Strategic Management of Market Niches: A Model Framework

240 Pages·2018·6.89 MB·English

by  Gorazd Ocvirk (auth.)

Gorazd Ocvirk
Strategic
Management
of Market Niches
A Model Framework
Schriften zur
Unternehmensentwicklung
Reihe herausgegeben von
Max J. Ringlstetter, Ingolstadt, Deutschland
In dieser Schriftenreihe werden aktuelle Forschungsergebnisse im Bereich der
Unternehmensentwicklung präsentiert. Die einzelnen Beiträge orientieren sich an
Problemen der Führungs- bzw. Managementpraxis. Im Mittelpunkt stehen dabei
die Themenfelder Strategie, Organisation und Humanressourcen-Management.
Reihe herausgegeben von
Prof. Dr. Max J. Ringlstetter
Kathol. Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
Weitere Bände in der Reihe http://www.springer.com/series/12214
Gorazd Ocvirk
Strategic Management
of Market Niches
A Model Framework
Gorazd Ocvirk
Ljubljana, Slovenia
PhD Thesis, Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, 2015
Schriften zur Unternehmensentwicklung
ISBN 978-3-658-20363-4 ISBN 978-3-658-20364-1 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-20364-1
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017960896
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Contents

List of figures ...................................................................................................... VII 
List of abbreviations ........................................................................................... IX 

Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1 

Part I:   Fundamentals of niche research ........................................................ 13 
I.1  Historical development of niches in sciences ......................................... 14 
I.1.1  The origins of niches in natural sciences ....................................... 16 
I.1.2  Social sciences ............................................................................... 30 
I.1.3  The role of niches in business sciences .......................................... 44 
I.2  Niche definition for strategic management ............................................ 84 
I.2.1  Strategic management .................................................................... 85 
I.2.2  Definition of a niche ....................................................................... 94 
I.2.2  Definition of a niche strategy ......................................................... 99 

Part II:  Theoretical pillar of the niche model framework .......................... 103 
II.1  The historical development of dynamic capabilities ........................... 104 
II.1.1  The beginnings of dynamic capabilities ....................................... 104 
II.1.2  Formalization, definition and critique of the dynamic
capabilities paradigm ................................................................... 110 
II.1.3  Future developments and outlook in dynamic capabilities .......... 115 
II.2  Dynamic capabilities and strategic management ................................ 119 
II.2.1  Market-based view and its connection with dynamic
capabilities .................................................................................... 121 
II.2.2  Resource-based view and its connection with dynamic
capabilities .................................................................................... 125 
II.2.3  Dynamic capabilities and niche strategies ................................... 127 
Part III:  Market niche model framework for strategic management ......... 131 
III.1 What is a model framework? ................................................................ 132 
III.1.1 Basic theoretical concepts and definitions ................................... 133
VI Contents
III.1.2 Basic premises for model and theory construction in
management sciences ................................................................... 162 
III.1.3 Model and theory in management sciences ................................. 171 
III.2 Market niche model  in strategic management .................................... 173 
III.2.1 Descriptive and explanatory elements of the market niche
model ............................................................................................ 176 
III.2.2 Limitations and reach of the market niche model ........................ 186 
III.2.3 Implications of the market niche model ....................................... 193 
Concluding remarks .......................................................................................... 197 
Appendix ............................................................................................................. 201 
Literature… ........................................................................................................ 205
List of figures

Figure IN-1:  Factors contributing to the creation of new niches ........................ 2 
Figure IN-2:  Course of investigation ................................................................ 11 
Figure I-1:  Structure of Part I ........................................................................ 13 
Figure I-2:  Niches in the system of science. .................................................. 15 
Figure I-3:  Niche construction, its consequences and implications. ............. 28 
Figure I-4:  Generalism vs. Specialism. ......................................................... 35 
Figure I-5: The creation of a niche through the overlap of the
environmental factors and species specific systems .................... 45 
Figure I-6: Allocation of ecological and business science niches ................. 48 
Figure I-7: Representation of a force field in the social field. ....................... 50 
Figure I-8: Manifest vs. Latent niches ........................................................... 51 
Figure I-9: The niche as a sub-system of the total market............................. 54 
Figure I-10: Evolutionary development of markets ........................................ 55 
Figure I-11: Horizontal and vertical niches in a two dimensional
construction ................................................................................. 56 
Figure I-12: Horizontal and vertical niches in a multidimensional
construction ................................................................................. 57 
Figure I-13: Porter’s generic strategies and stuck in the middle. .................... 64 
Figure I-14: Disruptive technologies (disruptive innovation) over time. ........ 69 
Figure I-15: Business ecosystem. .................................................................... 73 
Figure I-16: ormulation of niche strategies. .................................................... 75 
Figure I-17: Merger endgame curve and the niche strategies. ........................ 78 
Figure I-18: The long tail................................................................................. 81 
Figure I-19: Basic understanding of strategic management. ........................... 86 
Figure I-20: Objects and process of strategic management. ............................ 87
VIII List of figures
Figure I-21: Strategic management definitions. .............................................. 92 
Figure I-22: The evolution of market segmentation ........................................ 96 
Figure I-23: Niche definitions in sciences ....................................................... 98 
Figure II-1: Structure of Part II. ................................................................... 103 
Figure II-2: Dynamic capabilities definitions ............................................... 113 
Figure II-3: The logic behind dynamic capabilities. ..................................... 117 
Figure II-4: Integrative nature of dynamic capabilities. ............................... 119 
Figure II-5: Efficiency vs. Market Power. .................................................... 120 
Figure II-6: Overview of strategic models. ................................................... 128 
Figure III-1:  Structure of Part III .................................................................... 132 
Figure III-2:  For views of organization and management. ............................. 141 
Figure III-3:  Burrell and Morgan’s paradigm matrix. .................................... 143 
Figure III-4:  List of some of the main paradigms in business sciences ......... 149 
Figure III-6:  Steps in theory building from a content standpoint ................... 165 
Figure III-7:  Guidelines of a theory ............................................................... 169 
Figure III-8: Conceptual framework of the niche theory. .............................. 175
List of abbreviations

cf. = confer/ compare
chap. = chapter
e.g. = for example
et al. = et alteri/ et alii
fig. = figure
f. = following page
ff. = and the following
KPI = Key performance indicator
M&A = Mergers and acquisitions
Ph.B. = Bachelor of Philosophy
P. = Page
R&D = Research and development
SM = Strategic management
SMJ = Strategic management journal
URL = Uniform Resource Locator
vs. = versus
www = World Wide Web