Article Abstract:
What characterizes superior organizational performance? The question has always fascinated practitioners and academic researchers, and a string of recent bestsellers attest to the current prominence of performance as an organizational issue. This article brings together recent perspectives on performance and provides some further conclusions of its own based on analysis of a new database. Articles on 74 companies rated by Business Month as being one of the five best-managed companies during each of the 15 years in the 1972-86 timeframe were content analysed in an effort to isolate the key strategic and organizational factors associated with superior performance. Results indicate that superior performance is associated with a broad product line accompanied by geographic diversity, an emphasis on planning coupled with sound financial controls and reporting systems, a high level of commitment to product and process innovation, investments in modernization of manufacturing facilities, a reputation for superior quality and customer service, and progressive human resource management practices. These findings are compared and contrasted with the conclusions of other recent studies and implications of the findings for management are discussed. Far from being the result of applying any particular formula, superior performance is found to require a diverse mix of competencies and values. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)
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Article Abstract:
This article examines six British manufactures that have recovered from imminent disaster to create sustained and profitable growth in four mature, European industries. Their record is contrasted with that of less successful rivals. Rejuvenation was achieved by making a series of 'holistic' changes in structure, systems, process and strategy affecting the entire organization. Rejuvenation is shown to be much more than a 'turnaround,' which concentrates on finance and efficiency. Innovation in 'emergent' strategies was critical and was based on chief executives' beliefs in opportunities that could not be sustained by 'rational' strategy calculations. A model of the sequence of change is developed to show how these beliefs were translated into action. The behavioural aspects of the process highlight the importance of both the role information plays in shaping how problems and opportunities are perceived, and the ability of teams to manage the dilemmas inherent in these markets. Both attributes determine much of an organization's capacity to learn. The evidence challenges conventional prescriptions of strategy for mature firms. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)
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Article Abstract:
A cluster analysis of questionnaire data is used to classify a sample of 156 large United Kingdom firms according to their internal control type. Interactions between the control types identified, strategy and size, are hypothesized to have an impact upon financial performance. Testing these hypotheses raises a number of issues concerning the appropriateness of recommended strategy-structure fits. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)
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