Choice, chance and unintended consequences in strategic change: a process understanding of the rise and fall of Northco Automotive

MacKay, B. and Chia, R. (2013) Choice, chance and unintended consequences in strategic change: a process understanding of the rise and fall of Northco Automotive. Academy of Management Journal, 56(1), pp. 208-230. (doi: 10.5465/amj.2010.0734)

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Abstract

Strategic change is frequently viewed as emanating from the purposeful choices of organizational actors intent on achieving a pre-specified goal against a backdrop of existing environmental forces. Conversely, population ecology advocates maintain that change is a consequence of species populations being subjected to environmental selection. Either way, change is deemed epiphenomenal to social entities (i.e., actors/organizations/environments, etc.); change processes involve the doings of/to things. This reflects an 18owned 19 view of change processes. We present a detailed empirical study of an automotive company 19s efforts to adapt to relentless change. We argue that an 18unowned 19 view of process that elevates chance, environmental uncertainty, and the unintended consequences of choice in accounting for strategic change is a more processual way of understanding the eventual demise of Northco Automotive.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Chia, Professor Robert
Authors: MacKay, B., and Chia, R.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
Journal Name:Academy of Management Journal
ISSN:0001-4273
ISSN (Online):1948-0989

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