The impact of strategic orientation dimensions on business performance: a case study based on an international organisation

Abstract

This paper examines the different combinations of the dimensions of strategic orientation at the business unit manager's level of analysis. It is argued that some of these dimensions are dominant and that certain patterns of these dimensions associate closely with strong business performance. Furthermore, these combinations or patterns vary significantly across business units of the same organisation located in different regions of the world. The findings of this study of managers from a large multi-national corporation that has more than four thousand employees spread over forty subsidiaries around the world appear to support the study’s hypotheses. These results are expected to provide management with valuable practical insights into the relationship between different patterns of strategic orientation and business performance.