Title:
Strategy formulation in entrepreneurial firms / Azhdar Karami.
Main Entry:
Karami, Azhdar.
Publisher:
Ashgate,
Publication Date:
�2007.
Publication Place:
Aldershot, England ; Burlington, VT :
ISBN:
0754647927
9780754647928
Subject:
Small business -- Management.
New business enterprises -- Management.
Strategic planning.
Business planning.
Entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship.
Strategic planning.
Contents:
List of Figures -- List of Tables -- Preface -- Acknowledgement -- Dedication -- Introduction tot strategy and entrepreneurship -- Introduction -- Origin of strategy -- Definition of strategy in management -- Evolution of strategy theory -- Changing paradigm of management -- The strategy in management context -- Strategic management -- Strategic management process -- Stages of strategic management -- Awareness -- Strategy formulation -- Strategy implementation -- Evaluation -- What is entrepreneurship -- Approaches to entrepreneurship -- Studying strategy in entrepreneurial SMEs -- The rationale for studying strategy and entrepreneurship -- Integration of strategic and entrepreneurial thinking -- Structure of the book -- References -- Strategy formulation in small and medium sized enterprises -- Introduction -- Theoretical background of strategy in entrepreneurial firms -- Rational model of planning -- Intuitive learning model of strategy -- Conceptualization of strategic planning -- Strategy formulation phases in SMEs -- Strategic management model for entrepreneurial SMEs -- Environmental scanning in SMEs -- Developing a meaningful mission statement
Developing business strategies for SMEs -- Specialisation and diversification -- Internationalisation -- Competitive strategies for SMEs -- Cost leadership -- Differentiation -- Focus -- Electronic commerce (EC) and SME business strategies -- Strategy implementation in SMEs -- Organisational structure -- Leadership style -- Human resources -- Strategy evaluation and control -- Chapter summary and conclusion -- References -- Researching strategy -- Introduction -- Methodology in management researches: a positivistic approach -- Overview of research methods employed in strategic management -- Research design: qualitative or quantitative research -- Quantitative research methods -- Qualitative research methods -- Choosing the research methodology -- Research process -- Objectives of the study and research questions -- Research hypotheses -- The sample -- The dynamic SME strategic management model -- Defining research variables -- Managerial and corporate characteristics -- External and internal environmental variables -- Strategy formulation variables -- Strategy implementation and control variables -- The methods of data collection -- Observation -- Interview
Personal interview: advantages and disadvantages -- Questionnaire -- The mail questionnaire: advantages and disadvantages -- Selection of data collection techniques -- Questionnaire construction -- Measurement consideration -- The process of survey questionnaire -- The process of research interviews -- Data analysis -- Parametric or non-parametric analysis -- Statistical tests used -- Chapter summary and conclusion -- References -- Data analysis and major findings -- Introduction -- Company details -- Managerial characteristics of the respondents -- Respondents' Age -- Work experiences -- Gender -- Education -- Management training -- Strategic planning activities -- The degree of formality involved in business planning -- Who are involved in business planning? -- The degree of involvement of the studied firms in planning activities -- No planning -- Informal financial planning -- Formal financial and informal strategic planning -- Formal strategic planning -- Developing objectives and mission statement in the studied SMEs -- Purposes of mission statement -- Significance of internal and external factors -- Environmental analysis in small and medium sized enterprises
Importance of the external environmental factors -- The five competition forces of strategy -- Industry strength factors -- Environmental analysis and firm size -- Strategy implementation in SMEs -- Organizational structure -- Employees -- Costing programmes and standard operating procedures -- Flexibility of business plan -- Quality of leadership -- Strategic management and organizational factors -- Adaptability to environmental changes -- Developing and implementing business plans -- Operational decision making -- Employees' satisfaction and organisational structure -- Organisational conflict and problem solving -- Overall firm's objectives and performance -- Firm performance measurement -- Chapter summary and conclusion -- References -- Strategic entrepreneurship -- Introduction -- Entrepreneur as strategists -- Characteristics of successful entrepreneurs -- Nature of strategic planning in entrepreneurial SMEs -- Strategic management approach and organizational factors -- Business-owner entrepreneurs and strategic planning -- Managerial characteristics and strategy development -- Age -- Working experiences -- Education -- Strategic awareness of the managers
Managing resource capabilities -- Innovation -- Chapter summary and conclusion -- References -- Crafting strategy and environmental context -- Introduction -- Elements of corporate strategy -- Vision and mission statement -- Goals and objectives of the firm -- Resources and capabilities -- Businesses -- Structure, system and processes -- Business level strategy -- Effective strategy formulation and implementation process in SMEs -- Strategic planning tools -- Developing mission statement and objectives in SMEs -- Mission statement and firm performance -- Industry and environment analysis in SMEs -- Environmental scanning and firm size -- Priority of external factors within the industry -- Environmental scanning and firm performance in SME sector -- Strategic planning: formal or informal? -- Does the size of the firm matter? -- Strategy development and human resources involvement -- Strategic characteristics and performance of the entrepreneurial firms -- Chapter summary and conclusion -- References -- Final lessons and conclusion -- Introduction -- Research questions and objectives of the study -- Summary of the major findings -- Theoretical contribution of the research -- Policy implications -- Some learning points for SME managers -- Limitations of the study -- Suggestions for further research -- Index
Cover Image:
Log in
Help
