Joanna Radomska, Arkadiusz Kawa, Monika Hajdas, Patrycja Klimas and Susana C. Silva
Retail omnichannel implementation faces barriers hindering accurate and efficient integration across marketing channels. Our desk examination identified a need for a broader…
Abstract
Purpose
Retail omnichannel implementation faces barriers hindering accurate and efficient integration across marketing channels. Our desk examination identified a need for a broader perspective in investigating these barriers, moving away from a dominant, narrow approach. This research aims to develop a comprehensive set of items to measure retail omnichannel obstacles, refine the scale and assess its reliability and validity for a robust measurement tool.
Design/methodology/approach
Our approach combines quantitative and qualitative methods, using data from primary and secondary sources to create and validate the omnichannel obstacles scale.
Findings
This study emphasises the inclusive nature of retail functional areas, departing from prior literature that examined them in isolation. Instead of focussing on separate domains where retail omnichannel obstacles may arise, we adopt a holistic perspective by integrating previously disconnected elements.
Originality/value
We assert that challenges in retail omnichannel operations encompass three distinct dimensions: operational efficiency, channel inefficiency, and strategy and organisational culture within retailing. In our final validated measurement model, we consolidate the channel inefficiency dimension and refine the omnichannel obstacles scale to emphasise two areas of consideration.
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Keywords
Joanna Radomska, Przemysław Wołczek and Aleksandra Szpulak
This study aims to examine the mediating effect of four antecedents of competitive advantage on the linkage of risky strategy to firm performance, measured by revenue dynamics. It…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the mediating effect of four antecedents of competitive advantage on the linkage of risky strategy to firm performance, measured by revenue dynamics. It considers the roots of competitive advantage to highlight different patterns and foundations of achieving superior performance. It investigates whether pursuing a risky strategy fosters revenue dynamics growth and whether different mediators are included in that relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
Path analysis (structural equation modeling) method is used to analyze data from 122 companies of various sizes and industries. All respondents were responsible for executing strategic management processes. The paper used the subjective perspective, which is based on the individual opinion of senior company managers and owners.
Findings
The authors find a positive relationship between risky strategy and firm performance, but no evidence of a mediating role of competitive advantage and dynamic growth in this relationship. Competitive advantage should be perceived as a set of integrated factors that can be analyzed from an aggregated perspective. Integrating all antecedents requires a holistic and systematic approach and the development of a particular mindset. Aggregated competitive advantage is related to setting dynamic growth as a priority. However, no relationship between risky strategy and achieving competitive advantage, or between implementing a risky strategy and setting dynamic growth as a priority, is observed, which was assumed to explain the revenue dynamics growth.
Research limitations/implications
Secondary data should be analyzed to explore how risky strategies are manifested, and which managerial decisions are reflected in high-level risk. A multidimensional scale could be developed to check how risk shapes the constructs’ interdependence. Therefore, the dynamic capabilities approach could be further expanded.
Practical implications
This research offers insights into the short-term relationship between risky strategy and revenue dynamics, although competitive advantage does not mediate that relationship. Special attention should be paid to the selected antecedents of competitive advantage, as they influence dynamic growth.
Originality/value
This work provides insights into different antecedents of competitive advantage, which is not necessarily based on making risky decisions, and into factors that facilitate firm performance measured by revenue dynamics.
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Joanna Radomska, Przemysław Wołczek and Susana Costa e Silva
The manager of the 21st century is expected to succeed in an environment strongly characterized by unprecedented volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). In…
Abstract
The manager of the 21st century is expected to succeed in an environment strongly characterized by unprecedented volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). In fact, today’s business environment consists of contradictory pressure and tensions, where competitive advantage could be gained by ambidextrous activities. The concept of ambidexterity has already been discussed by many scholars, but still little is known about managerial practice and actions that are useful for finding the balance between the paradoxes that have been identified at that level. Although there are different tensions, dynamic and evolving according to the changes observed in the environment: more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, the pressure to remain flexible and simultaneously maintain the plan of development, seems to be essential. In recent research studies, networking perspective is mentioned as one of areas worth exploring while analyzing the concept of ambidexterity. For that reason, the main goal of this chapter is to investigate if networking is one of the factors useful for managing ambidexterity. To gain deeper insight, we investigated further, searching for the factors essential for managing ambidexterity: we compared the research results between companies of different sizes to identify any regularities. We focused on ambidexterity reflected by managerial practice where stability/plans and flexibility are implemented simultaneously. We investigated 150 managers using paper-and-pencil interviewing. Our research results confirmed that networking could be one of the main approaches having an impact on ambidextrous activities. However, we cannot conclude that companies are obliged to apply a networking perspective to be ambidextrous, although it could be recommended. Further analysis of companies of different sizes revealed the relationship between ambidexterity and networking in case of small and large companies, and no relation in medium-sized enterprises.