Business ventures fuel economic growth and national prosperity. Yet, these ventures face increasing environmental uncertainty. This paper, using data from the Arabian Gulf…
Abstract
Business ventures fuel economic growth and national prosperity. Yet, these ventures face increasing environmental uncertainty. This paper, using data from the Arabian Gulf Sultanate of Oman, tests the notion that firms need and will respond to uncertain situations with greater entrepreneurship. Doing so will improve the performance level of such firms. The conclusions reached in the paper affirm the relationship among uncertainty, entrepreneurial orientation and performance. However, there is some variation among industries. Manufacturing organizations have responded with greater entrepreneurial intensity in the face of uncertainty and attained higher performance levels than commercial enterprises.
The purpose of this paper is to investigate planning practices, strategy types, and the performance of indigenous firms in Bahrain and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate planning practices, strategy types, and the performance of indigenous firms in Bahrain and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Design/methodology/approach
Data are collected from cheif executive officers (CEOs) and top management of 95 local companies sampled from Chamber of Commerce and Industry databases in Bahrain and UAE using face‐to‐face interviews. Analysis of variance and univariate logistic regression are employed in analyzing the data.
Findings
Although most of the firms are long‐term planners, many of them do not have a planning process. Majority of the firms are Prospectors and Analyzers. Prospectors perform considerably better than all the other strategy types. Nevertheless, the firms that are included in this paper appear to be cautious and not aggressive in entering new markets or in taking the lead in introducing and marketing new products.
Research limitations/implications
The paper suffers from selection bias by focusing on indigenous‐owned companies. Also, the data originate from self‐reported responses from business leaders and executives. The results do not establish causality. Finally, only broad demographic links are considered. Other individual and firm variables may influence performance in different ways than indicated here.
Practical implications
Managers must pay heed to the usefulness of planning and ensure that their companies have a planning process in place. Given the performance of Prospectors, managers must adopt some prospector strategies. Experience and high level of education as essential ingredients to successful planning and performance require management consideration.
Originality/value
The paper provides empirical support for Miles and Snow typology and corroborates the existing understanding that planning is beneficial to firms from an under‐researched part of the world.
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Robert C. Moussetis, Ali Abu Rahma and George Nakos
This paper examined the relationships between national culture and strategic behavior in the banking industry in Jordan and U.S. The study first developed a strategic posture and…
Abstract
This paper examined the relationships between national culture and strategic behavior in the banking industry in Jordan and U.S. The study first developed a strategic posture and secondly a cultural profile for the top management of the research domain. The strategic posture suggested the readiness for strategic response from managers. The degree of readiness was correlated with the constructed cultural profile of the managers and financial performance of the banks. The study found significant relationships between certain national cultural strategic characteristics, (risk propensity, time orientation, and openness to change, uncertainty avoidance and managerial perception of control over the environment) strategic behavior and financial performance.
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Street vendors, modernity and postmodernity: conflict and compromise in the global economy explores street vending within the context of the shift from modernism to postmodernism…
Abstract
Street vendors, modernity and postmodernity: conflict and compromise in the global economy explores street vending within the context of the shift from modernism to postmodernism, suggesting that the former implied crackdowns on the trade because of the ideals of public order and control whilst the latter is more open to such methods. Questions whether this new approach brings fresh dilemmas for the informal sector. Proffers the idea that the policy makers should allow deregulated sectors of informality in the economy to function as incubators for new industry.