Purpose: What does the article set out to do? In other words what is the objective of the author? To examine the differences in management strategies among family enterprises in small communities.
Theory: Does the article use any
theoretical framework related to Business Strategy? If yes, explain the framework briefly. What are the strengths and weakness of the framework? Yes. The study provides a brief understanding of the background of personal and economic dynamics of the family-owned enterprises based on previous research. Additionally, the literature offers various characteristics that define family business such as the number of employees, variations in the availability of resources and the structure of management. The theoretical framework also provides previous approaches to management strategies and observes that most of them have been based on prescriptive approach and none has been carried out from the viewpoint of strategic management. The theoretical framework highlights the existing research gap and how it purposes to fill it. However, the literature doesn’t provide a detailed analysis of the various management strategies across the globe.
Methodology: What methodology have the authors used to collect data?
Is the article cross cultural? If yes please explain why you think it is cross cultural. Telephone interviews. No. the article is not cross-cultural because it only considers a target population located in one community only.
Data Analysis: How was the data analysed? In other words what statistical tools were used? Data were analyzed based on the managerial functions of Huggins (1994) which was modified to fit the context of the study. A five-point Likert scale was used to rate the participant’s responses.
Findings and conclusion
What were the findings and conclusion draw from the article? The managers of small family businesses situated in small communities in the U.S who applied strategies geared towards extensive planning and management perceived their enterprises to be prosperous. The findings also show that the small family-owned businesses from the same location do not seek support from the government sources both locally and nationally. On the other hand, the significant challenge with these managers was the development of proper promotional strategies.
How did the article contribute to the theories and concepts of
Business Strategy? The article demonstrates that the definition of Higgins of the four functional management activities overlaps each other naturally. Therefore, the article calls for additional research to examine if the management activities according to Higgins’ grouping are relevant to different types of small family-owned enterprises found in communities of different sizes.
Purpose: What does the article set out to do? In other words what is the objective of the author? To define international strategy research and differentiated it from what it is not.
Theory: Does the article use any
theoretical framework related to Business Strategy? If yes, explain the framework briefly. What are the strengths and weakness of the framework? Yes. The framework begins by the definition of the characteristic of internationalism, and the study of international strategy is identified by the theoretical and conceptual understandings on the effects of executing cross-border operations and not because of its multi-country nature. The reasons why single nation researches are not regarded as international is because the organizations involved, the events supervised, the conceptual relations and the data presented do not deal with business operations beyond borders. The theoretical framework also considers the dependent, explanatory, moderating, and control variables. The theoretical framework provides a precise definition of IS alongside clear justification. However, the IS is not viewed from multiple perspectives.
Methodology: What methodology have the authors used to collect data?
Is the article cross cultural? If yes please explain why you think it is cross cultural. The study is a commentary, and therefore it only addresses the conventional methods that researchers have used to gather data in international strategy research. Secondary data is commonly obtained from multinational databases of multi-level firms and checked for compatibility, whereas, primary data is collected through guided interviews, and surveys are rare and highly criticized.
Data Analysis: How was the data analysed? In other words what statistical tools were used? The article is a commentary, and thus no statistical data analysis tool was used but instead an analysis of existing literature to accomplish the objective of the study.
Findings and conclusion
What were the findings and conclusion draw from the article? International strategy study is a combination of both disciplinary and internationally based theory. An emphasis of IS should be beyond boundaries for through this better prospects to develop an understanding restrictions of business management theory are realized.
How did the article contribute to the theories and concepts of Business Strategy?
The article provided an in-depth definition and theoretical framework of international strategy research by giving a precise definition of international strategy research by differentiating it from what it is not. Thus, the article challenges are researchers to transit from the shallow traditional focus of IS from global events to the theoretical concepts to understand the international context.
Purpose: What does the article set out to do? In other words what is the objective of the author?
To address the features of the Strategic international human resource management (SIHRM) of Chinese Multinational Companies (MNCs), and the way the IHRM strategies of the companies influence their cross-country business operations.
Theory: Does the article use any theoretical framework related to Business Strategy?
If yes, explain the framework briefly. What are the strengths and weakness of the framework? Yes. The article provides an in-depth literature review of the significance of the connection IHRM with the adoption of the internationalization strategy regarding Chinese MNCs and their IHRM strategies. The theoretical framework exposes the existing bias in research on Western multinational corporations in China and the very few researches that tackle the SHIRM of Chinese MNCs with business activities beyond the borders. However, the framework doesn’t exhaustively address other Chinese non-MNCs with businesses beyond overseas.
Methodology: What methodology
have the authors used to collect data?
Is the article cross cultural? If yes please explain why you think it is cross cultural. Cross-level in-depth interviews.
Yes. The article is cross-cultural because it collects data from Chinese MNCs with overseas business operations. This means that whatever data is gathered it represents different cultures in which the corporations conduct their business operations.
Data Analysis: How was the data analysed?
In other words what statistical tools were used? A qualitative approach in which a multiple case study design is selected.
Findings and conclusion
What were the findings and conclusion draw from the article? The findings show that Chinese MNEs connect their staff management to their overseas enterprises strategies as a way of reconciling the desire to be integrated internationally and to become responsive locally. Four endogenous aspects are evident in the SIHRM framework of the Chinese MNCs, these include MNC related structural issues, the internationalization orientation of MNCs, the implemented competitive strategy and the international expertise of the MNC in internationalization. Chinese MNCs offer a perfect opportunity to examine the patterns of the conduct of Chinese MNCs and compare with their counterparts in established markets.
How did the article contribute to the theories and concepts of Business Strategy?
The article is among the pioneer contributors to the research that investigates Chinese MNCs from the viewpoint of SHRM. The study also provides new empirical data which demonstrates how Chinese companies address overseas investment as a means of acquiring experience to gain a competitive advantage. It also provides an improvement on the methodology research based on Chinese SIHRM.
Purpose: What does the article set out to do? In other words what is the objective of the author? To discuss and explain from a theoretical viewpoint the evolution and pros and cons of the process of strategic management, with the aim of providing the management with a modality of attaining competitiveness and to examine the entities’ position.
Theory: Does the article use any
theoretical framework related to Business Strategy? If yes, explain the framework briefly. What are the strengths and weakness of the framework? Yes. The article provides an in-depth theoretical framework by first explaining the need for strategic management process, the various evolution phases, and the cons and pros of the strategic management process that are significant to the success of the strategy. The framework is of benefit to the management of the Romanian companies and beyond in the making of strategic decisions to improve the management skills and their understanding of employees impact during a financial crisis. The framework only relies on secondary literature which limits its application to the dynamic business environment.
Methodology: What methodology
have the authors used to collect data?
Is the article cross cultural? If yes please explain why you think it is cross cultural. Qualitative approach. The article examines existing relevant literature to the study topic.
Data Analysis: How was the data
analysed? In other words what statistical tools were used? The study used exploratory research design to examine the existing literature relevant to the study topic
Findings and conclusion
What were the findings and conclusion draw from the article? The benefits of the implementation of strategic management in business are viewed from the perspective of offering new clearer visions over the companies and a distinct focus on what is significant strategic wise. Also, the communication is improved when there are continuous dialogue and involvement of the staff in decision making. Successful implementation of business strategies can also be achieved through minimizing internal conflicts amongst employees by effectively planning for their future. The disadvantage of the strategic management process is understood from various perspectives such as financial, human or psychological, and workforce point of view.
How did the article contribute to the theories and concepts of Business Strategy?
The article provides new perspectives on strategic management process through an analysis of secondary literature and the corresponding advantages and disadvantages.
Purpose: What does the article set out to do? In other words what is the objective of the author? To ascertain if firms with supportive and dynamic corporate culture are more inclined to have a formulated and implemented strategy.
Theory: Does the article use any
theoretical framework related to Business Strategy? If yes, explain the framework briefly. What are the strengths and weakness of the framework? Yes. The article considers the existing research on organizational culture and strategy, which are the primary variables under study. The journal provides practical ways in which the management can fit a new strategy into the organization’s cultural context. Most importantly, the article concludes based on other studies that the implementation of a new strategy is most successful in a more dynamic culture.
Methodology: What methodology have the authors used to collect data?
Is the article cross cultural? If yes please explain why you think it is cross cultural. The theoretical framework provides a detailed analysis of the study variables. However, the two study variables are not sufficient to generalize the conclusion across the globel
Data Analysis: How was the data analysed?
In other words what statistical tools were used? The collected data were statistically analyzed and normality tests obtained. To determine the strength of the relationship between variables, a Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient was calculated.
Findings and conclusion
What were the findings and conclusion draw from the article? There is a strong relationship between the presence of dynamic corporate culture and a strategic process focused towards attaining a competitive edge. There is need for efficient implementation of strategies for there to be competitive advantage. This implies that other necessary factors, besides organizational resources, such as favorable supportive climate towards strategies should be considered. Thus, a dynamic culture geared towards promoting strategic activities will as well impact the staff positively to support strategy implementation with the focus on attaining a sustainable competitive advantage.
How did the article contribute to the theories and concepts of Business Strategy?
The article underscores the fact that other factors usually disregarded should be considered when implementing strategies because they determine its successful reception and implementation. These include the corporate culture and its members. The study provides additional evidence on the positive relationship between the presence of dynamic corporate culture and a strategic process geared towards attaining competitive gain.
