STRATEGIC FLEXIBILITY FOR HIGH TECHNOLOGY MANOEUVRES: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK |
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Authors: | J. Stuart Evans |
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Affiliation: | Pedagogy Inc., Menlo Park, California |
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Abstract: | Strategic flexibility is proposed as an expedient capability for managing capricious settings, such as those confronted in technology-intensive arenas. This article examines the historical evolution of the concept of flexibility and analyses its different senses by relating it to other concepts with a ‘family resemblance’. A conceptual framework is subsequently developed, which integrates the temporal and intentional dimensions of flexibility. Four archetypal manoeuvres, derived from the framework, are proposed as a means of attaining strategic flexibility. The deployment of these manoeuvres is exemplified by means of selected strategic engagements of firms in the computer peripherals arena. The article concludes with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of the research. |
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