management can benefit from their increased effort in by increasing job satisfaction in their workforce.

The Government Performance …

Worthy Work And Bowie's Kantian Theory Of Meaningful Work, Joanne B. Ciulla

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

Over the years, Norman E. Bowie has applied Kant’s ethics to several aspects of business ethics, but the one that I find the most compelling is his Kantian theory of meaningful work. He writes about it in his book Business Ethics: A Kantian Perspective (1999) and in an article ‘A Kantian theory of meaningful work’ (1998a). Bowie’s writing in this area demonstrates how Kant, perhaps more than any other philosopher, offers the most stringent and lucid account of what a moral employer/employee relationship should look like. Kantian ethics also provide Bowie with a foundation for explaining his idea of meaningful …

Managing For Stakeholders, Stakeholder Utility Functions, And Competitive Advantage, Jeffrey S. Harrison, Douglas A. Bosse, Robert A. Phillips

Management Faculty Publications

This paper integrates some of the central concepts of stakeholder theory with the literatures on organizational justice and trust to explain firm competitiveness. It provides a detailed explanation of factors that facilitate acquisition of knowledge about stakeholder utility functions. In addition, it offers a knowledge-based analysis of how firms that manage for stakeholders can enjoy sustainable competitive benefits. These explanations provide a strong rationale for including stakeholder theory in the discussion of firm competitiveness and performance.

Securing Access To Lower-Cost Talent Globally: The Dynamics Of Active Embedding And Field Structuration, Stephan Manning, Joerg Sydow, Arnold Windeler

Management and Marketing Faculty Publication Series

This article examines how multinational corporations (MNCs) shape institutional conditions in emerging economies to secure access to high-skilled, yet lower-cost science and engineering talent. Based on two in-depth case studies of engineering offshoring projects of German automotive suppliers in Romania and China we analyze how MNCs engage in ‘active embedding’ by aligning local institutional conditions with global offshoring strategies and operational needs. MNCs thereby contribute to the structuration of field relations and practices of sourcing knowledge-intensive work from globally dispersed locations.Our findings stress the importance of institutional processes across geographic boundaries that regulate and get shaped by MNC activities.

National Contexts Matter: The Co-Evolution Of Sustainability Standards In Global Value Chains, Stephan Manning, Frank Boons, Oliver Von Hagen, Juliane Reinecke

Management and Marketing Faculty Publication Series

In this paper, we investigate the role of key industry and other stakeholders and their embeddedness in particular national contexts in driving the proliferation and co-evolution of sustainability standards, based on the case of the global coffee industry. We find that institutional conditions and market opportunity structures in consuming countries have been important sources of standards variation, for example in the cases of Fairtrade, UTZ Certified and the Common Code for the Coffee Community (4C). In turn, supplier structures in producing countries as well as their linkages with traders and buyers targeting particular consuming countries have been key mechanisms of …

Emergent Organizational Capacity For Compassion, Laura T. Madden, Dennis Duchon, Timothy M. Madden, Donde Ashmos Plowman

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

Our model of emergent organizational capacity for compassion proposes that organizations can develop the capacity for compassion without formal direction. Relying on a framework from complexity science, we describe how the system conditions of agent diversity, interdependent roles, and social interactions enhance the likelihood of self-organizing around an individual response to a pain trigger. When agents then modify their roles to incorporate compassionate responding, their interactions amplify responses, changing the system, and a new order emerges: organizational capacity for compassion. In this new order the organization's structure, culture, routines, and scanning mechanisms incorporate compassionate responding and can influence future responses …

Go Niche Or Go Home: Influence Maximization In The Presence Of Strong Opponent, Long Foong Liow

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In hotly contested product categories dominated by a few powerful firms, it is quite common for weaker or late entrants to focus only on particular segments of the whole market. The rationale for such strategy is intuitive: to avoid direct confrontation with heavy-weight firms, and to concentrate in segments where these weaker firms have comparative advantages. In marketing, this is what people called “go niche or go home”. The niche-building strategy may rely on “homophily”, which implies that consumers in a particular market segment might possess certain set of attributes that cause them to appreciate certain products better (in other …

Will It Be A Tough Year?, Daniel D. Selby, W. Darrell Walden

Accounting Faculty Publications

While there may be some glimmers of hope about a turnaround to the U.S. economy, such as decreasing unemployment, Virginia CPAs aren't betting on a huge recovery in the next year.

The second annual VSCPA Economic Outlook Survey reveals Virginia CPAs are more pessimistic about the United States and Virginia economies than they were last year, but they are actually more optimistic about Virginia's economy compared to the United States as a whole. Likewise, VSCPA members continue to feel good about the economic outlook in Virginia relative to neighboring states.

Discerning The Effects Of Timing Of Different Alliances: Similarities And Differences On New-Venture Survival, David Gomulya

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

New-venture survival has greatly interested many scholars. While different alliances have beenshown to increase survival, the literature remains virtually silent regarding the effect of timing ofdifferent alliances. Yet, such timing can significantly affect survival. Should a new venture formtechnology alliances, or marketing and distribution alliances, earlier and reap any potential benefitsearlier, or should they form them later? How would similarities and differences between differentalliances influence the effect of their timings? In this study, I examine these questions.

Harnessing Social Capital : An Exploratory Investigation Of Stakeholder Disposition In Boundary Spanning Networks, Brett Martin-Smith

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis confronts existing bilateral models of stakeholder management. It is based upon the premise that existing models place insufficient value upon the mediating power of individuals and small groups imbued with social capital within an organisational stakeholder environment. Initially, this study explores and maps the complex theoretical relations between organisations, stakeholders and social capital to construct an argument for addressing stakeholder management from a more plural and holistic perspective. The thesis suggests that rapid advances in social media and social interconnection now enables the sentiment of individual stakeholders to aggregate and rapidly form issue-specific interest groups that harness social …