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Strategy development: Driving improvisation in Malaysia

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  • Hodgkinson, Ian R.
  • Hughes, Paul
  • Arshad, Darwina

Abstract

Improvisation is vital for strategy development, but there remains a lack of understanding about this phenomenon. This emerges directly from the insufficient investigation of its drivers and context. This paper extends improvisation research to the unexplored competitive settings of an emerging middle-income economy. Drawing on survey data from Malaysian research-intensive firms, we examine managerial and organisational antecedents of improvisation under turbulence. Findings reveal that organisational risk-taking and manager expertise are common antecedents of improvisation, but additional relationships arise under high (flexibility) and low turbulence (learning, manager tenure), developing capacity to inform practice, which is critically lacking in international business and management theory

Suggested Citation

  • Hodgkinson, Ian R. & Hughes, Paul & Arshad, Darwina, 2016. "Strategy development: Driving improvisation in Malaysia," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 379-390.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:worbus:v:51:y:2016:i:3:p:379-390
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jwb.2015.07.002
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    Cited by:

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    8. Açıkgöz, Atif & Latham, Gary P., 2022. "Self-Set learning goals and service performance in a gig economy: A Moderated-Mediation role of improvisation and mindful metacognition," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 1553-1563.
    9. Paul Hughes & Ian R. Hodgkinson & Darwina Arshad & Mathew Hughes & Vitor Leone, 2018. "Planning to improvise? The role of reasoning in the strategy process: Evidence from Malaysia," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 449-470, June.
    10. Hughes, Paul & Hughes, Matthew & Stokes, Peter & Lee, Hanna & Rodgers, Peter & Degbey, William Y., 2020. "Micro-foundations of organizational ambidexterity in the context of cross-border mergers and acquisitions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).

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