An exploratory study of the determinants of the quality of strategic decision implementation in Turkish industrial firms

This paper investigates the determinants of quality of decision implementation. By drawing on a sample of 116 firms located in Turkey, the authors test whether the features of important team processes (i.e. trust and participation), of the organisation (i.e. past performance) and of implementation (i.e. its speed and uncertainty) exert an influence on the quality with which decisions are implemented. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to test the validity of the measures, while path analysis was used in hypotheses testing. The results suggest that quality of decision implementation is positively related to trust, participation and past performance, and negatively to implementation speed and uncertainty. The implications of these findings for theory, practice and general management are discussed

Conceptualizing and measuring strategy implementation – a multi-dimensional view

Through quantitative methodological approaches for studying the strategic management and planning process, analysis of data from 208 senior managers involved in strategy processes within ten UK industrial sectors provides evidence on the measurement properties of a multi-dimensional instrument that assesses ten dimensions of strategy implementation. Using exploratory factor analysis, results indicate the sub-constructs (the ten dimensions) are uni-dimensional factors with acceptable reliability and validity; whilst using three additional measures, and correlation and hierarchical regression analysis, the nomological validity for the multi-dimensional strategy implementation construct was established. Relative importance of ten strategy implementation dimensions (activities) for practicing managers is highlighted, with the mutually and combinative effects drawing conclusion that senior management involvement leads the way among the ten key identified activities vital for successful strategy implementation

Assessing the Service Quality of Building Maintenance Providers: Mechanical and Engineering Services

This study investigates the service quality in the maintenance of mechanical and engineering services. The determinants of service quality are identified and their means of evaluation are examined. A method of assessment is devised based on the SERVQUAL approach and its use is then illustrated by means of a small empirical survey of clients and service providers and the Gap model used to quantify the relationships between customer satisfaction, expected service, perceived service and service quality gap

Editorial: Consulting, Research, and Consulting Research

Consulting and scholarly research often have very different objectives with respect to advancements in practice, theory, and observation (e.g., data collections). For example, consulting often emphasizes immediate benefits, specialized applications, and a focus on only the key variables. Scholarly research often emphasizes replicability, generalizability, and introducing previously uninvestigated variables. However, these activities complement each other, and each activity is important for the advancement of the other. Benefiting from that complementarity requires the literature to bridge knowledge gained from each activity. It is unnecessary for every researcher to try to bridge theory and practice by working on the interface between academics and practice. However, it is critical that some researchers do so. This issue of examines several excellent applications of that provide detailed microexaminations of the fundamental marketing practices that we seek to understand and improve. Beyond demonstrating how to solve specific problems in practice, in my opinion, the articles and commentaries in this issue also illustrate at least the following ideas: Short-term tactics can produce significant short-term advantages. Existing models in the literature can be useful with proper implementation. State-of-the-art research is most useful for infrequent decisions. Finally, knowing the decision-making context is essential for determining which variables to include in the analysis.marketing models, scholarly research, industry practice, academic consulting, theory