STRATEGIC GROUPS AS REFERENCE GROUPS - THEORY, MODELING AND EMPIRICAL-EXAMINATION OF INDUSTRY AND COMPETITIVE STRATEGY

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: FIEGENBAUM, A; THOMAS, H
• 署名单位: University of Illinois System; University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• 刊物名称: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0143-2095
• DOI: 10.1002/smj.4250160605
• 发表日期: 1995
• 页码: 461-476
• 关键词: STRATEGIC GROUPS; Industry dynamics; reference groups; STRATEGIC CHANGE

摘要

Previous studies on strategic groups have mainly focused on their static characteristics in order to test the theory of strategic groups and intraindustry performance differences (Porter, 1979; Cool and Schendel, 1988; Fiegenbaum and Thomas, 1990). In contrast, this study takes a longitudinal, dynamic perspective and describes the forces driving strategic group membership and structural evolution. It proposes that a strategic group acts as a reference point for group members in formulating competitive strategy. A partial adjustment model of strategic mobility is then developed which incorporates the idea of a strategic group as a reference group. It models strategic change in an industry both within and across strategic groups. The model is tested in the context of an in-depth industry analysis of the more significant firms in the insurance industry over the 1970-84 time period. The results suggest that strategic groups act as reference points for firm strategies and that predictions of future firm strategies and industry/group structures may also be successfully derived.