The concept of fit in organizational research (original) (raw)

Implication of Strategic Fit and Sustainability on Organizational Effectiveness

2014

In a competitive market prompted by M&As target of synergetic gains to out-weight other competitors. The need of strategic fit lies on how to map and integrate the acquired organization to achieve survival, sustain their state and maintain its competitive advantage. The strategic fit here among other things concentrates on the fit/alliance between the organization‟s business strategy and its internal process. This study intends to investigate the implication of strategic fit and sustainability on organizational effectiveness. The study is based on selected communication industry and commercial banks. The study using the 4Cs – capability, compatibility, commitment and control measures the organization design (structure), employee relations, and information exchange to equate and underscore how they can boost the sustainability of the organizational effectiveness. The study adduced that through a close fit among the elements measured will provide the managers answers on the significan...

Fitness map: a classification of internal strategic fit in service organisations

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between internal strategic fit and business performance, propose six classifications of internal fit using the "strategic map" managerial framework and identify how firms should best move from one classification to another and the impact that these changes will have on business performance. Design/methodology/approach -Empirical research was conducted in 12 service organisations. Based on these findings, two fit-performance relationships were identified and the "fitness map" framework was developed showing six classifications of fit. Findings -The alignment of operations strategy within an organisation is significantly and positively related to market share, whereas, the alignment of the service delivery system is significantly and positively related to return on sales. However, neither the alignment of the operations strategy nor the service delivery system appears to have a relationship with return on investment. Six classifications of internal strategic fit emerged: poorly aligned organisations are either "understanding processes" or "understanding markets", medium-fit companies are "managing processes" or "developing service offerings" and well-aligned firms are "leveraging services and process capabilities" or "leveraging markets and design capabilities". Practical implications -The fit-performance relationships show how changes in the alignment of operations strategy and delivery system impact business performance differently. Using this knowledge, practitioners can use the "strategic map" framework to identify their classification of fit and understand how it has been created, benchmark their level of fit against other businesses, understand how to move from one level of fit to another and how these decisions will impact business performance. Originality/value -The paper's findings start to address the gap in the literature on internal strategic fit within service organisations and meet the need for more management tools to help businesses develop strategies, understand the level of fit they create and how they can impact business performance.

Strategic fit - the missing link between strategy formulation and strategy execution

2015

A wide framework for strategy formulation and procedures for its implementation are designed and used in last few decades by a large number of firms, with strong conviction that the expected outcome will be as precise as it is claimed. A study of 750 of the biggest U.S. business catastrophes from the past 25 years pointed at popular but risky strategies, which were used by their firm. Strategists find it difficult to cope with the complexity and trim it to a manageable extent. The complex interactions of variables from the perspective of geopolitics, technical innovation, capital market swings due to national economic policies, direct and indirect competition, varying consumer preferences etc insists the organization to change the way strategies are visualized and alter the methods of implementation. The organizational behavior determinants from internal and external contingencies decide the course of strategy implementation and complexities arising in it. The implementation may not...

The Performance Implications of Fit among Business Strategy, Marketing Organization Structure, and Strategic Behavior

Adopting a contingency perspective, the authors present and test a fit-as-moderation model that posits that overall firm performance is influenced by how well the marketing organization's structural characteristics (i.e., formalization, centralization, and specialization) and strategic behavioral emphases (i.e., customer, competitor, innovation, and cost control) complement alternative business strategies (i.e., prospector, analyzer, low-cost defender, and differentiated defender). Responses from 228 senior marketing managers provide support for the model and demonstrate that each strategy type requires different combinations of marketing organization structures and strategic behaviors for success.

The Impact of Strategic Fit on the Marketing Performance of the Industrial Corporations in Jordan

International Journal of Business and Management, 2019

The present study aimed at identifying the impact of strategic fit on the marketing performance of the industrial corporations in Jordan. The population consists from all the Jordanian industrial corporations that are listed on Amman Stock Exchange. To be specific, the population consists from 63 companies. A sample was chosen through using the simple random sampling method. It was selected from 54 companies. Questionnaire forms were distributed to marketing, and administrative directors (or the ones holding equivalent positions). 76 questionnaire forms were retrieved (out of 108 questionnaires). All of the retrieved forms are valid for statistical analysis. The response rate is 70.37%. The latter rate is considered a good rate. Several results were concluded. For instance, it was found that the strategic fit has a statistically significant positive impact on the marketing performance of the Jordanian industrial corporations. The researchers recommend providing more attention to the achievement of strategic fit in the industrial corporations. That shall enable those companies to improve their marketing performance.

The investment-fit-performance triangle: the relationships between investment, strategic fit and performance in service organisations

2013

This paper presents empirical research within eight strategic business units (SBUs) from six service organisations investigating the relationship between investment, strategic fit and business performance. The research found six significant relationships within the investment-fit-performance triangle. 'Process investment' seems to have the most significant impact on strategic fit and business performance of all the variables studied. 'Environmental initiatives investment' has a less significant impact on fit and performance, both investment in 'people' and 'service/product development' only have a limited impact on fit and no impact on performance.

From strategic fit to customer fit

Management Decision, 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to extend the strategic fit discourse by proposing a customer‐based perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe paper develops a conceptual framework based on a theory and literature review.FindingsThe paper proposes that, from a customer perspective, the firm and its activities are separate units of analysis that have a fit‐like relationship.Practical implicationsA fit‐like relationship, here coined “customer fit”, has the potential to explain determinants of performance differentials in marketing practice, guide the analysis and dissemination of customer knowledge in organisations and provide grounds for strategic marketing resource allocation.Originality/valueThe paper proposes that the concept of customer fit can be employed to analyze, formulate and coordinate the potential of a firm's value proposal.

IMPROVING ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE THROUGH STRATEGIC FIT OF IT-BUSINESS STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT

International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management, 2017

Understanding different organizational elements (such as strategy, structure, processes, function and environment), their mutual encouragement and creating resemblance among them is an important determinant of organizational performance. The necessity of creating a fit among these elements and creating such complex relationship, raises the question of how to enhance overall organizational performance by aligning different organizational elements. This study will analyze the issue and influence of strategic fit on organizational performance. The strategic fit among elements of an organization can be evidenced by the degree to which strategy, structure, processes, function and environment complement one another. The elements reinforce each other and this can result in a cycle of mutual cause and effect that tightens the relationship among them and produce organizational performance. This paper aimed to give some additional insights into creating strategy-structure fit and to prove once more its contribution and importance for organizational performance. This paper investigated fit through strategy, structure and strategy implementation process fit, as well as performance and offers an in-depth theoretical and empirical view of strategic fit and raises some additional questions which could be further analyzed in future research on this subject.

Integration of Cultural Fit, Strategy Fit and Strategic Fit to Harness the Competitive Advantage: A Dynamic Capabilities Paradigm

The interaction of the organization in an industry with culture and other forces demands organizations to comply and align for survival and success through building and sustaining competitive advantage. This becomes even more critical when there are intense competition and a dynamic environment. Under these circumstances, there has to be a fit at various levels such as strategy fit, strategic fit and cultural fit. This fit ensures the harmony of what is required and what is to be done to bring prosperity. But in isolation, these fits may not result in maximum output so there has to be an alignment between these fits. This is the conceptual study that strives to answer these riddles along with the role of culture both internal and external in creating strategy, strategic and cultural fit. This study examines the mediating role of dynamic capabilities between business strategies and functional strategies, carrying the domain of HR as HR practices. This study proposed a model which will help managers and researchers to harness competitive advantage under a dynamic environment.