IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/asiapa/v39y2022i1d10.1007_s10490-020-09726-w.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Strategic planning as inter-unit coordination: An in depth case study in Thailand

Author

Listed:
  • Paul Knott

    (University of Canterbury)

  • Chatchai Thnarudee

    (JP Insurance PCL)

Abstract

We extend strategy-as-practice and strategy process studies of strategic planning by detailing empirically how its execution can take on an inter-unit coordination role in multi-business, multi-unit firms. In our case study of a firm in Bangkok, Thailand, we show how practitioners in diverse business and functional units coordinate their respective internal planning processes in a differentiated network of inter-unit strategic planning links. We specify four types of inter-unit planning link according to relative hierarchical level and function of the interacting units. Based on interviews covering 125 of these links, we analyse interactions between managers during the planning process, focusing on the practices they adopt including a newly identified practice we refer to as facilitating. We articulate patterns of interaction by link type, and ultimately show how managers combined these practices in four generic interaction patterns: bilateral, cohesive facilitation, ambassadorial coordination, and supervisory. These interaction patterns vary in the degree of horizontal and vertical inter-unit coordination they contribute to the business. We analyse how usage of the patterns varied across the firm, and hence set out more fully than prior literature how interactions driven by individual managers enable strategic planning to enrich inter-unit coordination through and across a business.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Knott & Chatchai Thnarudee, 2022. "Strategic planning as inter-unit coordination: An in depth case study in Thailand," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 201-224, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:asiapa:v:39:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s10490-020-09726-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s10490-020-09726-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10490-020-09726-w
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10490-020-09726-w?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hao Tan, 2017. "Making impact through industry-focused research: An Asia Pacific perspective," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 34(3), pages 487-503, September.
    2. Ghemawat, Pankaj, 2002. "Competition and Business Strategy in Historical Perspective," Business History Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 76(1), pages 37-74, April.
    3. Stefan Bender & Nicholas Bloom & David Card & John Van Reenen & Stefanie Wolter, 2018. "Management Practices, Workforce Selection, and Productivity," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 36(S1), pages 371-409.
    4. Myung-Ho Chung & Yumi Ko & Jee-Young Kim, 2020. "Group power structure, inter-subgroup cross-dependency, and work group performance," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(1), pages 297-323, March.
    5. John Seely Brown & Paul Duguid, 2001. "Knowledge and Organization: A Social-Practice Perspective," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(2), pages 198-213, April.
    6. Aki Tomizawa & Li Zhao & Geneviève Bassellier & David Ahlstrom, 2020. "Economic growth, innovation, institutions, and the Great Enrichment," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(1), pages 7-31, March.
    7. David C. Mowery, 2010. "Alfred Chandler and knowledge management within the firm," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(2), pages 483-507, April.
    8. Torben Juul Andersen, 2004. "Integrating Decentralized Strategy Making and Strategic Planning Processes in Dynamic Environments," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(8), pages 1271-1299, December.
    9. Anil K. Gupta & Vijay Govindarajan, 2000. "Knowledge flows within multinational corporations," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(4), pages 473-496, April.
    10. 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.
    11. R. Whittington & Ludovic Cailluet & B. Yakis-Douglas, 2011. "Opening Strategy: Evolution of a Precarious Profession," Post-Print halshs-00738389, HAL.
    12. Mark Loon & Lilian Otaye‐Ebede & Jim Stewart, 2020. "Thriving in the New Normal: The HR Microfoundations of Capabilities for Business Model Innovation. An Integrated Literature Review," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(3), pages 698-726, May.
    13. Nitin Nohria & Sumantra Ghoshal, 1994. "Differentiated fit and shared values: Alternatives for managing headquarters‐subsidiary relations," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(6), pages 491-502, July.
    14. Julian M Birkinshaw & Allen J Morrison, 1995. "Configurations of Strategy and Structure in Subsidiaries of Multinational Structure," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 26(4), pages 729-753, December.
    15. Michael Gibbert & Winfried Ruigrok & Barbara Wicki, 2008. "What passes as a rigorous case study?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(13), pages 1465-1474, December.
    16. Paula Jarzabkowski & Julia Balogun, 2009. "The Practice and Process of Delivering Integration through Strategic Planning," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(8), pages 1255-1288, December.
    17. Edward H. Bowman & Constance E. Helfat, 2001. "Does corporate strategy matter?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(1), pages 1-23, January.
    18. Michael Young & Terence Tsai & Xinran Wang & Shubo Liu & David Ahlstrom, 2014. "Strategy in emerging economies and the theory of the firm," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 331-354, June.
    19. Robert M. Grant, 2003. "Strategic planning in a turbulent environment: evidence from the oil majors," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(6), pages 491-517, June.
    20. John Seely Brown & Paul Duguid, 1991. "Organizational Learning and Communities-of-Practice: Toward a Unified View of Working, Learning, and Innovation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 40-57, February.
    21. Alfred D. Chandler, 1991. "The functions of the HQ unit in the multibusiness firm," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(S2), pages 31-50, December.
    22. Chahrazad Abdallah & Ann Langley, 2014. "The Double Edge of Ambiguity in Strategic Planning," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(2), pages 235-264, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dooms, E., 2005. "Control in multidivisional firms : Levels issues and internal differentiation," Other publications TiSEM bc7c1906-d54c-46e5-9d8e-1, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    2. Du, Yan & Deloof, Marc & Jorissen, Ann, 2015. "The Roles of Subsidiary Boards in Multinational Enterprises," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 169-181.
    3. Marian Gorynia & Oliwia Samelak, 2013. "Przegląd badań nad funkcjonowaniem filii korporacji transnarodowych w Polsce," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 10, pages 69-91.
    4. Smitha R. Nair & Mehmet Demirbag & Kamel Mellahi, 2015. "Reverse Knowledge Transfer from Overseas Acquisitions: A Survey of Indian MNEs," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 277-301, April.
    5. Torsten Ringberg & Markus Reihlen, 2008. "Towards a Socio‐Cognitive Approach to Knowledge Transfer," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(5), pages 912-935, July.
    6. Kawai, Norifumi & Strange, Roger, 2014. "Subsidiary autonomy and performance in Japanese multinationals in Europe," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 504-515.
    7. Sarada Devi Gadepalli & Arindam Mondal, 2018. "Sources of Business Unit Performance Heterogeneity in India: The Influence of Ownership," Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, , vol. 43(4), pages 207-221, December.
    8. Maryam Khosravi & Mahmood Yahyazadehfar & Mohsen Alizadeh Sani, 2023. "Economic growth and human capital in Iran: A phenomenological study in a major Central Asian economy," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 645-679, June.
    9. Sanjay Jain, 2022. "From jugaad to jugalbandi: Understanding the changing nature of Indian innovation," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 1-26, March.
    10. Maria Lusiani & Ann Langley, 2013. "Professionals as strategists? Channelling and organizing distributed strategizing," Working Papers 32, Department of Management, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia.
    11. Ambos, Björn & Kunisch, Sven & Leicht-Deobald, Ulrich & Schulte Steinberg, Adrian, 2019. "Unravelling agency relations inside the MNC: The roles of socialization, goal conflicts and second principals in headquarters-subsidiary relationships," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 54(2), pages 67-81.
    12. A. Willem & M. Buelens, 2003. "Making Competencies Cross Business Unit Boundaries: The Interplay between Inter-Unit Coordination, Trust and Knowledge Transferability," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 03/176, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    13. Yakhlef, Ali, 2010. "The three facets of knowledge: A critique of the practice-based learning theory," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 39-46, February.
    14. Kurokawa, Sam & Iwata, Satoshi & Roberts, Edward B., 2007. "Global R&D activities of Japanese MNCs in the US: A triangulation approach," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 3-36, February.
    15. Mohamed Laid Ouakouak, 2018. "Does a strategic planning process that combines rational and adaptive characteristics pay off ? Evidence from European firms," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 43(2), pages 328-349, May.
    16. Kim, Bongjin & Prescott, John E. & Kim, Sung Min, 2005. "Differentiated governance of foreign subsidiaries in transnational corporations: an agency theory perspective," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 43-66, March.
    17. Sunny Li Sun & Weilei (Stone) Shi & David Ahlstrom & Li (Rachel) Tian, 2020. "Understanding institutions and entrepreneurship: The microfoundations lens and emerging economies," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(4), pages 957-979, December.
    18. Phillip C. Nell & Philip Kappen & Tomi Laamanen, 2017. "Reconceptualising Hierarchies: The Disaggregation and Dispersion of Headquarters in Multinational Corporations," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(8), pages 1121-1143, December.
    19. Jong Min Lee, 2022. "MNCs as dispersed structures of power: Performance and management implications of power distribution in the subsidiary portfolio," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(1), pages 126-155, February.
    20. Marcus Matthias Keupp & Maximilian Palmié & Oliver Gassmann, 2011. "Achieving Subsidiary Integration in International Innovation by Managerial “Tools”," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 213-239, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:asiapa:v:39:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s10490-020-09726-w. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.