A framework for strategic decision making and performance among Chinese managers

This study develops an integrative model that explains the relationship between Chinese culture, managers' strategic decision making (SDM) processes, and organizational performance. For the study 1200 participants were randomly selected from a business club's company register, resulting in 204 valid respondents. The results highlighted two significant SDM paths used by managers: (1) the cognitive-speed path, which suggested that Overseas Chinese managers (the Chinese who live outside of Mainland China) focus on the big picture, draw analogies from past experiences, and use extensive networks to reduce the duration of the decision process; and (2) the social-political path which shows that Overseas Chinese managers focus on collective interests, strive to maintain harmony, and to save face while using a collaborative style to handle conflict; this approach reduces dysfunctional political behavior, while reinforcing the decision team's focus on common goals. From these results we concluded that a speedier decision making process (based on intuition, experience, and networks) accompanied by the appropriate use of political behavior (that created harmony, through a hierarchical structure, during conflict management) in the Overseas Chinese managers' strategic decision making process could positively influence organizational performance.     

Global,national and local practices in multinational corporations: towards a sociopolitical framework

This paper intends to shed some light on strategies and power resources of subsidiary managers and employee representatives involved in ‘charter changes’ and the implementation of ‘best practices’ developed elsewhere. Research shows that local managers face a dilemma in that they need both internal legitimacy (within the MNC itself) and external legitimacy (within the local context). It is argued that the power resources key actors draw on in the (internal) decision-making processes of ‘charter changes’ are intertwined with certain (external) national business system (NBS) characteristics, an aspect often neglected in North American research about MNCs. The authors identify three key influences, which restrain or empower local management and employees in their ability to make strategic choices and gain power within the MNC. They are (1) the overall strategic approach of the multinational group, (2) the strategic position and the economic performance of the subsidiary itself and (3) the degree of institutional embeddedness of the subsidiary in the host country. Comparative mini-case studies are used to illustrate the effect of local management and employee representatives' empowerment on their ability to retain skills and work practices supportive of a diversified quality production process in the face of MNC pressure to adopt global ‘best practices’ based on more standardized production processes.     

A Proposed Research Agenda for the Refinement of the High Performance Work System Construct in the U.S. Restaurant Industry

Abstract

The current research proposes a framework for the investigation and conceptualization of high performance work systems in the U.S. restaurant industry. The projected U.S. restaurant industry sales for 2006 are $511.1 billion according to the National Restaurant Association (National Restaurant Association, 2005). Because of its size and impact on the foodservice industry and the hospitality industry in general, improving the performance of the restaurant industry could help increase overall revenues and guest satisfaction in the foodservice and hospitality industry. By identifying a list of high performance work practices in the industry, a more in-depth exploration of these practices and then organizational policies can be aligned together to help improve overall performance in the U.S. restaurant industry. The current study provides theoretical background and support for the high performance work systems theory.     

The effects of strategic hospital alliances on hospital efficiency

This study examines the effects of strategic alliances on the efficiency of hospitals controlled by the Department of Health in Taiwan. Overall, it is found that the efficiency of the hospitals improved after they formed strategic hospital alliances (SHAs). The results also indicate that smaller hospitals located in competitive areas are more efficient, as exemplified by shorter patient stays, higher occupancy rates, and lower mortality rates. Based on Taiwan's experience, it is inferred that SHAs do improve the performance of the participating hospitals. It is hoped that the results of this study will encourage health policy officials and healthcare organizations in other countries to consider implementing similar strategies for their hospitals.     

Transnational HR network learning in Korean business groups and the performance of their subsidiaries

This study explores (1) how two distinct dimensions of transnational human resources (HR) network learning, i.e. globally linked and locally leveraged learning, are related to the performance of the foreign subsidiaries of Korean business groups (chaebols) and (2) how strategic HR learning mediates the relationship between these two dimensions of transnational HR network learning and the performance of foreign subsidiaries. We propose that each dimension of transnational HR network learning is related independently and jointly to the performance of a chaebol's foreign subsidiaries. Our results suggest that locally leveraged HR learning has a stronger relationship with the performance of sales subsidiaries, whereas globally linked HR learning has a stronger relationship with the performance of manufacturing subsidiaries. In addition, we find that the interaction between the two dimensions of transnational HR network learning has a weaker positive relationship with the performance of foreign manufacturing subsidiaries than that of foreign sales subsidiaries.     

信息化与工业化深度融合下湖北省战略性新兴产业发展研究

信息化与工业化深度融合,是工业化发展到一定阶段和信息技术发展到一定水平的产物,它的实现有技术、产品、业务、资源融合等形式.战略性新兴产业是以重大技术突破和巨大发展需求为基础,对经济社会的全局性和长远性发展具有强大引领和带动作用,知识技术密集、物质资源消耗少、成长潜力巨大、综合效益良好的产业.湖北省应以“两化”深度融合为契机,大力发展战略性新兴产业,推进全省经济社会更好更快地发展.     

When are assets complementary? star scientists,strategic alliances,and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry

To answer the question of when are assets complementary, we investigate specific resource combinations along the value chain, focusing on two mechanisms that are central to combining resources for innovation in the pharmaceutical industry: recruitment and retention of star scientists, and 2) engagement in strategic alliances. We propose that resource combinations that focus on the same parts of the value chain are substitutes due to knowledge redundancies. Conversely, we hypothesize that resource combinations that link different parts of the value chain are complements due to integration of nonredundant knowledge. To test these hypotheses, we empirically track the innovative performance of 108 global pharmaceutical firms over three decades (1974–2003). Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bridging and bonding forms of social capital in a regional strategic network

Research on networks emphasizes the importance of bonds between actors. Social reciprocity strengthens network bonds, which is assumed to have positive effects on business relationships between firms. However, the importance of weak ties is also stressed in network research. An important policy issue is therefore if more attention should be devoted to the creation of bridges to other social groups and loosening bonds between network actors. The difficulty in doing so is described and analyzed in this article focusing on a regional strategic network, which is viewed in three network perspectives. Interview data were collected from all participating managers in a regional strategic network in 2004 and 2010. The findings shed light upon the paradox of using a regional strategic network to counteract over-embeddedness and freeing the involved actors from existing network lock-ins instead of further strengthening such social institutions.     

县级巢湖市承接产业转移的战略选择

地级巢湖市被拆分后,县级巢湖市要重新定位。鉴于此,要突破传统思维,创新产业承接观念;改善投资环境,提高产业配套能力;创新体制机制,突破产业转移瓶颈;围绕产业招商,创新招商引资方式;给力产业转移,实现经济结构优化,尽快将巢湖市真正打造成合作发展的先行区、科学发展的试验区,建成皖江城市带承接产业转移示范区的一块高地。     

我国发展铁路快捷货运战略思考

在快捷货运需求快速增长的背景下,发展铁路快捷货运不仅是满足经济社会发展和适应经济发展方式转变的需要,也是构建现代物流体系和提高铁路经济效益的需要.尽管近年来铁路快捷货运取得较快发展,但总体滞后于公路、民航.在对铁路快捷货运发展进行态势分析,详解其外部环境、内部条件、铁路优劣势以及面临机遇和挑战的基础上,提出我国发展铁路快捷货运的战略选择和战略重点.分析阐明铁路只要积极实施“扭转型战略”,抓住机遇,突出重点,加快发展,完全有条件扭转在快捷货运市场竞争中的被动局面.