Strategic Learning: A Route to Competitive Advantage? PDF
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CHARLOTTA SIRÉN Strategic Learning: A Route to Competitive Advantage? ACTA WASAENSIA 297 BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 119 MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION III Julkaisija Julkaisupäivämäärä Vaasan yliopisto Toukokuu 2014 Tekijä(t) Julkaisun tyyppi Charlotta Sirén Artikkelikokoelma Julkaisusarjan nimi, osan numero Acta Wasaensia, 297 Yhteystiedot ISBN Vaasan yliopisto ISBN 978–952–476–527–5 (painettu) Kauppatieteellinen tiedekunta ISBN 978–952–476–528–2 (pdf) ISSN Johtamisen yksikkö ISSN 0355–2667 (Acta Wasaensia 297, painettu) PL 700 ISSN 2323–9123 (Acta Wasaensia 297, pdf) 65101 VAASA ISSN 1235–7871 (Acta Wasaensia. Business administration 119, painettu) ISSN 2323–9735 (Acta Wasaensia. Business administration 119, pdf) Sivumäärä Kieli 255 Englanti Julkaisun nimike Strateginen oppiminen: Tie yrityksen kilpailuetuun? Tiivistelmä Emergenttiin strategianäkemykseen ja strategian, yrittäjyyden ja organisaation oppimisen kirjalli- suuden teoreettisiin käsitteisiin rakentuen, tämä väitöskirja pyrkii empiirisesti edistämään mainit- tua kirjallisuutta vastaamalla seuraavaan kysymykseen: Mikä rooli strategisella oppimisella on yrityksen menestymiselle? Tätä kysymystä käsitellään viidessä toisiinsa nitoutuvassa artikkelissa, joissa strategisen oppimisen ilmiötä tarkastellaan suomalaisista IT-alan yrityksistä kerätyn määräl- lisen aineiston valossa. Keskittymällä strategisen oppimisen määrittelyyn ja sitä tarkastelevan mittariston rakentamiseen ja validointiin, väitöskirjan ensimmäinen artikkeli tarjoaa sekä strategiatutkijoille että yritysjoh- dolle työkalun strategisen oppimisen arviointiin ja johtamiseen. Toinen artikkeli laajentaa ambi- dekstrisyyden kirjallisuutta tutkimalla empiirisesti strategisen oppimisen merkitystä yrityksen eksploraatio ja eksploitaatio strategioille. Kolmas artikkeli haastaa johtamis- ja yrittäjyyskirjalli- suudessa valloillaan olevia lineaarisuuden oletuksia osoittaen, että organisaation muutosjäykkyy- teen liittyvät tilannetekijät vaikuttavat strategisen uudistumisen prosessiin. Neljäs artikkeli esittää, että strategisella oppimisella on tärkeä rooli yrityksissä, jotka tukeutuvat strategiseen suunnitte- luun. Viides artikkeli tarjoaa käytännön näkemyksiä strategisesta oppimisesta esitellen parhaita käytäntöjä lupaavien suomalaisten ohjelmistoalan yritysten keskuudessa. Tulokset osoittavat, että strategista oppimiskyvykkyyttä organisaatioissaan rakentamaan ja hyö- dyntämään kykenevät yritykset menestyvät parhaiten. On olemassa useita tekijöitä, kuten muutos- jäykkyyteen liittyvä yrityksen ikä ja koko sekä strategisen oppimiskyvykkyyden rajoittuneisuus, jotka yrityksen johdon täytyy ottaa huomioon saavuttaakseen parhaimman hyödyn strategisen tason organisaation oppimisesta. Väitöskirja edistää tieteellistä keskustelua tutkimalla empiirisesti onnistuneeseen strategiseen oppimiseen kytköksissä olevia reunaehtoja ja tilannetekijöitä, jotka määrittävät strategisen oppimisen merkitystä yritysten menestystekijänä. Asiasanat Strategia, strateginen oppiminen, dynaamiset kyvykkyydet, organisaation oppiminen, emergentti, eksploraatio, exploitaatio, yrittäjämäinen orientaatio, suorituskyky, IT-ala V Publisher Date of publication Vaasan yliopisto May 2014 Author(s) Type of publication Charlotta Sirén Selection of articles Name and number of series Acta Wasaensia, 297 Contact information ISBN University of Vaasa ISBN 978–952–476–527–5 (print) Faculty of Business Studies ISBN 978–952–476–528–2 (online) ISSN Department of Management ISSN 0355–2667 (Acta Wasaensia 297, print) P.O. Box 700 ISSN 2323–9123 (Acta Wasaensia 297, online) FI–65101 VAASA, Finland ISSN 1235–7871 (Acta Wasaensia. Business administration 119, print) ISSN 2323–9735 (Acta Wasaensia. Business administration 119, online) Number Language of pages 255 English Title of publication Strategic learning: A route to competitive advantage? Abstract Building on the emergent view of strategy identification and on theoretical concepts from strategy, entrepreneurship and organizational learning literatures, this dissertation empirically seeks to con- tribute to this arena by answering the following research question: What is the role of strategic learn- ing in firm success? This question is addressed in five interconnected articles whose conceptual development is supported by statistical analysis based on data collected from Finnish software firms. In the first article, the conceptualization of strategic learning along with a validated scale provides both strategy researchers and organizational leaders with a valuable tool to evaluate and manage strategic learning. The second article extends the ambidexterity literature by empirically examining the importance of strategic learning for firms’ exploration and exploitation strategies. The third arti- cle challenges the assumptions of linearity inherent in the majority of management and entrepreneur- ship studies by showing that contingency factors related to inertia influence the strategic renewal process. The fourth article suggests that strategic learning has an important moderating role in organ- izations that rely on strategic planning. In order to provide practical insights, the fifth article sheds light on the best practices among some promising Finnish software companies. The results indicate that those software companies able to build and leverage strategic learning capa- bilities in their organizations are those that subsequently perform best. There are, however, many factors such as inertial forces related to age and size and the limited nature of strategic learning ca- pabilities that need to be carefully considered and managed in order to maximize the benefits from such higher-order learning. This dissertation hopes to advance scholarly conversations by examining and empirically testing the boundary conditions and contingencies relating to successful strategic learning that is recognized as a vital component of firms’ success. Keywords Strategy, strategic learning, dynamic capabilities, organizational learning, emergent, exploration, exploitation, entrepreneurial orientation, performance, IT industry VII ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Before enrolling on the PhD program at the University of Vaasa I was (and still am) an entrepreneur. When I started in the program, I thought that I could never love doing research as much as I love entrepreneurship because these two are in every way so different. However, soon after starting the project I realized that the passion I feel towards research is like that I feel towards entrepreneurship. The key role what emotions play in both of these journeys, the unforgettable experi- ences (both ups and downs) that have defined me as a person, the freedom and responsibility that comes along, the opportunity to develop my abilities and to understand myself, and the opportunity to grow and establish myself as a person, intertwines in these processes in an unique way. I feel extremely privileged that I have been given the opportunity to explore both of these worlds at a relatively young age. A successful reconciliation of these two processes and especially the completion of one step in the academic world—the finishing of my PhD—would have never been possible without the help, trust and support from many people and organizations. Therefore and before all, I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart all of those who have helped me in any way during my PhD journey. First, my deepest gratitude goes to my supervisor Professor Marko Kohtamäki for his devotion to this process. His sense of direction challenged me to go beyond the obvious. I wish to thank the two official pre-examiners of this dissertation, Professor Matthias Fink from Johannes Kepler University, Austria, and Professor Erno Tornikoski from Grenoble Ecole de Management, France for their insightful comments on my manuscript in addition to their expertise in the field of strategy, entrepreneurship and organizational learning from which I have greatly benefitted when I have developed my own research. Your work has greatly inspired me. I have had a privilege to work with many great people. Professor Riitta Viitala, Professor Jukka Vesalainen, Professor Andreas Kuckertz, Professor Pasi Malin, Dr. Vivianna Fang He, Professor George Solomon, Professor Sheetal Singh, Dr. Seppo Luoto, Dr. Niina Koivunen, Professor Ken Parry, Professor Timothy Kiessling, Professor Minna Rollins, Jukka Kohtanen, each of your willingness to share knowledge and help has been exceptional. In addition, a special thank you is addressed to Professor Teemu Kautonen. Your excellent statistics course and willingness to help in statistical challenges was vital to my accomplishment. I am excited to work in your team in the future. From the University of Vaasa depart- ment staff I want particularly to thank Dr. Henri Hakala. It has been a great pleas- ure to work with you, I have really appreciated our inspiring discussions, joint research and the conference trips we have made. I also owe a special thank you to Professor Joakim Wincent who has been a true inspiration to my VIII career as an academic and a great mentor. I am looking forward our collaboration in future. Further, I would like to thank Andrew Mulley and the Academic Edit- ing team helping with the copy editing processes of the dissertation and articles. In addition to great colleagues, my beloved friends have been a tremendous source of fun and relaxation during free time. Thank you especially Vivianna, Inka, Reetta, Asta and Petra, for supporting me. During my doctoral studies, several institutions and foundations have supported my research. I thank the Finnish Graduate School of Management and Infor- mation System Studies (GRAMIS/KATAJA), the South Ostrobothnia Regional Fund (Etelä-Pohjanmaan Kulttuurirahasto), the Foundation for Economic Educa- tion (Liikesivistysrahasto), the Evald and Hilda Nissi Foundation, and the Vaasa University foundation for their financial support that allowed me to focus on re- search and present my results at international conferences. My greatest gratitude is to my family; to my parents Maarit and Esko Sirén and to my loving Juho. You have been both interested in and supportive of everything I have undertaken in my life. You have encouraged me to explore the world and pursue my dreams. By having faith in me, you have made me believe that achiev- ing them is possible. Juho – without you I would have changed into a book, thank you for keeping me in the real world. You are the balance of my life. Vaasa, March 15, 2014 Charlotta Sirén IX Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................... VII 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................. 1 1.2 Research gaps .......................................................................................... 3 1.3 Research questions and study objectives ................................................ 7 1.4 Structure of the dissertation ..................................................................... 9 2 THE ORETICAL BACKGROUND OF STRATEGIC LEARNING ............. 10 2.1 Strategic learning rooted in emergent strategies ................................... 10 2.2 Strategic learning as a dynamic capability ............................................ 13 2.3 Strategic learning and the relationship to other related concepts .......... 14 2.3.1 Strategic learning and absorptive capacity ............................. 15 2.3.2 Strategic learning and explorative learning ............................ 16 2.3.3 Strategic learning, single-loop, double-loop learning and deuteron learning .................................................................... 17 2.3.4 Strategic learning and knowledge management ..................... 18 3 METHODO LOGY ......................................................................................... 20 3.1 Research strategy and underlying philosophical assumptions .............. 20 3.2 Research design ..................................................................................... 22 3.3 General characteristics of the Finnish software industry ...................... 24 3.4 Empirical data collection ....................................................................... 26 3.5 Measures and operationalization ........................................................... 28 3.6 Data analysis ......................................................................................... 36 3.6.1 Analysis methods .................................................................... 37 3.6 Quality assessments: reliability and validity ......................................... 39 3.6.1 Reliability ................................................................................ 40 3.6.2 Validity ................................................................................... 41 4 ARTICLE SUMMARIES .............................................................................. 45 4.1 Unmasking the capability of strategic learning: a validation study ...... 45 4.2 Exploration, exploitation, performance and the mediating role of strategic learning: escaping the exploitation trap .................................. 47 4.3 Fighting inertia: Benefits of entrepreneurial orientation and strategic learning for large and mature firms ....................................................... 49 4.4 Stretching strategic learning to the limit: The interaction between strategic planning and learning ............................................................. 51 4.5 Strategic learning for agile maneuvering in high technology SMEs .... 53 5 DIS CUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS .......................................................... 55 5.1 Theoretical contribution ........................................................................ 55 5.2 Implications for practice ........................................................................ 59 5.3 Limitations and future research suggestions ......................................... 63 5.4 Conclusions ........................................................................................... 68 REFER ENCES ..................................................................................................... 69 X Figures Figure 1. A framework integrating the tested antecedents, moderators, and performance outcomes of strategic learning ...................................... 8 Figure 2. Strategy formation in dynamic environments (adapted from Mintzberg & Waters 1985: 271) ...................................................... 11 Figure 3. Procedures for developing a measure of strategic learning (adapted from Yi 2009) ................................................................................... 46 Figure 4. Illustration of the focus in Paper 1 ................................................... 47 Figure 5. Illustration of the focus in Paper 2 ................................................... 48 Figure 6. Illustration of the focus in Paper 3 ................................................... 51 Figure 7. Illustration of the focus in Paper 4 ................................................... 52 Figure 8. Illustration of the focus in Paper 5 ................................................... 54 Table Table 1. Research characteristics and methodologies used in the articles ........... 39 Abbreviations ACAP Absorptive capacity CFA Confirmatory factor analysis CR Composite reliability DC Dynamic capabilities EFA Exploratory factor analysis EO Entrepreneurial orientation ICT Information and communications technology IT Information technology KM Knowledge management OLS Ordinary least squares (regression) NACE European classification of economic activities PLS Partial least squares (modeling) RBV Resource-based view (of the firm) SME Small and medium sized enterprise TOL Toimialaluokitus (Standard Industrial Classification used in Finland)
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