This thesis is an empirical exploration of supply strategy content and process. The investigation uses a single-sector case study methodology to explore the scope of supply strategy content, the interaction between supply strategy content and context, and supply strategy process within four aerospace sector companies. The research also uses an extant Integrative Framework to subsequently identify the ‘modes’ of supply strategy process that best describe supply strategy process in the case studies. While the scope of supply strategy content suggested by the supply management literature is theoretically broad, supply strategy process is represented in the literature as chiefly derived from business / corporate strategy. Recognising that details of the processes / practices that create supply strategy and the scope of content within supply strategies have been under-explored empirically, this investigation seeks to contribute to a developing understanding of supply strategy content and process ‘in practice’ and in particular, the role of actors in supply strategy process - which is largely absent in related studies. The research contributes to existing knowledge by finding that the opportunity / autonomy actors have to enact supply strategy process is broadly determined by contextual factors. Furthermore, the investigation finds that supply strategy process, actors and context all have a moderating effect on the scope of supply strategy content. It is also shown that different actors engage in the formulation and implementation stages of strategy process. Finally, the investigation identifies one dominant ‘mode’ of supply strategy process and distinctive combinations of ‘secondary’ modes in each case study. For practitioners, this investigation illustrates that the opportunity and facility to think / act strategically in supply is dependant upon more than just resolve and motivation; it is the product of a complex interaction of strategy context, content, process and actors. The thesis concludes by making a number of recommendations for practice and by identifying opportunities for further research in this field.

This study examines how management consulting firms work with business- and functional strategy and how these strategies are interrelated. More specifically we focus on business strategy (business unit level) and knowledge strategy (functional level) and whether these are aligned or not, i.e. whether strategic congruence exists. A number of recent studies have examined the importance of business strategy and knowledge strategy in management consulting firms separately, but few have pointed out the importance of the alignment between them. With this study we contribute to the strategic field of research with a model that describes how management consulting firms should work with their knowledge strategy given their business strategy. The model is developed through a synthesis between theories in the field of strategic congruence, business- and functional strategies and thereafter tested by an empirical case study of six management consulting firms. Our main contribution with the model is the finding that the degree of customization is a determining factor of what type of knowledge strategy the firm should undertake. Given a high degree of customization we argue that it is strategic congruent to put an emphasis on personalization as the firms knowledge strategy. With a similar logic we argue that when the degree of customization is lower, the firm should focus on a knowledge strategy like codification. Further, in contrast with former studies, our findings show that it is strategic congruent to work with personalization and codification parallelly. Through our analysis we found that it is strategic congruent to put an emphasis on either personalization or codification in different project phases. We propose that it is a good fit to focus on codification in the beginning of a management consulting project and conversely focus more on personalization in the latter part. In contrast with earlier studies, we can not see why it should be harmful to focus on both strategies parallelly, given that this focus changes over time in a project. Finally, an interesting finding of our case studies is that all of the researched firms want to codify more knowledge and it seems to be easier today than for ten years ago to motivate consultants to codify their knowledge.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-05T19:14:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 25 / Nenhuma / A questão ambiental vem ganhando importância nos últimos anos e isso afeta de alguma forma as estratégias das empresas, conforme o grau de importância do risco ambiental para a atividade. Assim, é de esperar-se que as empresas adotem processos de gestão de custos ambientais compatíveis com o risco ambiental, no contexto de estratégias funcionais alinhadas às estratégias gerais que visam a manter uma vantagem competitiva sustentável. Esta pesquisa, de natureza aplicada, visou a identificar a relação entre Riscos Ambientais e a Gestão dos Custos Ambientais em empresas atuantes no Brasil no que se refere à sua adesão ao recomendado pela literatura. A partir da sondagem sobre gestão ambiental realizada em quatro empresas, e da revisão teórica sobre risco ambiental, gestão ambiental e gestão de custos ambientais, desenvolveu-se um questionário usando escala tipo Likert sobre esses três temas. Para identificar o Risco Ambiental foi proposto um bloco de indicadores que visam a identificar a percepção dos gestores qu / Relations between environmental risks and environmental costs management in operating companies in Brazil was studied on this survey. The environmental question is gaining importance in recent years and this affects the companies strategies, according the degree of the environmental risk for the activity. Thus, it is expected that companies adopt environmental costs management compatible with the environmental risk, in the context of functional strategies lined up to the general strategies that they aim to keep a sustainable competitive advantage. After sounding environmental management in four companies, a theoretical revision on environmental risk, environmental management and environmental costs management, a questionnaire was developed, using a Likert scale type approaching these three subjects. The Environmental Risk construct so called Risk2, is a composition for a block of pointers for risk perception from managers, a block to identify the risk management process, assuming that the risk management proc

Background – The energy sector is experiencing instability and energy companies must embrace more flexible structures and strategic initiatives to remain relevant. Purpose – To gain understanding about the challenges with implementing strategic congruence and integrated control in umbrella organizations and how their interplay can contribute to achieving a common business logic. Methodology – In the scope of a single case study, we conducted 20 interviews on corporate, business and functional level at Tekniska verken in Linköping AB. The ‘tentative model’ of Nilsson and Rapp (2005) was re-assessed to examine a common business logic. Findings – Our empirical findings indicated that the businesses of umbrella organizations can be diverse while simultaneously being congruent. When addressing strategic congruence, it is challenging because transparent communication and collaboration between business areas as well as optimizing organizational structures and designing clear responsibility areas is difficult to achieve. Regarding integrated control, it is not easy to realize because the corporate plan needs wide acceptance and breaking down complex content to the business areas is challenging. Not to mention that a common frame of reference regarding terminology and alike control standards requires high commitment.

本研究以策略管理理論「策略形態分析」法與「策略矩陣分析」法為基礎，發展出新的分析架構–「價值單元展開分析」法，並與策略矩陣整合成為策略系統模型。藉由個案研究，驗證此策略系統模型如何使管理者能更精確地衡量未來策略規劃之選擇，最佳化公司未來競爭策略方向。 筆者以個案探討新創科技公司在持續變動與競爭之產業中，競爭策略分析與規劃之方法。以3D感測產業作為分析與研究之個案產業，並以其中一新創科技公司–L科技公司作為個案探討之對象，提出一以新創科技公司為出發點，在衡量現有與發展未來競爭策略時，可供利用與權衡的分析方法。 「價值單元展開分析」法追尋理性與系統化思考，為公司導入嚴謹明確、量化、及標準化的度量衡工具，使公司得以更加周詳完備與深入地分析其條件前提，將策略最佳化。且此架構具高度延展性，得充分配合公司進行各種思考面向之分析。此外，「價值單元展開分析」法亦可完全結合與相容於「策略矩陣分析」法之中，形成易於溝通與同步的策略系統模型，利用此特點解決公司在策略規劃時可能遭遇之混沌與困難，將效率、效益、及效能用在得當之處，使公司未來發展更符合目標。 / This study investigates the methods of analyzing and planning competitive strategies, with a case study of a technology startup company – “L Company” in the 3D sensor industry. Based on strategy analysis and Strategic Matrix Analysis, this study developed a new analytic framework – “Value Unit Expansion Analysis” which is a systematic model integrated into Strategic Matrix Analysis. By verifying the systematic model through the case, this study proposed a more precise and optimization–capable method to form a company’s future competitive strategies. Value Unit Expansion Analysis is a clarifying, quantifying, and standardizing method for the company to pave the path for factor condition analysis and strategic optimization. The structure was designed with a high flexibility in correspondence to different considerations and changing aspects; it is compatible and can be built within Strategic Matrix Analysis. The systematic model is liable for communication and synchronization during the process of strategy planning and, therefore, setting higher efficiency, benefit, and utility for pertinent strategies that fit into companies’ goals.

This dissertation is written on the company belonging to the group of the world largest producer of passenger cars and light trucks.There were identified major problems during last few years. During the first half of 2006 there was announced a sale of 51 % of company to an investor. The original mission was to serve and support sales of concern brands. The new shareholder is an investment corporation and has already announced the expectation of high increase of volumes and also the level of profitability. The subject of this dissertation is to provide Strategic analyze and redefine the Business Strategies of the selected Strategic Business Units in accordance with new needs and requirements related to the new investorś entry.