我國素以電子工業聞名世界，近年來卻從日本大量入超先進汽車電子零組件，從事此方面產品產銷之我國廠商也寥寥無幾？本研究以此為出發點，進行該產業進入障礙、公司特質與進入策略、競爭策略之間關係之研究。 　　本研究訪問七家公司、八項先進汽車電子零組件之案例，經過分析、比較之後，有下列重要發現： 　　一、我國汽車工業發展先進汽車電子零組件時，遭遇到之進入障礙以規模經濟無法發揮、汽車中心廠轉換成本高、先進入之國外汽車母廠之干預嚴重、技術困難度高為較主要之進入障礙。 　　二、我國汽車零組件廠商具有良好之製造能力與經營網路關係，但普遍缺乏產品開發能力。大多之廠家為中小企業，因此財務資金、人力資源能源也都不佳。 　　三、進入障礙會影響進入策略及競爭策略，可能的方式有下列三種： 　　（一）與整車性能或結構相關程度較高之先進汽車電子零組件，其規模經濟無法發揮、轉換成本過高、先進者干預等情況都較嚴重，且為所有進入障礙中最嚴重的三種障礙。因此當該先進汽車電子零組件與整車性能或結構關係愈緊密時，新進入之廠商會採取愈高資源掌握之方式進入市場，以掌握較多資源，並界種合作對象化解障礙。 　　（二）若先進汽車電子零組件與整車性能或結構關係愈緊密，則發展該產品之企業偏向採用規避競爭之競爭策略，例如市場追隨者，以避免與先進廠商做正面之品質／價格的競爭。 　　（三）技術困難度愈高的產品，必需要有強大的研發開發能力做後盾方能有效提昇品質與功能，以取得有利市場地位。而我國之汽車零組件廠商，目前為止，大部份的廠商均不具完整之產品開發能力，因此偏向採取追隨者策略。 　　四、公司能力或特質會影響進入策略及競爭策略，可能的方式有下列： 　　（一）產品開發能力好的公司較可以採行自行開發策略，而競爭策略方面則較可能選擇挑戰策略。 　　（二）經營網路在進入策略上扮演重要之角色，經營網路好的公司可以找到較佳的合作伙伴與合作模式，經營網路差的公司則不一定能尋找到合適的合作伙伴及合作方式。

本文以企業策略家Micnael Porter 1990年著作國家競爭優勢中的國家競 爭力之鑽石四條件互動為基礎，探討我國成品布產業現階段的作業品質及 下一階段之競爭策略。其中並以Werner International之分析方式，將全 球成品布業者分為四群，就鑽石四條件間互動方式的差異，確認我國與貼 身對手國的位階及與先進國的差異。本文實地訪談的地理範圍包括日本、 香港、大陸深圳、馬來西亞，實際訪談的國內外企業組織包括德國、日本 、香港、台灣約共60家，業務範圍包括化纖業、紡紗織布業、染整業、成 衣業、進口布料業、成品布外銷業者及協力廠商，希望能以「全球產業」 、「國際分工」的理性宏觀觀點來觀察。研究發現，我國化纖類成品布因 人纖技術的突破而具優勢，此優勢形成原因在於1960年代具競爭力的生產 要素中的高等因子；1990年代以後我國成品布業者，若仍繼續著非相關事 業多角化，在人材培育上無具體有力與全面的投資，我國的成品布將無法 在研發團隊的建立、織物設計能力與網路形成之三大工作上突破。本研究 中亦發現，我國成品布全體工作者的觀念與技術能力均有待全面的提升， 除非與先進國家各相應的組織進行密切的策略聯盟，僅靠自身的努力將不 足以提高四條件本身與互動的品質，亦即將無法超越國際分工的命定角色 ，而我國成品布業將只能成為香港與東南亞成衣業之供應源而已。自民 國78年迄今，我國成品布業者，尚只有零星而局部的在公司策略與組織的 調整上努力；至於人材培育與相關產業方面，看不出來有進步的趨向，就 短期而言，我國仍只能在生產基地移轉、彈性生產及短交期、短碼數接單 上獲利，至於新市場(通路)開拓與新產品開發(布料設計與行銷資訊之結 合)方面，仍有待我方長期的努力。

兩兆雙星產業的誕生正式宣告了面板產業將在台灣市場中造就無限的商機，在此商機的背後隱藏著一個交錯而複雜的供應鏈；期間為搶奪商機爭取訂單，供應商之間競爭關係日益激烈且多變，然而有一現象逐漸受到重視，即是有條件地在競爭狀態中尋求可能合作的部份，藉以找到彼此各自的商業利益，達到雙贏的目標。本研究是以探討各廠商在面對供應鏈上下游廠商之不同關係，如何採取因應的平衡策略使其商業活動的綜效達到最大。 現今的供應鏈關係網絡之中，普遍發生既競爭又合作的現象，而此現象又不斷地交錯伴隨此產業的成長，其競爭與合作的模式必然存在著許多關鍵因素，影響並發展出各供應廠商間的最大商業利益的綜效，因此找出其間存在的競合策略思維是本論文所要探討的重點。而本研究則從各廠商的觀點切入，探討在面對供應鏈網絡中的競合關係變化及因應之道，據此提出六個研究問題。 本研究針對面板供應鏈之現況為例，收集原材料供應商(M公司)、原有加工廠商(A公司)、新加工廠商(B公司)與主要客戶(C公司)的互動為研究對象，針對其目前之供應鏈聯合狀態進行訪談，並透過所設計之問卷進行面談採訪，收集質化分析之第一手資料，透過產業訪談結果歸結相關的研究結論如下： 1. 在此聯合關係的研究當中，共計有16項聯合關係，其中有8項關係為過度聯合關係，而另8項關係為聯合不足；顯示供應鏈中確實存在聯合關係為過度或不足之情況。 2. 當過度聯合時，原材料商通常採取「差別取價」、「控制關鍵市場訊息」及「客製化服務」；新舊加工廠則常用「尋求替代品或供應商」及「客製化服務」之策略；最後以主要客戶則採取「控制市場訂單」與「控制市場關鍵訊息」策略。 3. 原材料商之「產品技術能力」及「產品研發能力」的資源條件通常伴隨「差別取價」策略，用以調整聯合關係狀態，而加工廠之「價格競爭能力」與「客戶關係能力」則較常促成「尋求替代品或供應商」策略的形成，此狀況在加工廠商為焦點公司時最為頻繁。 4. 廠商間為快速調整聯合關係，短期也通常以降低成本或售價的策略，因此供應鏈中的成員若要思考如何達成企業的最大商業利益，掌握或增進具競爭差異的資源條件是相當重要的課題。 5. 當二元關係之「相對技術能力」、「相對客戶關係」及「相對重要性」較高時，通常採取「差別取價」或「尋求替代品或供應商」策略。 6. 在策略選項中「獨家壟斷」及「供貨限制」較少被採用。 關鍵字 面板產業、供應鏈關係網絡、平衡策略、競爭策略、競合策略、合作策略。 / The two trillion and twin star business be created in Taiwan means the display industry will provide a inestimable business opportunity. LCD was announced as the most infinite business potential while semi-con and LCD industry booming in Taiwan. However, this business potential brought a complicated supply chain. In order to gain more share, the competition situation among the suppliers became server and diversified. One phenomenon was highlighted that how to find a coworker with certain criteria to benefit both party, then make the win-win situation. This assay was to study different relationships which suppliers faced to up-stream and down-stream players. And how to take a balanced strategy to maximize business synergy is our main lesson learnt in this assay. It is normal to find the phenomenon of competition with cooperation in current supply chain network. Since the industry grows with the phenomenon continuously, there should be some critical factors within the model of competition and cooperation. These will impact and influence the synergy of maximum business interests among the suppliers. Therefore, finding out the methodology of coopetition is what we want to discuss in this assay. The study will start form business point of view in each suppliers. Then discuss how to react to the change of coopetition among supply chain networks. We studied from the example of current LCD supply chain. M company was one of the raw material suppliers, B company was a new converter in the value chain, and C company is main customer to use the materials. Then arranging interviews to figure out alliance condition within the relationship and to collect 1st hand qualitative data for further analysis. The conclusions of interviews and studies should be as following: 1. There are 16 relationships in alliance relationships. 8 among those 16 are over-alliance; while the other 8 are under-alliance ones. It shows that there really are over and under alliance situation within the supply chain. 2. When it comes to over-alliance, raw materials supplier often takes “price differentiation”,“control critical market information” and “customized service” to face the situation. Meanwhile, the converters use to take “find out a 2nd source material and supplier” and “customized service”. And main customer might “control the orders” and “control critical market information” as the reaction. 3. The resource condition of raw materials supplier such as “product technology skill” and “product development skill ”always bundle the“ price differentiation strategy”. It is helpful to regulate the coopetition situation. Again,the converters usually adopt the “find out a 2nd source material” strategy due to they have the resource condition of the “price competition ability” and “Customer relationship ability”. 4. To regulate the coopetition situation, there are many companies usually adopt the strategies such as cost down or reduce the selling price. On average, it is the key to increase the resource condition that have the differentiation competitive advantage if the company of this supply chain want to know how to gain the most business advantage. 5. The strategies of the“price differentiation”and “find out a 2nd source material and supplier” always be adopted due to the company possess the relativity relationship that are “relativity technology ability” 、” relativity customer relationship” and “ relativity importance”. 6. The strategies such as the “engage of business without competition” and “Control the distribuotion of goods” are less be adopted in this business. Key words : Display Market, The network of supply chain, Balance Strategy, Competitive Strategy, Coopetition Strategy, Cooperation Strategy

自2007年國家通訊傳播委員會（NCC）發放六張無線寬頻接取執照（Wireless Broadband Access, WBA）後，至今台灣六家WiMAX營運商已全數開台，台灣WiMAX產業正式進入商轉營運階段。然而由於WiMAX為一新興產業，產業之遊戲規則仍待確立，加上其他4G等行動上網技術的競爭下，各家WiMAX營運商之背景與資源分部情形無法立即分出競爭勝負，還需端看營運商如何對自身資源作出適當的評估與利用，以發展合適之競爭策略，才能達到產業競爭優勢。 因此本研究從資源基礎理論的角度出發，透過個案研究法，以得到南區執照的威達雲端電訊進行研究，了解威達雲端在發展WiMAX產業上，對資源的運用。本研究擬探討之四個問題為：(1) 威達雲端電訊當初選擇進入WiMAX產業的評估與原因為何？ (2) 威達雲端電訊在發展WiMAX上的核心資源與資源缺口各為何？(3) 威達運端電訊在進入WiMAX此一新興產業時，如何針對本身資源的優劣勢發展出適當的競爭策略？(4) 威達雲端電訊相較於其他WiMAX營運商，有何競爭優勢？(5) LTE與WiMAX陣營在未來發展上各有何資源優勢，WiMAX營運商該如何面對LTE的挑戰？ 研究結果發現：(1) 威達雲端最大核心資源優勢為本身擁有大量內容及相關經驗、基礎顧客群，與光纖網路之布建。(2) 威達雲端主要資源缺口為資金、相關人才與電信發 展經驗與技術。(3) 威達雲端有效利用具延展性之資源，將資源做延伸與強化，進行多角化發展，推出新產品組合及服務，以達到綜效與擴大整體經濟規模。(4) 威達雲端進行策略聯盟等合作方式進行資源之補足，尤其是以吸取電信相關布建經驗與技術為主。(5) 相較於其他相關業者，威達雲端以較低成本提供WiMAX服務，並將WiMAX技術與其他資源結合，推出差異化之服務為其競爭之優勢。 / Since the National Communications Commission released six operating licenses of Wireless Broadband Access (WBA) in 2007, the six WiMAX operators in Taiwan have all completed deployment for commercial services by the end of 2010. However, as an emerging industry, WiMAX technology and its industry have not fully matured. Meanwhile, WiMAX is facing the rival fourth generation wireless technology . Under the circumstance, in order to create competitive advantages, WiMAX operators should lie primarily in the application of the bundle of valuable resources at the firm's disposal. Therefore, this paper, takes the Resource-Based Theory as the analysis structure, with reference to the case of licensed WiMAX operator “Vee Telecom Multimedia Co,” (or simply Vee) attempts to find out how the operator utilizes its core resource to carry out the competitive strategy. The purposes of this thesis include: (1) The reason why Vee chose to enter WiMAX industry; (2) The core resources and recourse gaps of Vee; (3) When entering the WiMAX industry, how Vee carry out the strategic deployment of its resources; (4) Compare to other WiMAX operators, what competitive advantages does Vee have; (5) What core resources do WiMAX and LTE operators have? How do WiMAX operators face the challenge of LTE technology? The results showed that (1) the core resources of Vee are contents, customer base, and the fiber network. (2) the resource gaps of Vee are funds, talent, experiences in telecommunications. (3) with the effective use of scalable resources, Vee extends and strengthens the resources to develop new products and services portfolio, in order to achieve synergies and increase economies of scale. (4) using strategic alliances and other cooperative approach to fill the resource gaps, especially the deployment experiences in telecommunications. (5) compared to other operators, Vee provides WiMAX services at a lower cost and offers differentiated services to gain its competitive advantage.

本研究主要在探討台灣貨櫃航商之競爭策略，首先聚焦在全球整體海運業之定期船業務，因其運送約七成貨物價值之貨載，而貨櫃航運業運輸量則佔定期船運量超過九成，重要性不言可喻。台灣貨櫃船公司更在世界航運舞台，扮演重要角色成效斐然，因此以台灣貨櫃航運業為研究對象，專注於研究台灣貨櫃船公司所面臨的環境壓力衝擊、分析產業競爭問題、產業風險及成本結構、以歸納建議因應當代變局的關鍵競爭策略。 透過與業界深具實務經驗的資深專家訪談，並以進行面對面深度訪談及勾選問卷聚焦填答方式，對於研究問題經由具決策權之高階管理專家，得到更深遠寬廣的義涵與解答。本研究歸納受訪專家的結論認為：要改善貨櫃海運產業的激烈競爭態勢，當務之急是航商之間應擇優策略聯盟，不該盲目跟進大量訂造新船，宜審慎避免過度投資及過量增加船舶艙位，造成產業運能供給與需求失衡。 規劃產業的競爭策略最重要的是要把公司放入「環境」中考量。貨櫃航運業歷經逾五十年的發展，已逐步過渡到溫和成長的「成熟期產業」階段。這個階段伴隨技術成熟與極度標準化的國際競爭加劇，而使產業獲利走低，業者必須格外著重降低成本與提升服務品質，執行風險管理，並兼顧產品組合之合理化及正確訂價，且要積極穩固忠誠的老客戶，才足以因應嚴峻情勢變化與挑戰，同時必須實施流程創新與再造，及加強管控產業的各項「不確定性」風險。 業者應積極整合組織中外顯與內隱的競爭優勢，以科學管理方式實踐合理化，創新性與競合式發展策略，並強調知識經濟與核心能力為主的差異化策略，實質確保永續優勢的「競爭策略」。 / This study explored the competitive strategies of Taiwanese container shipping companies. I focus on the impact of the environmental pressures on these companies, and highlighted their key competitive strategies. Based on depth interviews and questionnaire with industrial senior executive experts, this study suggests that Taiwanese container shipping companies consider to reduce their risk exposure by forming strategic alliances and to avoid making excessive new vessels building and investment, in facing increasing imbalance of worldwide fleet loading capacity in container shipping industry. Global container shipping industry has developed over than 50 years and is now toward “Industry maturity period”. Competitors in such an industry should focus on lowering cost and strengthening the quality of service to secure customer loyalty. At same time, competitors in the industry should also strive for process innovation and better risk management. They should also develop the core competence and try to differentiate themselves from other competitors in order to ensure their sustainable advantages.

台灣NB產業從1990年代的百花齊放，到 2000年代優勝劣敗淘汰賽後，再歷經10年的各種嚴峻考驗及挑戰，早已進入微利時代的競爭。觀察包括個案公司的多數企業，在競爭策略的規劃與執行之議題上，呈現下列的問題： 1.陷於短期的營運，長期發展的經營策略不明確。 2.盡其所能爭取更多品牌客戶，但多客戶而產生的多產量，無法產生規模綜效。 3.對資源與能力(特別是組織能力)的內涵不夠瞭解，認知不足。 4.改善的活動常遭遇組織系統的障礙。 上述問題的原因，歸咎於對企業策略經營的認知不足而造成整合的問題，大多數只是提出挑戰目標，在執行上也只是將目標分配至下層單位，沒有一套策略的分析規劃步驟，更無一套改革體系來執行，往往漫無章法，以致功敗垂成。 有些企業確實有很嚴謹地進行策略的分析與規劃，但忽視策略執行涉及要素的重要性，以為有正確的策略方向，就能發揮策略的效果，交付實施即可，最後仍不見策略績效有好的結果。 本研究希望建立一套有系統的策略經營管理模式，特別是策略的執行模式，供個案公司參考。 本研究第一階段先分析總體經濟環境變化、產業競爭環境變化與企業內部資源與能力水準，再探討如何定位NB ODM之事業競爭策略。 本研究第二階段係針對第一階段定位之成本領導策略，探討如何提升策略執行之成效。主要研究途徑是先針對十項成本策略驅動因素，訪談展開各項策略議題，再針對各策略議題，分析過去對新策略議題執行含量、分析策略議題對應資源與能力之關係、分析現有資源與能力執行新策略議題之效率。 本研究再針對上述策略執行之調查分析，提出如何提升現有資源與能力之改革方案與推動計劃，以使策略執行之成效得以提升。 最後，本研究針對學術與研究上的發現，歸納成結論與建議，供個案公司參考，並對後續之研究提出參考建議。 / Taiwan NB industry flourished from the 1990s to the 2000s. However, after 10 years of intense competition and all kinds of severe challenges and trial, the NB industry now moves well into the era of competing for meager profits. Most firms, including firm examined in the study, encounter the following issues for strategy planning and implementation: (1)Committing to short-term operations but overlooking long-term strategies; (2)Striving for gaining more brand customers to generate volumes but overlooking reaping synergy; (3)Lack of understanding and awareness of the nature of resources and capabilities, especially organizational capability; and (4)Improvements often encountering barriers associated with organizational systems. People blame the lack of awareness of strategic management for above-mentioned issues, leading to problems in integration. The fact is, many firms only issue challenge goals and then delegating the goals to units to achieve them. There is no systematic approach for analysis and planning, much less a transformation system to perform innovated activities. The results are firm failure and poor performance. Some companies do have a very strict strategy analysis and planning, but ignore the important elements of strategy implementation. They think as long as they are in the right strategic direction, they will be able to play the effects of strategy, and be able to delivery of the result of implementation, eventually still no strategic performance with good results. This case study hopes to establish a systematic strategy management model, especially the implementation of the strategy model for the reference of the case study company. In this study, the first phase, analysis of changes in the overall economic environment, the competitive environment changes and internal resources and capability level, and then explore how to position of NB ODM Enterprises competitive strategy. The second phase of this study is to explore ways to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of strategy implementation for the positioning through the first phase of cost leadership strategy. The main research approach is first interviews for the 10 cost drivers to get the strategic issues, then for all strategic issues, analysis of the new strategic issues in the past to execute, analysis of strategic issues corresponding to the relationship between resources and capabilities, analysis of existing resources and capabilities to perform the efficiency of the new strategic issues. Through the survey of the above strategy implementation, this study then propose how to improve existing resources and capabilities of the change management and promoting program , so that the effectiveness and efficiency of strategy implementation can be improved. Finally, this study for the academic and empirical findings, summarized into conclusions and recommendations for the reference of the case company, and proposed the reference recommendations for follow-up study and survey.

Background: Today, It’s not uncommon that international companies and organizations have a higher turnover than the GDP of developing countries. Consequently, this may suggest that the choices companies make in the context of their business has a great potential to influence the world from an economic, but also from a social and environmental standpoint. From this the notion emerged that companies have a responsibility, referred to as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). A clear definition of the CSR concept is difficult to find, more than 37 different definitions has been identified. Common to all these is that they address a number of underlying themes such as: Balance, Responsibility, and Value. Few studies examine companies’ underlying assumptions about the adaptation and communication of CSR, and the perception of how one type of value in relation to another is created and defined. It is clear, however, that companies must make a choice regarding which areas of CSR they should prioritize. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to study how Swedish companies strategically adapt their CSR initiatives and CSR communication to create value. Method: In order to answer the purpose of the thesis a qualitative method has been used. Interviews were conducted with CSR representatives from three major Swedish companies. Theories: The Pyramid of CSR, Green marketing activities on three levels, Generic environmental strategies and Ten rules for successful CSR communication. Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that the link between the adaption of CSR and CSR communication is based on the business value perspective. Furthermore, it would seem that the competitive strategy of a company is in close symbiosis with their value perspective. The result of the study indicate that there is not a value perspective which should be preferred over others in the adaption of CSR and CSR communication, the value perspective should instead be relative to the company’s current competitive strategy and industry conditions. / Bakgrund: I dagsläget finns flera internationella företag och organisationer som har en högre omsättning än många utvecklingsländers BNP. Följaktligen kan detta innebära att de val företag gör inom ramen för sin verksamhet har stor möjlighet att påverka omvärlden ur ett ekonomiskt, men även ur ett socialt och miljömässigt perspektiv. Givet denna möjlighet till påverkan har även uppfattningen att företag besitter ett ansvar utvecklats, benämnt Corporate Social Responsibilty (CSR). En enhetlig definition för CSR är svår att finna, mer än 37 skilda definitioner finns identifierade. Gemensamt för alla dessa är att de länkar samman ett antal underliggande teman såsom; balans, ansvar och värde. En begränsad mängd forskning har behandlat företags underliggande antaganden om anpassning och kommunikation av CSR, samt synen på hur något typ av värde i relation till detta skapas och definieras. Tydligt är dock att företag måste göra ett val gällande vilka områden inom CSR de skall fokusera på för att på det mest förmånliga sättet gynna företaget och vara i enlighet med deras strategiska mål.. Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att studera hur svenska företag strategiskt resonerar kring anpassningen av sitt arbete med Corporate Social Responsibility, samt kommunikationen av detta arbete för att kunna erbjuda ett värde. Metod: För att besvara syftet har en kvalitativ ansats nyttjats genom flertalet genomförda intervjuer med CSR-representanter på tre svenska företag. Teori: Den teoretiska referensramen utgörs av CSR-pyramiden, Gröna marknadsföringsaktiviteter på tre nivåer, Generiska miljöstrategier samt Tio regler för framgångsrik CSR-kommunikation. Slutsats: Studiens utfall har föreslagit att sambandet mellan anpassning av CSR och kommunikationen av detta, först och främst utvecklas utifrån företagets värdeperspektiv. Företagets valda konkurrensstrategi verkar även vara i symbios med detta värdeperspektiv. Studiens resultat indikerar inte att det finns en värdesyn som bör föredras framför andra i samband med anpassning av CSR och CSR-kommunikation, utan detta bör istället vara i relation till företagets rådande konkurrensstrategi och förutsättningar inom branschen.

Organisations do not know how to effectively employ information systems to their benefit because business and information system(IS) decisions are not aligned and due to a lack of understanding of the different types of IS decisions. The objectives of the study were stated as follows: • To confirm the existence of a relationship between business and information system decisions. A review of the literature supported the notion that IS decisions need to be aligned with business decisions. • To clarify the link between IS strategy and structural decisions. The study introduced a framework that suggested that to facilitate the link between business and IS decisions the respective strategy components need to be linked and that IS structural components will primarily be determined by IS strategy components. Information systems have become a strategic resource for all organisations and, not only is it perceived a very important competitive factor, but the importance will increase in the years to come. Organisations spend large amounts of money on information "':> systems. There is also the expectation that IS should CQ!ltribute_ to the achieve,£1:enμi, business goals and the overall financial performance of the company. Most senior executives believe that the amount of money invested in information systems and technology cannot be justified based on it's perceived contribution to the achievement of organisational objectives! Considerable effort was made to identify the relevant business strategy, IS strategy, and IS structural components. The business strategy components identified were selected specifically for their competitive focus. The population selected included the top companies in South Africa based on financial performance. The basis for the decision was that successful companies would link business and IS decisions and they would understand the intrinsic differences between IS strategy and structure components. / Business Leadership / D. B. L. (Business Leadership)

The microbrewery industry is the fastest growing industry in Sweden. In seven years, the industry has grown by 832 percent. The dramatic increase of microbreweries has led to a highly competitive business environment for these entrepreneurs. This calls for microbreweries to develop strategies for how to stand out in this increasingly competitive environment, i.e., create competitive advantages. However, previous studies have shown that craft entrepreneurs do not strive to achieve traditional economic objectives as the competitive strategy research field suggest that companies have. Hence, traditional competitive strategies may not be applicable for these entrepreneurs. The purpose of this study was therefore to develop an understanding how motivational factors affect craft entrepreneurs’ competitive strategy. To fulfill the purpose, we conducted a case study on microbrewers within the northern region of Sweden. We used a qualitative research methodology where we conducted semi-structured interviews. Seven microbreweries participated in the study. We found that craft entrepreneurs’ motivations for why they started and maintained their microbreweries were mainly because of their passion and interest for the craft and therefore this was their primary objective. However, they perceived profit as a necessity that would enable them to achieve their primary objective. Therefore, we found that these entrepreneurs have dual objectives. We also found that entrepreneurs’ motivations affected their competitive strategies. These entrepreneur’s dual objectives caused some dilemmas when the two objectives contrasted each other. We saw tendencies that this created tension among these entrepreneurs when they had to balance the two objectives of generating profit and achieving objectives related to their passion and interest for the craft. Further, we found that these tensions caused implications on the entrepreneurs’ perception of competitive strategy.  Their perception of competitive strategy differed from traditional theory in three areas. Firstly, they had a resistance to grow their businesses. Secondly, they had a resistance for product/market development. And lastly, they experienced a low level of ambiguity when competing and cooperating simultaneously. In this study, we have been able to deepen the knowledge of craft entrepreneurs and how their motivations affect their competitive strategy. This is a first step in developing an understanding of how additional objectives to profit can cause implications for competitiveness.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:50:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 3161.pdf: 4637531 bytes, checksum: 4c53d765063e54a9fc0993350014649e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-06-18 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / The complexity assigned to the strategy term has been largely discussed in the literature. The large amount of theoretical contributions to this issue, brought by several knowledge areas; the different tools proposed by academicians and consultants to operationalize its concepts, the plurality of actors that play their roles inside the organizational field are just some examples of the building blocks of such complexity. Also relevant to this discussion is the movement named Strategy as Practice , initiated by European researchers in order to bring a sociological focus to organizational strategies, considering them as something a company does instead of something a company has. Thus, the main goal of this thesis is to identify and compare how Brazilian companies actually practice their competitive strategy, and to what extent/in which way such practice is aligned with the main firm s idiosyncratic variables and with their competitive environments. In order to achieve such goal, this work took advantage of a mixed research method, with a survey with companies listed on Brazilian Stock Exchange and six case studies. Concerning industry perception and company praxis, the main findings indicate that: (1) the internal and external views of competitive advantage are, indeed, perceived as complementary regarding firm strategies; (2) even in more traditional industries, companies perceive their environment as dynamic, due to companies´ mobility, group consolidations or internal rivalry; (3) even in industry with high barriers to entry, firms regularly adopt a surveillance approach to monitor newcomers; (4) innovation tends to be more focused on process than on products, and there is a gap between intended and implemented innovation; (5) the perception of resources and competences spread throughout company networks suggests that controlling these resources may be more important than owning them; (6) at least in the studied companies, low relevance has been assigned to knowledge as a strategic advantage. Regarding strategy practices: (7) an annual strategy planning cycle takes place, focused on formulation activities and perceived as static in nature; (8) workshops and performance meetings were the most often identified strategic events; (9) strategy tools were perceived as highly effective and mainly targeted at structuring analysis and ensuring strategy implementation, with special emphasis to the abundance of financial tools and lack of creativity ones. Concluding, concerning practitioners: (10) it could by empirically identified the existence of an organizational structure responsible for companies strategic planning, generally close to financial areas; (11) those generally involved in strategic activities show a primarily analytical profile, with low presence of women; (12) senior executives have developed their careers mainly inside the company or inside the industry, with relevant business knowledge, while middle management plays its role by implementing decisions made by high executives; (13) consultancies tend to be highly used, and their recontracting is contingent upon the patterns of their involvement in the strategy process; (14) business press has been assigned low relevance, being substituted in some cases by financial releases or by information from industry entities. / A complexidade do tema estratégia tem sido amplamente discutida por diversos autores na literatura. O grande conjunto de contribuições teóricas ao tema, prestadas pelas mais diversas áreas do conhecimento; as diversas ferramentas propostas por acadêmicos e consultores para a operacionalização de seus conceitos; e a pluralidade dos vários atores deste espaço organizacional são apenas alguns exemplos dos fatores constituintes desta complexidade. Relevante também ao tema é o movimento Estratégia como Prática , iniciado por pesquisadores europeus no sentido de trazer um enfoque sociológico às estratégias, considerando-as como algo que as empresas fazem e não algo que as mesmas puramente possuem. Desta forma, o principal objetivo desta tese foi identificar e comparar como as empresas brasileiras efetivamente praticam sua estratégia competitiva e como esta prática está alinhada com as diversas variáveis intrínsecas às firmas e aos seus ambientes competitivos. Para tanto, foi empregado um método de pesquisa combinado, com a realização de survey junto às empresas da BM&F Bovespa e seis estudos de caso. No que se refere à compreensão setorial e à práxis das empresas, as principais conclusões do trabalham apontam que: (1) as visões internas e externas da origem de vantagem competitiva são, de fato, percebidas como complementares no que tange às estratégias da firma; (2) mesmo em setores mais tradicionais, as empresas os percebem como dinâmicos, seja por mobilidade de empresas, por consolidação de grupos ou por rivalidades internas; (3) mesmo em setores com elevadas barreiras à entrada, as firmas adotam postura de vigilância permanente sobre novos competidores; (4) a inovação tende a ser mais focada em processos que produtos, e existe uma lacuna entre inovação pretendida e aquela efetivamente implementada; (5) a percepção de recursos e competências espalhados na rede indica que talvez seja mais relevante controlar do que efetivamente possuir tais recursos; (6) ao menos nas empresas estudadas, baixa relevância pode ser atribuída à questão do conhecimento como diferencial estratégico. No que se refere às práticas, tem-se que: (7) na maioria das empresas existe um ciclo anual de planejamento estratégico, com foco em atividades de formulação e que são percebidos como estáticos; (8) workshops e reuniões de resultado foram os eventos estratégicos mais frequentemente identificados; (9) as ferramentas de estratégia foram percebidas como de alta eficácia e principalmente voltadas para estruturação de análise e garantia de implementação, com destaque para abundância de ferramentas financeiras e escassez de ferramentas de criatividade. Por fim, acerca dos praticantes tem-se que: (10) ficou evidenciada a existência de uma estrutura organizacional com responsabilidade sobre planejamento estratégico da empresa, geralmente próxima a áreas de finanças; (11) os profissionais envolvidos possuem perfil eminentemente analítico e com baixa presença de mulheres; (12) o executivo sênior desenvolveu sua carreira eminentemente na empresa ou no setor, com relevante conhecimento do negócio, enquanto a média gerência assume papel de implementadora de decisões da alta direção; (13) as consultorias tendem a ser bastante utilizadas e a recontratação das mesmas é contingente à forma do envolvimento no processo estratégico da companhia; (14) a imprensa de negócios assume pouca relevância, sendo substituída, em alguma medida, por releases financeiros das empresas ou informações de entidades setoriais.