Lessons from an innovation-leader and tools to learn them
Abstract: A number of recent
reports have suggested that communication and management skills are important
competences for engineers today and are likely to continue so in the
future. While participation in strategy
management decisions is expected to be important for engineers in technology
driven firms, little attention is given to strategy management tools in many
undergraduate engineering courses. The paper demonstrates one approach to
tackling this issue.
Design/methodology/approach: The authors initially present a critique of
the use of standard strategy management tools SWOT analysis and Porter’s 5
Forces for decision making about future company policy. This critique is then
complemented by a case-study of a university start-up, a recognized
innovation-leader, in which SWOT analysis, Porter’s 5 Forces and PESTLE
analysis are applied retrospectively as sense-making constructs to understand
the firm’s previous policy decisions.
Findings and Originality/value: The paper illustrates the potential of
retrospective use of strategy management tools is demonstrated.
Research limitations/implications: An obstacle confronting researchers in
studies of this type is that for reasons of confidentiality it is difficult to
gain access to current objective data on the financial situation and policy
decisions of a firm. Furthermore this work presents a single case study. Both
limitations are addressed in the appropriate section of the article.
Originality/value: The value of the retrospective use of strategy
management tools is illustrated. The
paper makes proposals regarding how such data can be employed in role-play
activities in preparing engineers to develop interdisciplinary communication
skills in the context of strategy management decision making
Author: Bill Williams, José
Figueiredo
Journal Code: jptindustrigg140079
