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Fostering strategic awareness at an organization's boundary

Peter S. Davis (Belk College of Business, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA)
Joseph A. Allen (Department of Psychology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, USA)
Clay Dibrell (School of Business Administration, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA)

Leadership & Organization Development Journal

ISSN: 0143-7739

Article publication date: 8 June 2012

1087

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of strategy messages emanating from both top and middle/supervisory managers regarding five different aspects of strategy on strategic awareness among boundary personnel.

Design/methodology/approach

The results come from a survey of bank tellers and customer service representatives within a single large regional bank.

Findings

The findings support a differential main effect on strategic awareness among boundary personnel depending on the source of messages, whether top management or middle management. More interestingly, there appears to be an interaction effect between the two sources regarding which will be the dominant information source for boundary personnel.

Research limitations/implications

The survey data were collected within a single banking institution at one time point.

Practical implications

The results provide useful information concerning the efficacy of messages concerning strategy from middle and top management in organizations.

Originality/value

The paper extends past research by investigating different levels of strategic understanding within the firm across different levels and determining information dissemination strategies for increasing the level of strategic awareness among boundary personnel.

Keywords

Citation

Davis, P.S., Allen, J.A. and Dibrell, C. (2012), "Fostering strategic awareness at an organization's boundary", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 33 No. 4, pp. 322-341. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437731211229287

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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