scholarly journals Revitalizing Strategic Agility in a Turbulent Environment: A Conceptual Discourse

2022 ◽  
Vol 10 (01) ◽  
pp. 2844-2851
Author(s):  
Poi, Godwin ◽  
Lebura Sorbarikor
Keyword(s):  
Information Technologies ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Dynamic Environment ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽  
Turbulent Environment ◽  
Turbulent Environments ◽  
Strategic Direction ◽  
Strategic Agility ◽  
Sense And Respond

This paper conceptually examined revitalizing strategic agility in a turbulent environment. In the current turbulent and highly competitive environment of today, agility, that is the ability of organizations to quickly sense and respond to environmental changes, is an important determinant of organizational success. With the advancement of information technologies, company strategy focuses nowadays on sustainable competitive advantage, and gives importance to short-term advantages of flexibility and fast response. In the unpredictable and competitive world of today, organizations must have different competitive features to compete; otherwise, they will move towards annihilation. One of the capabilities that organizations need in the turbulent environments of today is agility. Strategic agility is the ability to continuously and adequately adjust and adapt in appropriate time the strategic direction in core business in relation to changing circumstances. Agility provides the organization with the possibility of quick response and compatibility with environment and allows the organization to improve its efficiency.  The paper is largely conceptual in nature and adopts a desk research methodology in reviewing extant literature. This study concludes that firms operating in dynamic environments must realize the need for change and adaptation and thereby stimulate their in developing agility that can better respond to a dynamic environment.

scholarly journals Impact of Technology Habitual Domain on Ambidextrous Innovation: Case Study of a Chinese High-Tech Enterprise

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 4602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinwei Ye ◽  
Lei Ma ◽  
Junwen Feng ◽  
Yang Cheng ◽  
Zheng Liu
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Dynamic Environment ◽  
Innovation Strategy ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽  
Turbulent Environment ◽  
Influence Mechanism ◽  
Impact Of Technology ◽  
Exploratory Innovation

To obtain a sustainable competitive advantage in the dynamic environment, it is necessary for Chinese high-tech enterprises to focus on their technology habitual domains in formulating ambidextrous innovation strategy. This study integrates technology habitual domain, exploratory innovation and exploitative innovation within a framework and explores the influence mechanism among them. Based on an in-depth case study on KTE, representing a high-tech enterprise in China, we have several findings. Firstly, we depict the evolution mechanism of technology habitual domain; secondly, we find that the high-tech enterprise’s technology habitual domain will cultivate and develop the firms’ dynamic capabilities; and thirdly, the expansion of technology habitual domain will promote exploitative innovation, while the transformation of technology habitual domain will promote exploratory innovation. These findings can be useful guidance for high-tech enterprises in China who are aiming to achieve ambidextrous innovation to better adapt to the turbulent environment, and thus achieving sustainability.

scholarly journals Validating Knowledge and Technology Effects to Operative Sustainable Competitive Advantage

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 45-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josu Takala ◽  
Jari Koskinen ◽  
Yang Liu ◽  
Mehmet Serif Tas ◽  
Matti Muhos
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽  
Manufacturing Strategy ◽  
Risk Levels ◽  
Sustainable Improvement ◽  
Strategic Direction ◽  
Sense And Respond ◽  
Global Company ◽  
Operational Excellence

Abstract Purpose: This paper aims to present a fresh idea on how to model and examine the level of sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) with and without knowledge and /technology (K/T) effects in a case company’s operation by taking the manufacturing strategy’s development directions and the efficiency of resource allocation among its attributes into consideration. Design/Methodology/approach: In this paper, questionnaires are filled by two different managerial groups, company’s management team (G1) and company’s global directors (G2). The analyses based on G1, G2 and G1-G2 (mixed results) are performed and examined as well as the effect of knowledge and /technology rankings to observe the differences on how they effect on company’s operations strategy and what kind of strategy type that decision makers might follow. Besides, the effects of knowledge/technology rankings on SCA risk levels are examined on different case companies to perceive the similarities and differences with our case company. In this case study, the objectives are achieved based on several methodologies: manufacturing strategy index (MSI) [1] and sense and respond (S&R) methodology [2]. Findings: The achieved results through the model are found to be promising corresponding to the feedback from the respondents. Research limitations/implications: The model is applied only in a big sized B2B global company that produces power electronics products. Therefore, further tests need to be applied to the model in case of multiple companies from different sizes and areas to figure out the best formula in case of validation of strategic direction (MAPE, RSME or MAD). Practical implications: As a result of its wide applicability and its ease in arrangement the model has an enormous potential for strategic decision-making process and strategic analysis. Originality/Value:The model can provide a more dependable possibility of sustainable improvement to the corporate operational excellence and strategy

Facing the challenges of the food industry: Might additive manufacturing be the answer?

2018 ◽  
Vol 233 (8) ◽  
pp. 1902-1906 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Sartal ◽  
Diego Carou ◽  
Rubén Dorado-Vicente ◽  
Lorenzo Mandayo
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽  
Three Dimensional Printing ◽  
Main Driver ◽  
The One ◽  
Dimensional Printing

Our research explores how additive manufacturing can support the food industry in facing its current global challenges. Although information technologies are usually highlighted as the main driver of the Industry 4.0 concept, which was first introduced during the Hannover Fair event in 2011, we posit that additive manufacturing can be the true generator of a sustainable competitive advantage in this sector. This evidence stems from a case study in a plant of one of the world’s largest fishing multinational companies. Our results show how, through robotic claw optimization using three-dimensional printing, we not only reduce the manufacturing costs but also increase the flexibility of the line and reduce time to market. On the one hand, our findings should encourage managers to test this technology at their facilities; on the other hand, policymakers should promote the adoption of additive manufacturing, highlighting the potential of this technology within the Industry 4.0 context.

Fuzzy System Dynamics of Manpower Systems

2014 ◽  
pp. 913-930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Mutingi ◽  
Charles Mbohwa
Keyword(s):  
System Dynamics ◽  
Fuzzy System ◽  
Dynamic Environment ◽  
Manpower Planning ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Dynamics Modeling ◽  
Market Growth ◽  
Turbulent Environments ◽  
Numerical Precision ◽  
And Training

Manpower recruitment and training in uncertain and turbulent environments is a challenge to decision makers in large organizations. In the absence of numerical precision on market growth and the ensuing manpower demand, designing manpower planning policies is vital. Often times, companies incur losses due to overstaffing and/or understaffing. For instance, organizations lose business when critical human resources leave. As a result, it is essential to develop robust effective dynamic recruitment and training policies, especially in a fuzzy and dynamic environment. In this chapter, a fuzzy systems dynamics modeling approach is developed to simulate and evaluate alternative dynamic policies relating skills recruitment, skills training, and available skills from a systems thinking perspective. Fuzzy system dynamics is implemented based on fuzzy logic and system dynamics concepts in order to arrive at robust strategies for manpower decision makers. It is anticipated that fuzzy system dynamics can help organizations to design effective manpower recruitment strategies in a dynamic and uncertain environment.

An Analysis of Hospitality and Tourism Research

2015 ◽  
pp. 359-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Calhoun ◽  
Alecia Douglas
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Dynamic Environment ◽  
Triple Bottom Line ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Tourism Research ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
Hospitality And Tourism

Learning organizations (LOs) have been identified as an innovative practice essential for global businesses to not only effectively compete in today's dynamic environment but also to achieve and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage and increase overall firm performance. The objective of this chapter is to examine the current body of knowledge on LOs and their impact on sustainability practices in an effort to identify what is being done by organizations, where knowledge is applied, and, how systems are created to influence sustainability practices. In the context of hospitality and tourism businesses, the literature examining LOs is limited though a wealth of studies have been conducted in the mainstream. Using a qualitative approach, a content analysis was conducted to investigate its impact on sustainability practices in hospitality and tourism organizations. The results indicate that destinations in particular have adopted this approach to compete globally and to address triple-bottom line sustainability.

A Multi-Agent System for Optimal Supply Chain Management

2011 ◽  
pp. 281-304
Author(s):  
Hyung Rim Choi ◽  
Hyun Soo Kim
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Scheduling Algorithm ◽  
Dynamic Environment ◽  
Multi Agent System ◽  
Production Environment ◽  
Agent System ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Multi Agent

Supply chain management recently has been developing into a dynamic environment that has to accept the changes in the formation of the supply chain. In other words, the supply chain is not static but varies dynamically according to the environmental changes. Therefore, under this dynamic supply chain environment, the priority is given not to the management of the existing supply chain but to the selection of new suppliers and outsourcing companies in order to organize an optimal supply chain. The objective of this research is to develop a multi-agent system that enables the effective formation and management of an optimal supply chain. The multi agent system for optimal supply chain management developed in this research is a multi agent system based on the scheduling algorithm, a cooperative scheduling methodology, which enables the formation of an optimal supply chain and its management. By means of active communications among internal agents, a multi-agent system for optimal supply chain management makes it possible to quickly respond to the production environment changes such as the machine failure or outage of outsourcing companies and the delivery delay of suppliers. This research has tried to suggest a new direction and new approach to the optimal supply chain management by means of a multi-agent system in dynamic supply chain environment

scholarly journals COPING WITH COMPLEXITY AND TURBULENCE - AN ENTREPRENEURIAL SOLUTION

2006 ◽  
Vol 14 (04) ◽  
pp. 241-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROGER B. MASON
Keyword(s):  
Chaos Theory ◽  
Entrepreneurial Orientation ◽  
Theoretical Underpinning ◽  
Turbulent Environment ◽  
Considerable Similarity ◽  
Turbulent Environments ◽  
Management Approaches ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
A Company

This paper considers the adoption of an entrepreneurial orientation as a paradigm for companies operating in a complex and turbulent environment, viewing the environment as a complex and turbulent system in terms of chaos theory. Approaches suggested by chaos theory are compared with the entrepreneurial orientation to identify if such an orientation matches these suggested approaches. Literature on chaos theory and entrepreneurship is compared, and a short case is presented, providing an illustration of how a company operating successfully in a complex and turbulent environment has used the principles of an entrepreneurial orientation. The paper identifies considerable similarity between the management approaches suggested by chaos theory and the principles of the entrepreneurial orientation, indicating that chaos theory may provide the theoretical underpinning of the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and turbulent environments. The case also shows how an entrepreneurial orientation has been successfully used in a complex and turbulent environment. The conclusion is that companies operating in a complex and turbulent environment could benefit from adopting an entrepreneurial orientation.

scholarly journals Designing competitivity activity model through the strategic agility approach in a turbulent environment

foresight ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 625-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emidia Vagnoni ◽  
Soheila Khoddami
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Turbulent Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entrepreneurial Alertness ◽  
Business Executives ◽  
Competitive Activity ◽  
Strategic Agility ◽  
Competitive Activities ◽  
Study Offer

Purpose This paper aims to introduce and test a model of shaping strategic agility based on dynamic capabilities such as information technology (IT) competencies, entrepreneurial alertness and acuity market to improve firms’ competitive activity. Design/methodology/approach A study based on a quantitative approach has been designed. Data have been collected through closed questionnaires from a sample of firms. The study has been conducted in the electronics industry in Italy based on the dynamism of the setting. Through SPSS-AMOS application, path analysis has been performed to conduct a first assessment of the theoretical model. Findings The dimensions of strategic agility are relevant capabilities for improving competitive activity. Furthermore, increasing strategic agility in the three dimensions (customer, operational and partnering) depends on the ability to improve other dynamic capabilities of the organization, including IT competency, systematic insight and strategic foresight. Finally, strategic agility results to be the only variable able to leverage the firm’s competitive activity. Research limitations/implications The study presents some limitations linked to the response rate and the ability to conduct further analysis. However, it highlights the main dimensions that managers and entrepreneurs should develop to improve the competitive activities of the firm. Practical implications The paper addresses practitioners’ need to identify the main variable to leverage in order to increase firms’ competitivity. Social implications The results of the study offer the opportunity for new reflections when designing business executives’ training programs and defining recruitment pathways. Originality/value This is the first study that investigates strategic agility building in a turbulent environment in the Italian setting.

Knowledge creation and its place in the development of sustainable competitive advantage

2003 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rob Sharkie
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Knowledge Creation ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽  
Sufficient Knowledge ◽  
Strategic Direction ◽  
Important Requirement ◽  
Future Success ◽  
Management Function ◽  
Better Than

Organizations operate in all areas through people and it is their contribution which determines success and it is their skills and knowledge which need to be cultivated and then leveraged to create competitive advantage. Sustainability of this competitive advantage comes from the development of tightly coordinated and complementary activities and directed towards producing a strategy of differentiation and making a unique offering to customers. A consistency in strategic direction is essential and this will necessitate the exercise of choice to develop a unique strategy. The development of sustainable competitive advantage is a vital management function and an important requirement is the nurturing of a knowledge creating environment to enable the organization to exploit and develop resources better than rivals and create sufficient knowledge to address the industry’s future success factors.

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