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Strategies at different levels need to be coherent to ensure competitive advantage (Hoferand Schendel, 1978). Strategy coherence is the consistency of strategic choices across business and functional levels of strategy. In this paper we focus on strategy coherence. Using patterns of strategy, we develop a measure of the extent of strategy coherence. The relationship between coherence and performance is used to validate the measure. We illustrate the application of the measurement and validation process, in the context of acute care hospitals. The results indicate that our measure of coherence is monotonically related to performance. We also find performance differences between more and less coherent hospitals on the industry specific performance indicator of occupancy. Implications for theory and practice are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance is the lifeblood of a firm's management. Performance itself depends on the adaptation of strategy based on learning and the environment. An important way that firms adapt their strategy is through imitation or mimetic isomorphism. Imitation implies a referent for such adaptations. This article seeks to determine who or what should serve as that referent. Accordingly, this research (1) develops a broad and rich model of industry dynamics, bringing together literature from industrial economics, strategic groups, learning, and resource-based theories; (2) examines the robustness of imitations strategies; and (3) develops a framework of the managerial implications of imitative behavior in varying industry conditions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the choice of technology levels and timing of the introduction of new technologies in a market in which customer sophistication increases over time. Faced with the introduction of a new generation product, a firm can either imitate or leapfrog it. If the new product is introduced optimally, we show that the optimal response is to imitate it. This is because the technology leader's best strategy is to set a technology level that makes imitation the best response. We also derive decision rules for the timing of introduction of new technologies. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mobility Barriers Paradigm (Caves and Porter, 1977) has strongly influenced research in strategic management, particularly in the areas of competitive analysis and strategic groups. In this article we develop a procedure called MOBIUS, based on 'match ratios' (MRs), in order to identify those competitive variables which act as mobility barriers in a particular industry. We also attempt to classify mobility barriers in terms of the degree of observed mobility around key strategic variables and the extent to which change is desired on these variables. The MOBIUS procedure is illustrated briefly in the context of the pharmaceutical industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article briefly reviews previous research on strategic groups and focuses upon the influence of time on strategic positioning. This stability approach also motivates research into the dynamics of strategic group shifts. An illustrative example drawn from the drug industry emphasizes the practical application of these concepts. The analytically-derived strategic groupings are then compared with evidence drawn from industry and academic research. Finally, following discussion of the results, some suggestions about integrating the strategic group concept into strategic management research are also made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines pre-emptive product positioning strategies under market share restrictions in the United States. Literature review on market pre-emption and antitrust; Characteristics of feasible market share restrictions; Theorems on product-positioning strategies.

Examines previous research on strategic groups in managerial decision-making and concludes that the concept needs further refinement. Assumption of homogeneity in strategic behavior; Proposal of a general analytical method to identify time periods of similarity in strategic behavior.