Abstract
Purpose - To present the main findings of a study conducted in manufacturing firms in the UK to determine the applicability of generic strategies to small and medium sized firms (SMEs).
Design/methodology/approach - The Miles and Snow strategic orientation typology was used to examine the emphasis on the factors used to craft strategy and its subsequent impact on organizational performance. The study examined its applicability in two contrasting sectors: engineering and electronics.
Findings - Based on the responses obtained from 194 SMEs, the findings indicate that the main strategic orientation types present in this study are associated with different environment types; prospectors tend to perceive their environment as "dynamic" whereas defenders perceive their environment as "stable". Distinct differences were found in relation to the emphasis of both orientation types on leadership, culture, strategy, and performance outcomes. Finally, the findings indicate that "prospectors" perform better than "defenders" and are twice as likely to be high performing. Smaller firms are more likely to be "prospectors" compared with firms employing over 100 staff.
Originality/value - The study confirms the applicability of the Miles and Snow typology to SMEs - a domain neglected in previous studies. The findings also depict the association between the attributes of the operating environment, organizational culture, leadership and strategy on both defenders and prospectors and the path to either high or low performance.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 603-620 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2006 |
Keywords
- Business performance
- Corporate strategy
- Small to medium-sized enterprises