An Exploration of Strategic Decision Making: Implications for Strategic Flexibility

Abstract

Strategic decision making is crucial for organisations because it determines the extent to which new and alternative strategic options are generated, which enables positive organisational change. The extent to which new and alternative options are generated by strategic decision making depends upon individual level variables, such as the cognitive style of senior strategic decision makers. There is a lack of consensus, as well as a lack of empirical evidence, within the extant strategic decision making literature regarding: (i) the effect that individual level variables have upon strategic decision making characteristics and outcomes; (ii) how strategic decision making characteristics affect strategic decision making outcomes. In this dissertation a contingency framework is adopted, and it is proposed that environmental and organisational contextual antecedent factors directly impact upon strategic decision characteristics, as well as moderating and mediating the relationships between individual level variables, strategic decision making characteristics, and strategic decision making outcomes. This dissertation presents a systematic literature review, research propositions and a proposed research methodology in order to identify and outline how a significant contribution can be made to strategic decision making theory.