The influence of business strategy on market orientation and new product activity

corporate strategy;new products

Strategic people management of coal mining firms in Central Queensland

Purpose &ndash; This paper aims to propose a conceptual framework to explore the link between strategic human resource management (SHRM) and firm performance of the coal mining companies in Central Queensland (CQ), Australia. Design/methodology/approach &ndash; The paper reviews literature relating to the process and issues of transforming human resource practices and industrial relations of the coal industry in Australia for the past decade. Theoretical development and empirical studies on the SHRM-performance linkage are discussed. Based on the literature review, the paper develops an integrated model for testing the relationship between SHRM and firm performance in the context of CQ\u27s coalmines and proposes a number of research propositions. Findings &ndash; Three perceivable outcomes are likely derived from application of this framework in the field. First, a testing of the linkage between strategic HRM and firm performance in the coal industry, using an integrated approach, would complement the empirical deficiency of treatments on the prior SHRM models. Second, data at firm level could be collected to develop a better understanding of how the adoption of strategic HRM practices in coal companies can affect firm performance. Third, the extent of flexibility practices, use of contractors and associated management practices could be identified. Originality/value &ndash; The coal industry is central to economic development of regional Queensland. The industry contributes substantially to GDP via employment, investment and product export. An exploration of the impact of SHRM on the coal industry will likely result in identifying some best practices that could be potentially adopted in the wider business community to foster regional economic development in Australia and worldwide.<br /

Human resource management practices and organizational performance: The mediation of knowledge management and the moderation of competitive strategies in Jordanian service organizations

This study examined the mediating influence of knowledge management on human resource management (HRM) practices and organizational performance (OP), and the moderating role of competitive strategies on the relationship between knowledge management (KM) and organizational performance. Two-hundred and sixty service organizations in Jordan participated in the survey. Multiple regression and hierarchical multiple regressions were used to test the hypotheses. Results indicated that only three dimensions of HRM practices (i.e. staffing, training and development, and job security) had positive influence on OP. Factor analysis revealed three dimensions of KM: technical, cultural, and human. The results further showed that specific HRM practices were significantly associated with different KM dimensions. Performance appraisal had a positive influence on technical KM, while staffing, performance appraisal, and job security were positively associated with cultural KM. Staffing, training and development, and employee participation and involvement were found to enhance human KM. In addition, different dimensions of KM were found to mediate between different types of HRM practices and OP. Technical KM mediated the relationship between staffing, and training and development and OP, while cultural KM mediated the relationship between staffing and job security, and OP. On the other hand, human KM mediated the relationship between staffing, training and development, and job security, and OP. Finally, competitive strategies interacted with human KM in predicting OP. This study offers several recommendations on how to improve the performance of the service sector in Jordan, discusses limitations of the study, and outlines suggestions for future research

Effect of Strategy and Internet Business Adoption on Performance

Organizations that implement competitive strategies and Internet business adoption in the market place can gain a competitive advantage and improved financial performance. The purposes of this explanatory and exploratory, mixed method study, were threefold: 1) to describe the relationship between competitive strategies and Internet business adoption, the relationship between competitive strategy and financial performance, and the relationship between Internet business adoption and financial performance; 2) to examine the effects of the different levels of Internet business adoption (prospecting, business integration and business transformation) and different strategic types (cost leadership and differentiation) on financial performance (profit margin, asset turnover, return on assets and return on equity); and 3) to generate implications for the effect of strategic types and Internet business adoption levels on financial ratios of business organizations. The entire accessible population of this study was used as a sample; 961 U.S. companies met the eligibility criteria. Among the 961 companies, 327 (34%) provided useable secondary data. This study proposed that strategy types supported by higher levels of Internet business adoption can contribute to financial performance of business organizations. In addition, a hypothesized model was examined. A paragraph approach was used to report a firm\u27s strategic types and Internet business adoption levels, and financial ratios evaluated a firm\u27s profitability and efficiency. A 2x3 factorial research design using ANOVA statistical analysis explained the effects of an Internet business adoption level and a strategic type on performance. The study results revealed that the type of competitive strategy used or the level of Internet business adoption employed, were important factors influencing financial performance of U.S. business organizations. The results indicated that the effect of strategic types and Internet business adoption levels on financial performance of firms was supported. The findings provided useable information that a firm, which implemented a differentiation strategy and a higher level of Internet business adoption, can earn higher profit from the Internet business markets. The limitations of the study and recommendations for future research were also included. A limitation of the study was the question of the reliability of the secondary data used. Future research should assess the effect of the level of Internet business adoption and type of competitive strategy used in countries other than the United States and conducts the data collection procedure with a mail or on-line survey instead of using secondary data. This study could be benefited academic research and provided practical implications for managers

Moderating Effects of Knowledge Management Practices in the Relationship Between Corporate Strategies and Organizational Performance

Despite the increasing interest in managing knowledge, there has been limited research on knowledge management practices in the corporate strategy of organizations. Lack of empirical evidence has created a gap between the theory and practice of knowledge management in corporate strategy. In this study, the researcher integrated the knowledge-based and the resources-based theories of the firm to develop a suitable framework and model for knowledge management research. In addition, this study developed a knowledge management research model and empirically tested it within the moderation perspective of Miles and Snow's strategy typology. In particular, the influence of knowledge management practices as a key moderating variable, has been neglected in previous Malaysian studies. The theoretical model used in this study was tested using empirical data from 123 public-listed organizations in Malaysia. Data from the survey were analyzed using the higherorder interaction effects of the Moderated Multiple Regressions analysis. Results of the analysis indicated that corporate strategies and knowledge management practices have a positive impact on organizational performance. The findings revealed that prospector evaluations were significantly greater than those of defender evaluations, followed by analyzers and finally, reactors evaluations. Eighteen percent (18%) and 7% of increases in variance in the objective and subjective measures of the organization's performance, respectively, were due to the moderating effect of knowledge management practices. The results obtained were higher than the increase attributed to corporate strategies. In terms of the subjective measures of organizational performance, the results suggested that the relationship is stronger in the market-focused organizations followed by the dual focused and the operation focused organizations and finally the unfocused organizations. The results showed that market-focused practices were better moderators of organizational performance. The results also revealed that among the consumer products, the industrial products organizations and the services industries in the Main Board of Malaysia have very different goals for knowledge management practices. This is because the knowledge management practices' environment created an impact on the organizations' corporate goals. Factors such as management support and practices, the level of knowledge investments and the impact of knowledge management practices' benefited the organizations' strategic and functional needs. The level of perceived benefits of knowledge management practices is directly related to the corporate goals of the organizations. This is reflected in the results of this study which showed that the market focused groups contributed to the highest level of organizational performance in terms of the subjective measure, followed by the operation focused groups, the dual focused group and the unfocused group in the organizations

The competitive advantage in business, capabilities and strategy. What general performance factors are found in the Spanish wine industry?

The wine sector in Europe has undergone a major change of trend in recent years, especially in Spain. On the one hand, the surface area has been reduced, but the production has been maintained by restructurings and improvements made in exploitation techniques. On the other hand, consumption has diminished causing a significant increase in competition. The Spanish wine sector is formed mainly by small and medium-sized firm, which is representative of the size of existing companies in Europe. This article aims to analyze the relationships between the competitive strategy, resources and capabilities of the firms, analyzing their technological and managerial capabilities, with business performance. 339 companies of the wine sector in Spain have been studied, differentiating between individual firms, cooperatives and mercantile companies. The results reveal that resources and capabilities along with strategies define competitive advantage, but their relationship and importance is different for each type of company

Rhode Island and Connecticut wineries business strategy, performance, and management capabilities: a survey of managerial practices

New wineries in less traditional wine regions have broadened the concept of the wine industry by linking it with tourism; perhaps with more strength than in other more traditional areas, where this change in the business model has also occurred. To understand what the drivers of a better performance to this new typology of wineries are, this article has surveyed the wineries of the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island, in the northeast of the U.S., a new wine region. Through a questionnaire, the strategies these wineries follow and their relevant management capabilities in relationship with their performance have been analyzed. The conclusions show how the management capabilities the wineries own are as important as the strategy of differentiation they follow in their pursue and obtention of a competitive advantage; and that it is a service and tourism-oriented strategy that eventually facilitates this advantage. The managerial skills of creating an efficient and coordinated organizational structure together with their conception of this service-oriented business, where the tourism aspect plays a fundamental role, seems evident when defining the resources and capabilities that generate their sustainable performance

Aligning Green IT with Environmental Strategies: Development of a Conceptual Framework that Leverages Sustainability and Firm Competitiveness

Environmental technologies are becoming increasingly important for business firms to reduce environmental impacts anddifferentiate from competitors. In this paper, fundamental approaches of strategic management are presented and the strategicsignificance of sustainability initiatives and Green Information Technology (Green IT) is analyzed. Environmental strategiesare introduced and the importance of strategically aligning the business, sustainability, and IT domain is highlighted. Weargue that there is no consistent approach for aligning Green IT with sustainability goals and business objectives so far. Toclose this research gap, we integrate Green IT into the concept of IT strategy and develop the Strategic Green IT AlignmentFramework (SGITAF), which could prove meaningful for both practitioners and academics. The SGITAF differentiatesbetween an internal and an external perspective and comprises the domains Green IT and environmental sustainability. Fourdistinct Green IT alignment perspectives, which vary according to their competitive focus and their competitive advantage,are suggested

Revisiting the applicability of porter’s model to the portuguese manufacturing : a departure from traditional strategies

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the strategies utilized in the Portuguese manufacturing environment, and to compare the results with those of a similar study conducted in 1993. Self-administered surveys were employed and a total sample of 229 firms were used for the analysis. The responses were factor analyzed to establish patterns of strategic behaviours. In comparison with 1993, today’s Portuguese manufacturing firms are using more product development and innovation in order to offer many new customized products to different markets. In most cases, they are capitalizing on flexible manufacturing to achieve more depth and breadth in their product lines

The Impact of Organizational Capabilities, Environmental Uncertainties, and Generic Strategies on Crisis Readiness: An Empirical Examination of Retail Professionals

This paper examined the factors—organizational capabilities, environmental uncertainties, and generic strategies—that potentially contribute to an organization’s crisis readiness. A survey of 277 retail professionals indicated that those companies that display a high level of crisis readiness follow a differentiation generic strategy and had higher levels of supply chain capabilities. Companies that pursued a cost leadership generic strategy displayed lower levels of crisis readiness. Implications for researchers and managers are offered