A practice perspective on strategic communication

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to link the authentic, communicative activities, e.g. organization-wide meetings at the micro-level, to the institutionalized practices at the macro-level within an organization, e.g. change management decisions and communication strategy (Steyn, 2003). Thus, the concern is with the relationship between institutionalized strategic management and the real-life strategic communication processes, thus advancing the understanding of the role of texts and discourses in the actual practice of strategic communication in an organizational context of strategic change processes. Design/methodology/approach – The data are based on a large corpus of video-taped management meetings and organization-wide meetings in a large Danish public, knowledge-based organization. The method applied for studying the management discourse is a conversation-analytical approach (Sacks et al., 1974; Sidnell, 2010). This method has been chosen as it enables the authors to focus on micro-aspects of organizational practices (Nicolini, 2013) by investigating the interactional patterns that serve as resources for doing legitimation as an institutionalized practice. Findings – The common denominator for the entire analysis is legitimation accomplished through the discursive use of distanciation and the analysis identifies three different discursive elements or micro-level strategies directly related to the concrete doing of strategic communication. First, legitimation is created by reference to the socio-economic context of the organization. Second, legitimation is generated by means of pointing to the abnormality of the strategic situation. And third legitimation is fostered by the use of idiomatic expressions. These different ways of accomplishing legitimacy are in a strategy-as-practice perspective related to the specific, in-situ communicative praxis and accomplished by the concrete actions of the strategic communicators, and thus the authors can position the instances of strategic communication at the organizational micro-level. Originality/value – This paper studies at a micro-level how strategic actors use various discursive resources to legitimize strategic decisions and how these resources constitute the discursive basis of strategic communication as a managerial practice. The authors focus on the role of discourse in the legitimization processes of strategic managerial decisions analyzing micro-level instances of organizational communication. The paper thereby links the actor process activities (Langley, 2007), e.g. organization-wide meetings at the micro-level, to the institutional field practices at the macro-level within an organization, e.g. strategy and planning (Johnson et al., 2007).

Download Full-text

Actors’ heterogeneity and the context of interaction in affecting innovation networks

Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing ◽

10.1108/jbim-12-2014-0249 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 30 (3/4) ◽

pp. 246-258 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Daniela Corsaro ◽

Chiara Cantù

Keyword(s):

Macro Level ◽

Levels Of Analysis ◽

Innovation Networks ◽

Science Park ◽

Innovation Development ◽

Content Type ◽

Micro Level ◽

Communication Practices ◽

Collective Innovation

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to explore the role of actors’ heterogeneity and the context of interaction on collective innovation. Design/methodology/approach – By using the six sources of heterogeneity identified by Corsaro et al. (2012) – goals, competences and skills, knowledge bases, power/position, perceptions and cultures – the authors describe the cases of two consecutive projects – ESASIM and NeWTeC – developed within Kilometro Rosso Science Park. The collaborative innovative outcome (simulation software) developed in the first phase was subsequently applied by each actor in its specific context. At the macro level, the authors define the processes that describe the role of actors’ heterogeneity in both the contexts of innovation development and application; at the micro level, the authors shed some light on the role of the single actor acting simultaneously as a provider and as a user with respect to different contexts. Findings – In this paper, the processes through which actors’ heterogeneity and the context of interaction influence the development of innovation (collective/macro-network level) and contribute a better understanding of collective innovation from a perspective that involves each individual actor (single-actor/micro level) are determined. These two phases are labeled in terms of “decontextualizing” and “recontextualizing”, through which it will be recognized how the process of innovation depends on the social context and by the business activities that take place between the organizations. In the paper, term actor is used to refer to organizations taking part in the innovation networks as represented by their key referents. Research limitations/implications – Further research on this topic could explore not only the single sources of actors’ heterogeneity but also patterns of them and their effects in the different contexts. In addition, looking at the micro level, it would be interesting to understand if, in certain specific phases of innovation development and implementation, one of the roles – provider or user – prevails over the other and which effects it generates. Practical implications – This case study has important managerial implications. First, by better understanding the role of actors in innovation networks, companies could improve their networking strategies and, consequently, increase the likelihood of their solutions satisfying the needs of the different stakeholders. Second, the management of actors’ heterogeneity seems strictly related to communication practices. As a result, it would be interesting to develop communication training programs addressing companies located in science parks, built around the profiles of the actors’ features, characterizing a certain project and envisioning potential contexts for the development and application of the project outcome. Due to the variety of actors involved and the changing nature of the contexts in which they operate, standardizing communication practices could, in fact, be less effective. Finally, we also see implications for the management company of the science and technology park, which should think in a more comprehensive way about the different sources of actors’ heterogeneity and their potential consequences once they build interorganizational collaborations and thus interdisciplinary teams. Social implications – Using the Intellimech case, the role of actors’ heterogeneity and the context interaction in innovation networks, with respect to two different levels of analysis, is explored. On the collective-macro level, the set of actors in the network was considered; on the micro level, each single business actor as part of the wider network is concentrated upon. Originality/value – This paper positions in this debate and, in particular, attempts to understand if and how actors’ heterogeneity and the context of interaction influence innovation networks. In effect, while the literature includes sporadic references to the role of the two elements, they have not yet been jointly considered. To reach this goal, two levels of analysis were adopted: a macro network level considering the set of business actors collectively and a micro level looking at the single actor as part of the wider network. Empirically, this paper will describe the case of two projects developed within Intellimech, an innovation network located at Kilometro Rosso Science Park, an aggregation node of relationships and connections around innovation purposes.

Download Full-text

Role of burnout on job level, job satisfaction, and task performance

Leadership & Organization Development Journal ◽

10.1108/lodj-11-2015-0249 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 38 (5) ◽

pp. 630-645 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Won Ho Kim ◽

Young-An Ra ◽

Jong Gyu Park ◽

Bora Kwon

Keyword(s):

Job Satisfaction ◽

Task Performance ◽

Organizational Context ◽

Content Type ◽

Job Level ◽

Mediating Role ◽

Final Sample ◽

The Relationship ◽

And Task

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of burnout (i.e. exhaustion, cynicism, professional inefficacy) in the relationship between job level and job satisfaction as well as between job level and task performance. Design/methodology/approach The final sample included 342 Korean workers from selected companies. The authors employed the Hayes (2013) PROCESS tool for analyzing the data. Findings The results showed that all three subscales of burnout (i.e. exhaustion, cynicism, professional inefficacy) mediate the relationship between job level and job satisfaction. However, only two mediators (i.e. cynicism, professional inefficacy) indicated the mediating effects on the association between job level and task performance. Originality/value This research presented the role of burnout on the relationships between job level, job satisfaction, and task performance especially in South Korean organizational context. In addition to role of burnout, findings should prove helpful in improving job satisfaction and task performance. The authors provide implications and limitations of the findings.

Download Full-text

An exploratory study of job insecurity in relation to household registration, employment contract, and job satisfaction in Chinese state-owned enterprises

Evidence-based HRM a Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship ◽

10.1108/ebhrm-09-2015-0039 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 151-165

Author(s):

Bing Shi

Keyword(s):

Job Satisfaction ◽

Job Insecurity ◽

Safety Net ◽

Macro Level ◽

Social Safety Net ◽

Household Registration ◽

Employment Contract ◽

Content Type ◽

Micro Level ◽

Chinese State

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of the household registration and of employment contract on employee job insecurity in the Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The relationships between job satisfaction and the two components of job insecurity are also analysed. Design/methodology/approach The research uses original data collected through a questionnaire survey in six Chinese SOEs. In all, 309 samples are analysed mainly using hierarchical regression analysis. Findings The research finds household registration is a predictor of job insecurity while employment contract is not. Job satisfaction is found to be positively related to one of the components of job insecurity: the perceived severity of job loss. Social implications To improve job security of the employees who are in vulnerable positions, improving the equality of social safety net is significant. In China, household registration causes unequal access to social welfare and employment opportunities; improving the equality may be more significant than seeking for permanent employment. Originality/value The research suggests two levels of factors influencing job insecurity: the macro-level factors that include the institutional configurations of social safety net; and the micro-level factors that include employment contract. The macro-level factors have fundamental influence while the micro-level factors are more apparent. The micro-level factors may manifest their influence only when the macro-level factors equally cover all the employees. The macro-level factors may also intermediate the relationship between job insecurity and satisfaction.

Download Full-text

18. Political Participation

Comparative Politics ◽

10.1093/hepl/9780198820604.003.0018 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 318-335

Author(s):

Herbert Kitschelt ◽

Philipp Rehm

Keyword(s):

Social Networks ◽

Social Movements ◽

Political Parties ◽

Collective Action ◽

Political Participation ◽

Interest Groups ◽

Macro Level ◽

Micro Level ◽

Politically Active

This chapter examines four fundamental questions relating to political participation. First, it considers different modes of political participation such as social movements, interest groups, and political parties. Second, it analyses the determinants of political participation, focusing in particular on the paradox of collective action. Third, it explains political participation at the macro-level in order to identify which contextual conditions are conducive to participation and the role of economic affluence in political participation. Finally, the chapter discusses political participation at the micro-level. It shows that both formal associations and informal social networks, configured around family and friendship ties, supplement individual capacities to engage in political participation or compensate for weak capacities, so as to boost an individual’s probability to become politically active.

Download Full-text

Value co-creation through actor embeddedness and actor engagement

Marketing Intelligence & Planning ◽

10.1108/mip-07-2018-0241 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

pp. 271-283 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Anees Wajid ◽

Muhammad Mustafa Raziq ◽

Omer Farooq Malik ◽

Shahab Alam Malik ◽

Nabila Khurshid

Keyword(s):

Design Methodology ◽

Conceptual Models ◽

Perceived Value ◽

Marketing Research ◽

Macro Level ◽

Content Type ◽

Creation Process ◽

Meso Level ◽

Micro Level ◽

Service Ecosystem

Purpose It is argued that the service-dominant (S-D) view of the value co-creation concept is mainly of a macro nature and is difficult to examine empirically. In this regard, marketing research using the micro-foundation theory proposes some conceptual models, through which relationships (involving value co-creation) at a micro/meso level may be studied. The purpose of this paper is to add to such exchanges regarding value co-creation and conceptualize the link of embeddedness of an actor (in a service-ecosystem) to their engagement in the value co-creation process. Design/methodology/approach The authors draw on the S-D logic and the value co-creation concept and make propositions with regard to two micro-foundational concepts: actor engagement and actor embeddedness. Findings The authors show that actor embeddedness can be considered as an antecedent of actor engagement, which leads to value co-creation at a macro level and perceived value in context at the micro level. Originality/value The authors fill some gaps in literature with regard to S-D logic and value co-creation by combining two micro-foundational concepts: actor engagement and actor embeddedness and propose how through these, some macro-level outcomes such as value co-creation and resource integration may be determined.

Download Full-text

Mexico City street vendors and the stickiness of institutional contexts

Critical Perspectives on International Business ◽

10.1108/cpoib-05-2015-0017 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 119-135 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Farzad H. Alvi ◽

Jorge Alberto Mendoza

Keyword(s):

Emerging Markets ◽

International Business ◽

Informal Sector ◽

Rational Expectations ◽

Macro Level ◽

Formal Sector ◽

Street Vendors ◽

Content Type ◽

Institutional Contexts ◽

Micro Level

Purpose The need for a firm’s business strategy to be responsive to the institutional contexts of emerging markets is well-established in the literature. Often, however, strategic responsiveness is impeded by defining institutional contexts as country-level aggregations (macro-level) and glossing over sub-national variations (micro-level). The purpose of this paper is to investigate micro-level contexts that can defy macro-level assumptions of economic rationality. Design/methodology/approach As a research site, the motivations of street vendors in Mexico City are analyzed in terms staying in one sub-national context, the informal sector, as opposed movement to another, the formal sector. Unanticipated reluctance to move from one context to another is defined as stickiness. Findings Sub-national institutional contexts are found to be sticky, with less movement between informal and formal sectors than would have been anticipated. Unexpectedly, it is found that a significant number of street vendors prefer the hardship of the informal sector to the relative security of the formal sector. Research implications International business research makes assumptions about the growth narrative of emerging markets, often characterizing a growing middle class as a rising tide that lifts all boats. In terms of further research on adapting strategy, however, assumptions of rational expectations ought to be tempered, as demonstrated by the stickiness of the informal sector. Originality/value A contribution is made to the international business literature by showing that macro-level assumptions about institutional context based on rational expectations of wealth-maximizing behavior in emerging markets may result in an incomplete view of institutional context. Ultimately, adaptation of strategy could be impaired as a result.

Download Full-text

18. Political participation

10.1093/hepl/9780198737421.003.0020 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Herbert Kitschelt ◽

Philipp Rehm

Keyword(s):

Social Networks ◽

Social Movements ◽

Political Parties ◽

Collective Action ◽

Political Participation ◽

Interest Groups ◽

Macro Level ◽

Micro Level ◽

Politically Active

Download Full-text

How to perform strategic change? A strategy as practice perspective

Chinese Management Studies ◽

10.1108/cms-04-2019-0140 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 811-832

Author(s):

Zelong Wei ◽

Linqian Zhang

Keyword(s):

Firm Performance ◽

Strategic Change ◽

Market Uncertainty ◽

Data Set ◽

Technological Uncertainty ◽

Content Type ◽

Practice Perspective ◽

Strategic Changes ◽

Strategy As Practice ◽

Positive Effect

Purpose In spite of the significance of the strategic change, its high rate of failure inspires us to explore how to successfully enact new strategic change in a different environment. Based on strategy as practice perspective and effectuation theory, this study aims to extend extant literature by identifying two approaches performing strategic change (e.g. causation strategic change or effectuation strategic change) and investigating their effects on firm performance and also boundary conditions (e.g. market uncertainty or technological uncertainty). Design/methodology/approach Based on a data set from 238 firms in China, the authors empirically test the hypotheses through regression analysis. Findings The findings indicate that causation and effectuation strategic changes can promote firm performance. However, the roles of the two approaches vary with the external environment. Specifically, market uncertainty strengthens while technological uncertainty weakens the positive effect of causation strategic change. In contrast, technological uncertainty strengthens the positive effect of effectuation strategic change on firm performance. Originality/value This study extends research literature of strategic change by identifying causation and effectuation strategic changes and investigating how their roles vary with market uncertainty and technological uncertainty. The findings guide firms to adopt a fit approach to perform a strategic change in different external environments.

Download Full-text

Performance feedback and organizational learning: the role of regulatory focus

Management Decision ◽

10.1108/md-09-2019-1319 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Shinhye Ahn ◽

Cecile K. Cho ◽

Theresa S. Cho

Keyword(s):

Organizational Learning ◽

Performance Feedback ◽

Learning Process ◽

Regulatory Focus ◽

Strategic Change ◽

Managerial Compensation ◽

Strategic Decisions ◽

Content Type ◽

Top Managers

PurposeThis study investigates how a firm's regulatory focus (i.e. promotion and prevention foci) affects growth- and efficiency-oriented strategic change, highlighting the role of organizational-level regulatory focus as a cognitive frame within which to interpret performance feedback and its subsequent effects on strategic decisions.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected longitudinal data on 98 S&P 500 manufacturing firms for a seven-year period. The panel data, which includes texts from the firms' 10-K filings, were then analyzed using a feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) regression estimator to test the authors’ hypotheses.FindingsA firm's strategic change orientation is affected by its regulatory focus and performance feedback: a promotion focus increases the magnitude of growth-oriented strategic change, while a prevention focus favors efficiency-oriented strategic change. Furthermore, both foci moderate the effect of performance feedback on the strategic change orientation: under negative performance feedback, a promotion (prevention) focus increases (decreases) the magnitude of growth-oriented strategic change relative to that of efficiency-oriented change. The findings provide robust evidence that regulatory focus can influence how organizations learn from feedback and formulate strategic change.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors’ examination of regulatory focus and organizational learning process relied on large manufacturing firms in the USA. However, learning process could be quite different in small and/or young firms. Future work should expand to a wider range of organizational types, such as nascent entrepreneurial ventures. In addition, the authors’ measurement of regulatory focus using corporate text has inherent weakness and could be supplemented with alternative research methods, such as surveys, interviews or experiments. All in all, however, the findings of this study offer a novel behavioral perspective while demonstrating that a regulatory focus is an important antecedent of organizational learning.Practical implicationsThis study highlights the importance of motivational characteristics of the top managers in the process of organizational learning from performance feedback. Furthermore, recruitment of a new top manager should be aligned with the organizational context, values and goals. In addition, corporate governance systems such as managerial compensation schemes need to be carefully designed so as to maximize organizational resilience, especially in the context of performance downturn or environmental change. Establishing a constructive organizational culture so that strategic decisions are not overly swayed by the performance outcomes would also be crucial to the organizational learning process.Social implicationsThis study highlights the importance of understanding the motivational orientations of top managers in organizational learning. In terms of managerial compensation, for instance, an optimal incentive system should reflect the desired performance output by encouraging managerial behavior that corresponds to its objective. Furthermore, motivational orientation of new recruits should be considered in the context of the composition of the top management team members in order to achieve “optimal fit.” In addition, this study suggests that top executives' regulatory focus can be a key factor for organizations in balancing goals of different value orientations.Originality/valueThe findings of this study demonstrated that a firm-level regulatory focus has a significant effect on organizational learning and strategic change following performance feedback. The authors hope this study provides an impetus for future discussions on the microcognitive mechanisms of organizational learning by exploring the relations between organizations' regulatory foci, performance feedback and strategic change orientations.

Download Full-text

S Group’s vision for strategic transformation: “Your Own Store”

Strategy and Leadership ◽

10.1108/sl-12-2014-0101 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

pp. 47-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kari Neilimo ◽

Hannu Kuusela ◽

Elina Närvänen ◽

Hannu Saarijärvi

Keyword(s):

Strategic Change ◽

Transformation Process ◽

Content Type ◽

The Face ◽

Practical Guidelines ◽

Strategic Transformation ◽

A Company ◽

Case Organization

Purpose – The vision should ignite and facilitate strategic change as well as help a company to transform and reinvent itself in the face of competition. Too often executives use vision as a mere slogan without real relevance. The purpose of this study is to show how the vision guides strategic change. Design/methodology/approach – A case study from a successful multi-format, multi-industry service business is used to illustrate the role of vision in strategic change management. Findings – The article illustrates how the vision was used in practice in guiding the strategic transformation process of the case organization. The study presents four focal tasks of the vision and concludes with five practical guidelines for executives. Originality/value – The article highlights the role of vision as an important tool for managing strategic change.

Download Full-text