Collective identity is important for the cohesion of social movements, yet there is an inherent tension between group unity and heterogeneity when multiple groups are motivated to come together to work for change. Through a three-year investigation of the early stages of a women’s rights movement following the Libyan revolution, we explore the dynamics of collective identity development. Our findings capture how two heterogeneous groups, Libyan locals and Libyan diaspora, interact to negotiate and re-negotiate the boundaries of collective identity. We find that this process unfolds through an ongoing struggle where the point of difference between the groups – their uncommon past – is the mechanism first used to ensure inclusion of insiders, and then to exclude outsiders from the collective identity. Our paper contributes to our understanding of the relational process through which collective identity co-evolves, and the challenges faced by heterogeneous groups engaging in collective action.
Middle managers provide a powerful conduit for strategy execution particularly in fast paced environments. Their knowledge of strategy is critical for strategic change to be successful. Yet, little research directly examines how aware middle managers are of corporate strategy and how accurate they are in their understanding of how that strategy translates into divisional goals. Framed in cognition theory, this exploratory study uses qualitative and quantitative 74 R. A. Cruikshank et al. analysis to investigate the antecedents, accuracy and self-awareness of middle managers' knowledge of strategy within a large North American financial firm (N = 294). Implications for research and practice are highlighted.
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strategic fit(ness)
DefinitionStrategic fit refers to aligning the firm's strategy, structure, capabilities and resources with its external context to positively impact performance.
AbstractA key assumption in the field of strategic management is that strategic fit or alignment of a firm's internal strategy, structure, capabilities and resources with the external environment is beneficial and positively related to performance. As external environments have become more turbulent and unpredictable, the notion of fit embedded in equilibrium assumptions has evolved from strategic fit to dynamic strategic fit to strategic fitness to incorporate this increased complexity and uncertainty. Recent work reconceptualizes the firm, its context, the drivers and outcomes to allow more in-depth examination of the emergent dynamics underlying the relationship between fit(ness) and performance.
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