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Although there have been several leadership studies from various perspectives, the construct of the leader's cognitive flexibility remains partly implicit and partly unspecified. This paper attempts to develop the 'cognitive flexibility' construct based on implicit statements elicited from broad frameworks on leadership and culture discussed in the literature. The paper also takes into account related knowledge from several fields, including cognitive science, communication science, psychology and brain science, as well as complex adaptive systems. The main contribution of this research is the development of a comprehensive construct of the leader's cognitive flexibility'. Keywords: Leadership, Strategic change, Communication, Framing, Managerial and organizational culture, Cognitive flexibility, INTRODUCTION The objective of this paper is to develop the multiple dimensions of the construct of a leader's cognitive flexibility. Some of the dimensions are implicit in the traditional leadership [...]

The perceived value and extent of practical adoption of scenario planning has fluctuated considerably over the last 40 years. This research looks at the key assumptions behind scenario planning methods. Five propositions are offered and discussed regarding the validity of scenario planning's various claims to relevancy. Based on the critical analysis, guidelines are offered for improving the development of the scenario planning process to enhance the likelihood of its potential contributions to competitive advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we develop a model that we believe explains certain aspects of entrepreneurial activities. It examines the role of environmental uncertainty and its impact on strategic marketing activities, and how strategic marketing activities drive relationship building. Relationship building is conceptualized as a two-dimensional construct with one dimension addressing relationships with internal constituents, mainly employees; and the second dimension that focuses on external constituents like suppliers and customers. A combination of strategic marketing activities and relationships creates a firm's strategic orientation, and we study the impact of these constructs on a firm's financial performance. This research tests the various hypothesized relationships by developing and testing a path model. A representative sample of 152 small firms is used to test the research model and the associated hypothesized path relationships. Environmental uncertainty, strategic marketing activities, and strategic orientation significantly affect a firm's financial performance and explain about 31% of the variance. Strategic orientation is impacted by two dimensions of relationship building and by strategic marketing activities, and these three variables explain 43% of the variance. The results of the empirical analysis indicate overall support for the research model. The conclusion section of the paper addresses limitations of this research, and discusses implications and directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines existing concepts of entrepreneurship and strategic management and develops two orthogonal but additive models. The first model (Model 1) studies how firms adapt to their operating environments and the kinds of strategies they follow, and the impact of these strategies on aggregate firm performance. The second model (Model 2) is an examination of the organization's intangible elements, and the impact of the organization's internal variables on aggregate firm performance. Using multiple regression analyses from each perspective, we find both models provide partial explanations of a firm's aggregate performance. We test the models on a sample of 163 entrepreneurial and small firms. We then proceed to test a third integrated model that combines the two models that we have tested. Model 1, the impact of environmental factors and business strategies on aggregate firm performance, explains 22.4% of the variance. Model 2, which examines the impact of internal organizational variables in firm performance, explains 32.2% of the variance. The integrated model, which combines Models 1 and 2 into a single model, explains 39.4% of the variance of aggregate firm performance. The conclusion section discusses the shortcomings of the research, and what needs to be done to develop improved models and better techniques to test models. The limitations of this research are also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of designed vs. emergent strategies has not been settled neither conceptually nor in practice. This paper examines the current understanding of emergent strategies based on the classical explanations provided by Henry Mintzberg in the light of the study of the relatively new field of complexity theory. The latter has "emergence" as one of its core concepts. The two approaches are compared, and two sets of summary propositions describing the approaches are presented. The differences between the two approaches are highlighted. Conclusions are offered regarding theory building of the phenomenon of emergent strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese miracle has usually been explained on the basis of the concept of structural competitive advantage. This paper considers the various dimensions of structural advantage proposed in the academic literature. Given the decline in Japanese competitive advantage, the paper examines the interdependence of the various types of structural advantage. It emphasizes cultural advantage, discussing to what extent it is still present as a major foundation for Japan's competitive recovery. Finally, the paper gives examples in problem-solving and negotiations as to how Japanese cultural advantage may still play out favorably at the level of business firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was three-fold. First was to test the Metacognitive Model of Cognitive Adaptability (Haynie & Shepherd, 2009) which we termed as Model 1. Second was to test a modified model of metacognition, which we termed as Model 2, in which we made changes to the original model by adding and deleting relationships to reflect what we think is a more realistic way in which entrepreneurs think. Third was to expand the model of metacognition, which we termed as Model 3. In this expanded model, we introduced business strategies as a mediating variable making the case that performance outcomes are not so much the result of metacognitive abilities alone but depend on actions actually undertaken. In this case, an entrepreneur's metacognitive abilities are translated into strategic action that in turn impacts a firm's performance. Using path analysis, a sample of 150 entrepreneurial firms is used to test the three models. The results indicate that the modified model of metacognition (Model 2) has better fit indices than the Metacognitive Model of Cognitive Adaptability (Model 1). However, the expanded metacognition model (Model 3) provides the best results by way of significant increases in explained variances for different constructs. In the case of performance, for Model 1, the explained variance is 16.3%. It increases to 24.1% for Model 2 and to 35.9% for Model 3. Between Model 1 and Model 2, the increase in explained variance is 7.8%, and between Model 2 and Model 3 it 11.8%. The difference in the explained variance of performance between Model 1 and Model 3 is 19.6%. A brief discussion section concludes the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two major research streams concerning the manager's job are examined, highlighting their historical evolution and the methodological processes followed in knowledge generation. Different dimensions of the knowledge generation process are considered such as research questions, influences, data and methods, categorization process, research output, and reconsiderations. It is shown that neither of the two research streams saw their original intentions realized. Implications regarding management education are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scenario Planning attempts to change the cognitive structure of the managerial culture to enhance foresight skills. In so doing it also deals with organizational defensive mechanisms. In this it follows organizational development interventions for cultural change, emphasizing organizational learning. This paper analyzes the difficulties faced by scenario planning as a cultural intervention. It highlights the affinity of the scenario planning process with approaches followed in OD, particularly by C. Argyris. The analysis also uses concepts of culture derived from the sociologist P. Bourdieu, to focus on subtle aspects of scenario planning. This paper attempts to develop a balanced and realistic view of the promised benefits of scenario planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The orthodox concept of managerial and organizational culture, as developed by E. Schein and other pioneers of the OD field, has recently come into criticism on many fronts. In the field of sociology, P. Bourdieu developed an approach to culture that mediated the dualism between agency and structure, and highlighted the importance of power and competition for both material and symbolic resources. This paper develops a critical analysis of the orthodox concept of culture contrasting it with P. Bourdieu's approach to culture. Implications for a broader concept of culture in strategy formation and implementation are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the new field of strategy-as-practice, the concept of strategy as well as the concept of practice has been revisited. Some scholars have pointed to the need for conceptual clarification in the new field. This research inquires about key dimensions of strategizing, taking into account both 'existing concepts of strategy' implicit in H. Mintzberg's 'schools of strategy formation' and the 'theory of practice' formulated by sociologist P. Bourdieu. Making use of a process of 'theory translation', it attempts to arrive at an elucidated concept of strategizing. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although the concept of 'practice' is critical in the new field of strategy-as-practice, there are substantially different interpretations in the literature, with implications as to what constitutes the proper object of inquiry and the associated unit of analysis. The best known 'theory of practice' has been articulated by P. Bourdieu in his prolific opus, including 'the logic of practice'. This paper probes into the degree of incorporation of Bourdieu's conceptual framework, in a small 'theoretical sample' of authors in the strategy-as-practice field. A summary of Bourdieu's meta-theory is presented which is then used as background to assess the degree of assimilation of his concepts in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]