4) Strategic Implementation & Change

Question 1

Mintzberg & Waters (1985)

Answer 1

Deliberate and Emergent Strategies are 2 ends of a spectrum

- compare to Causal/Effectual (Sarasvathy, 2011)

Question 2

Van De Ven & Poole (1995)

Answer 2

Their Lit Review identified Four competing theories that explain “the process of change”
* different sequences of change driven by different forces
DELT
3) Dialectics: Thesis/Anthesis –> Conflict –> Synthesis —> Feedback loop
4) Evolution: Variation–> Selection –> Retention
1) Life Cycle: Startup–>Grow–>Harvest–>Terminate
2) Teleological Goals: Set Goals–>Implement Goals–> Dissatisfaction—>Search
multiple entitities:

Question 3

Balogun (2005)

Answer 3

PURPOSE: how do middle managers make sense of top-down initiatives
METHODS: Case Study, tracked 26 middle managers diaries for 1 year. 1 Firm (Privatized Utility)
CONCLUSIONS:
1) Middle managers mediate the impact of Top-Down Strategy through Sensemaking
2) The greatest amount of middle manager sensemaking occurs through lateral (other middle managers) and informal processes (rumor,stories)

Question 4

Herold (2007)

Answer 4

“There is a lot of talk about Change Management, but most change initiatives fail”
METHODS: Survey, Many Organizations n=552
CONCLUSIONS:
1) Change Self-Efficacy —-> Commitment to Change
2) Highly Turbulence moderates(Strengthens) this relationship

Question 5

Huy (2011)

Answer 5

PURPOSE: Explore the impact of middle managers / emotions / identity in Strategy
METHOD: Qualitative Longitudinal research with Canadian IT company (French and English employees). The company replaced the CEO.
CONCLUSION:
1) Group focus emotions predict behavior more strongly than individual focus emotions.
2) Middle managers are important in strategic implementation.

Question 6

Hutz-Schen-Reuter et al. (2006)

Answer 6

2006: Review of the Strategy Process Literature
•The process is composed of the Strategist – the issue – the processes
SEE Figure 1: Great overview
6 Main Perspectives:
(1) Rational-mechanistic perspective (strategy is sequential, rational, analytical activity) (Andrews, 1971),
(2) Cognitive Perspective (interested in cognitive models like sensemaking), Weick 1995, Walsh, 1995
(3) Upper-Echelon Perspective (role of top executives) (Hambrick & Mason, 1984),
(4) Middle-Management Perspective (Outcomes influenced by what happens in the middle),
(5) Organic Perspective (dialectic, involving rationalization at upper plus strategic initiatives at lower),
(6) Micro Prospective (Value lies in activities of org members).

Question 7

Hutz-Schen-Reuter et al. (2012)

Answer 7

Review 34 articles on Leader impact on Change
Break the review into 4 categories:
They explain the research on
1) WHAT contingency factors facilitates strategic change (Org conditions & Env conditions)— Most important is Pre-Succession Performance*
2) WHY does the leader impact change - Power (symbolic and structural)
3) HOW does strategic change manifest - corporate & competitive level strategy, TMT composition,
4) WHEN: Temporal aspects
- Wide open for research
- How temporal personality influences strategic change? (Polychronicity).
- TIme series analysis

Question 8

Kumar (1998)

Answer 8

Investigates what influences controls in Joint Ventures
(change, R.D-power, agency, TCE)
- The design and implementation of an appropriate
control structure are crucial elements of joint
venture (JV) success
- explaining the different control mechanisms used.
1) The degree of strategic interdependence of JV/Parent —- + —> Use of control mechanism (eg. demanding board seats) 2) environmental uncertainty —- +——> Use of control mechanisms