Managing the managers of competitive strategic change : an exploratory study of variables of organizational context and individual managerial personnel in four American manufacturing business units

This study intended the following:

(1) To construct and refine an "integrated model" of independent variables relating to the management of competitive strategic change actions, and (2) to test relevant propositions.

Field studies were conducted with seventy American managers from of four types of manufacturing business units (privately-held consumer goods and industrial goods; publicly-held consumer goods and industrial goods). Results supported the existence of initially selected organizational contextual and personnel independent variables which were: organizational culture, organizational design, individual role perception, and individual competence. Through the course of this research, other direct and/or moderating variables were identified. These were: general environmental, specific environmental, unit context, and individual managers’ context. On the basis of this study's findings, an "integrated" model of independent variables was developed. These are the variables believed to affect the management of strategic change actions within American manufacturing business units.

It is anticipated results of this study will contribute to an increased understanding of the management of competitive strategic change and guide further research. Pertinent education, practitioner and researcher implications are formulated using the results. Numerous research propositions and hypotheses bear further investigation.