Search results

This paper aims to investigate the applicability of Grant’s framework in the current changing and dynamic environment.

In this paper, a critical review of Grant’s paper was conducted to identify the limitations and weaknesses of the framework, which prevent its effective application in the current digital age.

As a result, this paper presented a modified framework and four propositions to consider dynamic capabilities in the new turbulent environment and extend the relationships between a firm’s resources, capabilities, dynamic capabilities, competitive advantage and competitive strategy. Findings tied to this initiative will provide important contributions to research.

Rooted in resource-based view (RBV), the proposed framework puts forward a valid theoretical foundation on how to create a competitive advantage from a firm’s internal factors, including strategic resources, capabilities and dynamic capabilities. Furthermore, it contributes to RBV literature by considering dynamic capabilities, as the firms’ most crucial factors in the current dynamic digital market.

The paper aims at increasing the understanding of how manufacturing strategy formulation can be facilitated in SMEs.

The research presented in this paper follows a four-stage logic. Initially, a literature review was conducted identifying a number of manufacturing strategy frameworks. Thereafter, theoretical and practical assessment criteria were established. The SME requirements were identified through five case studies. Based on these assessment criteria, identified manufacturing strategy formulation frameworks were evaluated. When a framework was found that fulfilled most of the requirements set out, a detailed analysis of the framework was done, based on criteria related to specific SME characteristics.

In total, 15 different manufacturing strategy formulation frameworks were identified in the literature. To evaluate the suitability of these frameworks in SMEs, a number of assessment criteria were established, both in theory and in practice. These assessment criteria were grouped into three parts based on their character: procedure, realisation and contextual issues. The assessment of the 15 frameworks revealed that among the identified frameworks there was one framework that stood out and fulfilled several of the criteria. However, the frameworks still need to be adapted to the specific SME characteristics.

Although a number of manufacturing strategy frameworks exist, their usability in practice has seldom been investigated. The results presented provide valuable knowledge for the continued work of rendering manufacturing strategy frameworks suitable and thereby useful for SMEs.

The role of industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies for organizations to achieve a competitive advantage and mitigate disruptive emergency situations are well exhibited in literature. However, more light needs to be thrown into implementing I4.0 technologies to digitally transform organizations. This paper introduces a novel framework for formulating manufacturing strategy 4.0 (MS 4.0) that guides organizations to implement I4.0 successfully.

The experts working in I4.0 and technology management domains were interviewed to determine the definition, role and process for formulating MS 4.0. Text mining using VOSViewer© is performed on the experts' opinions to determine the key terms from the opinions through keyword analysis. The identified key terms are mapped together using the existing traditional manufacturing strategy formulation framework to develop the MS 4.0 framework. Finally, the proposed MS 4.0 framework is validated through a triangulation approach.

This study captured the role, definition and process to formulate MS 4.0 and proposed a framework to help practitioners implement I4.0 at manufacturing organizations to achieve competitiveness during normal and emergency situations.

The proposed MS 4.0 framework can assist industry practitioners in formulating the strategy for implementing the I4.0 technology/gies to digitally transform their manufacturing firm to retain the maximum manufacturing output and become market competent in normal and emergency situations.

This study is the first of its kind in the body of knowledge to formulate a digital transformation strategy, i.e. MS 4.0, to implement I4.0 technologies through a manufacturing strategic lens.

In the present study, the authors have explored the research questions, “How do companies in the engineering and automobile manufacturing sector in India determine the coordination strategy with their suppliers?” and “Can we develop a framework which helps the company adopt a particular coordination strategy?” The authors also aimed for developing a generalizable theory of supply chain coordination (SCC) strategy.

The authors have studied upstream SCC practices at eight Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the Indian engineering manufacturing and automobile sector and identified 11 types of SCC in three categories of suppliers, namely large, medium and small. Each SCC is characterized by the category of items as the authors found the OEMs follow different strategies for different types of items. Initially, the authors started the study with the objective of strategy discovery, and later on, they prescribed a strategic framework based on the consolidated knowledge that they gathered at the discovery phase. The authors propose a SCC strategy framework consisting of four dimensions, i.e. time horizon, the formality of engagement, price and volume for the upstream supply chain. With the framework, the authors have identified the driving factors for choosing a particular strategy. The authors have found both OEMs and suppliers in India prefer to have a long-term relationship for building trust, which helps both the OEMs and the suppliers to go the extra mile when needed. Apart from large suppliers supplying technology and proprietary items, OEMs prefer to have an informal relationship so that they enjoy flexibility and attain agility. The price and volume dimensions are dependent on who enjoys more bargaining power.

The authors propose a SCC strategy framework consisting of four dimensions, i.e. time horizon, formality of engagement, price and volume for the upstream supply chain. With the framework, the authors have identified the driving factors for choosing a particular strategy. The authors have found that both OEMs and suppliers in India prefer to have a long-term relationship for building trust, which helps both the OEMs and the suppliers to go the extra mile when needed. Apart from large suppliers supplying technology and proprietary items, OEMs prefer to have an informal relationship so that they enjoy flexibility and attain agility. The price and volume dimensions are dependent on who enjoys more bargaining power.

This study made a substantial contribution to the literature by presenting a SCC strategy framework, ISCM (Indian Supply Chain Coordination Model). To the best of the authors’ knowledge, in the literature, there was no concrete framework for analyzing the coordination strategy specific to the Indian situation. The framework proposed has been derived based on empirical findings; hence, it is not a conceptual one. The authors also developed a supply chain typology. This study made a substantial contribution to the literature by presenting a SCC strategy framework, ISCM. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, in the literature, there was no concrete framework for analyzing the coordination strategy specific to the Indian situation. The framework proposed has been derived based on empirical findings; hence, it is not a conceptual one. The authors also developed a supply chain typology.

The purpose of this paper is to review the extant literature on strategy implementation with a view to highlight the pitfalls and use these to build a new framework that could be more relevant to the conditions existing in the Indian context.

This paper provides a review of strategy implementation frameworks available both in strategy literature and in strategy texts to identify the main pitfalls in effective strategy implementation and then proceeds to propose a framework that could be more suitable to the Indian context. This proposed framework is then applied and described in the context of a case study of the Reliance group of companies of India.

The proposed strategy implementation framework covers many of the aspects hitherto neglected in the frameworks suggested by researchers and authors more attuned to the Western context. Two of the major issues in strategy implementation not covered in the existing framework are of procedural and project implementation that may be considered as relevant in the Indian context.

The proposed framework is demonstrated in the case of only one Indian company. The efficacy of the framework need to be further investigated.

Application of the proposed framework is likely to result in a more comprehensive coverage of the vital issues in strategy implementation that are expected to do away with the pitfalls that are commonly experienced in the process of strategy implementation.

The paper proposes a new framework of strategy implementation based on the unique requirements of the Indian context.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual tool that would help managers to integrate the findings from strategy frameworks such as the value chain, the five forces or the VRIO framework by jointly analyzing the different levers of competitive advantage.

Building on the extant literature the paper develops a strategy framework that integrates the internal and external dimensions of strategy formulation. To illustrate a practical application of the value‐process framework, the paper presents a case study of a project at the German music corporation Sony BMG.

The value‐process framework serves managers as a conceptually unifying analysis tool that contributes to their understanding of the main levers that help to create a sustainable competitive advantage. The framework can be used to visually integrate isolated strategy frameworks by jointly analyzing the different levers of competitive advantage, and to develop consistent and integrated strategies that simultaneously take into account the internal and external perspectives of strategic decision making.

While the existing strategy literature is good at providing specific concepts and tools of strategy analysis, it rarely connects the different dimensions and points out their interdependencies. As a result, strategic analyses are often fragmented and isolated from their broader context. The value‐process framework aims to provide an overarching perspective that helps to integrate the different dimensions of strategy formulation.

The purpose of this article is to investigate why stakeholder frameworks have struggled for acceptance in strategy and to put forward a clearly articulated framework which, while firm‐centric, acknowledges that stakeholders hold the key to organization success.

The framework outlined is the result of more than two decades of action research. This has involved an iterative process of framework design and field testing with clients to assess validity followed by redesign. This evolution has been conducted in conjunction with a continuous review of progress in the strategy‐related literature.

For many directors, managers, consultants and academics, there is a disconnect between strategy and what is often referred to as “stakeholder management”. In the latter, stakeholders are the first and final focus. Such a perspective might suit the needs and language of fields like public policy, social services, welfare and ethics, but it isn't appropriate for strategy and strategic planning. Being stakeholder‐centric, it holds back the acceptance of a stakeholder framework in strategy. The firm‐centric stakeholder framework for strategy gels with boards, CEOs and senior executives, focusing as it does on the long‐term prosperity and sustainability of an organization.

Organizations in all sectors – business, government and not‐for‐profit – can benefit greatly by re‐orienting their thinking and the way they go about designing strategy and structuring their strategic plans. A firm‐centric stakeholder approach to strategy solves many conceptual and practical problems that directors and managers face in designing organization objectives and shaping precise strategies.

Proposes a framework for considering the factors relevant to the design of manufacturing strategy processes. The framework is built from manufacturing and business strategy literature through a review which positions popular strategies like Cellular manufacturing, TQM and JIT within more traditional manufacturing strategy frameworks and includes aspects of strategy that have been rarely mentioned in the manufacturing strategy literature. Thus competence, capability, culture and alternative strategy process modes are incorporated and throughout the review potential influences on the design of the strategy process are identified. Finally the framework′s ability to assist the design of a manufacturing strategy process is tested and the dependence of key process elements like the procedure and tools used are shown to be contingent on, for example, the outputs required from the process and the content areas under development.

The implementation of strategy, directly or indirectly, relates to all facets of management. Therefore, it is essential to follow a holistic approach when analyzing and evaluating complex issues of implementation. However, research in this area is still limited, and offers few practical propositions. Given this situation, this article proposes an implementation framework by identifying key elements/factors of implementation and categorizing them into different groups depending on their role and importance. The role and importance of each implementation factor, as well as its relationship with other factors, are explained. It is believed that the framework developed in this article can assist executives and researchers to better understand and evaluate complex factors of implementation and deal with challenges from a holistic perspective. Suggestions for practice and future research are also given.

Certified and non-certified organisations must make strategic decisions regarding ISO 9001 adoption, maintenance, renewal and abandonment. However, the ISO 9001 literature lacks a typology of the strategic options available to these organisations. The purpose of this conceptual study is to develop a framework of the alternative strategies for the stages of the ISO 9001 life cycle (implementation/certification, certification maintenance and recertification/decertification stages).

The research method is based on literature review, selection of relevant variables and synthesis of coherent alternative strategies.

Results include the main variables of relevance for the definition of the ISO 9001 strategies (e.g. life cycle stage, organisational motivations, barriers, benefits, internalisation degree and quality of the certification body), the main situations in which organisations can find themselves (in terms of ISO 9001 certification, maintenance and decertification), the strategic options for each situation (e.g.: certify, maintain certification, try harder, change certification body, intensify learning and experimentation with ISO 9001) and the implications and consequences of such options. Research results are integrated into a strategy framework, composed of three strategy matrices, one for each stage of the life cycle. The matrices present the strategic situations, available strategic alternatives and benefits of the strategies.

This study combines the results of previous research to develop an original strategy framework, which constitutes the main research contribution. As far as the author is aware, there is no such strategy framework in the literature. The framework has relevant implications for theory and practice and helps to identify future research directions.