I am a member of the Strategy and International Management Group at University of Bath, School of Management. I teach strategy and international strategy. My research interests lie in the strategic management of large corporations, more specifically dynamic capabilities, organizational learning and organizational change. To date my focus has been on analysing radical organizational transformation in transition economies but I am now engaged in extending this research to large Western corporations facing radical change. I have 23 years’ international management experience working for Shell in a variety of roles including business management in expatriate postings in Austria and Russia, strategic planning and mergers & acquisitions. Consultancy activities include investment analysis, strategy development and implementation and management development. Supervisors: Klaus Meyer and Marc Day Phone: +44 1225 385960 Address: University of Bath
Bath
BA2 7DL
How do organizations previously dominated by the state develop dynamic capabilities that would su... more How do organizations previously dominated by the state develop dynamic capabilities that would support their growth in a competitive market economy? We develop a theoretical framework of organizational transformation that explains the processes by which organizations learn and develop dynamic capabilities in transition economies. Specifically, the framework theorizes about the importance of, and inter-relationships between, leadership, organizational learning, dynamic capabilities, and performance over three stages of transformation. Propositions derived from this framework explain the pre-conditions enabling organizational learning, the linkages between types of learning and functions of dynamic capabilities, and the feedback from dynamic capabilities to organizational learning that allows firms in transition economies to regain their footing and build long-term competitive advantage. We focus on transition contexts, where these processes have been magnified and thus offer new insights into strategizing in radically altered environments.
We use a cross-case analysis of four Russian oil majors to develop a framework explaining the rel... more We use a cross-case analysis of four Russian oil majors to develop a framework explaining the relationship between exploitation and exploration learning, and the development of organizational capabilities in transition economies. Our research explains how the changing top management style influences organizational learning over time. In the first stage of organizational transformation an authoritarian management style initiates a break with the administrative heritage of the organization to facilitate exploitation learning and the development of operational capabilities. These are required for survival in the new conditions of a market economy. In the second stage a more participatory management style fosters exploration learning and the development of strategic flexibility, required for sustainable competitive advantage. We demonstrate that exploitation and exploration learning do not coexist in the initial stages of transformation but are sequential. We found that the western-derived constructs of organizational learning add to our understanding of the process of organizational transformation in a transition context. Our study of the Russian oil industry also provides new ways to think about the processes of organizational learning in western companies, particularly large bureaucratic ones, anchored in their administrative heritage and needing to undergo organizational transformation.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify critical success factors for the man... more Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify critical success factors for the management of change in transition economies.
Design/methodology/approach – Four longitudinal case studies of Russian oil companies covering a ten-year period from 1995, based on 71 in-depth interviews. Examines organisational change from a resource-based and organisational learning perspective.
Findings – Explains how top managers firstly, break with administrative heritage to increase absorptive capacity and secondly, leverage administrative heritage for rapid implementation of change. Intra- and cross-case analyses demonstrate that absorptive capacity increases and organisational change occurs where the top management team has radically different skills and mindsets from the dominant logic of the post-Soviet organisation, an entrepreneurial orientation and the capability to drive through change due to a top-down management style.
Research limitations/implications – The research is restricted to four case studies. However, the critical success factors identified could apply to any large, conservative and bureaucratic organisation undergoing change. This represents an interesting avenue for research on organisational turnaround in the West.
Practical implications – An understanding of the critical success factors for dealing with administrative heritage will assist managers in transition economies and in turnaround situations in the West.
Originality/value – The speed of change in the Russian oil industry provided a unique setting for research into organisational change in transition economies. On the basis of cross-case analyses, a new theoretical framework was developed to explain the change process.
How do organizations previously dominated by the state develop dynamic capabilities that would su... more How do organizations previously dominated by the state develop dynamic capabilities that would support their growth in a competitive market economy? We develop a theoretical framework of organizational transformation that explains the processes by which organizations learn and develop dynamic capabilities in transition economies. Specifically, the framework theorizes about the importance of, and inter-relationships between, leadership, organizational learning, dynamic capabilities, and performance over three stages of transformation. Propositions derived from this framework explain the pre-conditions enabling organizational learning, the linkages between types of learning and functions of dynamic capabilities, and the feedback from dynamic capabilities to organizational learning that allows firms in transition economies to regain their footing and build long-term competitive advantage. We focus on transition contexts, where these processes have been magnified and thus offer new insights into strategizing in radically altered environments.
We use a cross-case analysis of four Russian oil majors to develop a framework explaining the rel... more We use a cross-case analysis of four Russian oil majors to develop a framework explaining the relationship between exploitation and exploration learning, and the development of organizational capabilities in transition economies. Our research explains how the changing top management style influences organizational learning over time. In the first stage of organizational transformation an authoritarian management style initiates a break with the administrative heritage of the organization to facilitate exploitation learning and the development of operational capabilities. These are required for survival in the new conditions of a market economy. In the second stage a more participatory management style fosters exploration learning and the development of strategic flexibility, required for sustainable competitive advantage. We demonstrate that exploitation and exploration learning do not coexist in the initial stages of transformation but are sequential. We found that the western-derived constructs of organizational learning add to our understanding of the process of organizational transformation in a transition context. Our study of the Russian oil industry also provides new ways to think about the processes of organizational learning in western companies, particularly large bureaucratic ones, anchored in their administrative heritage and needing to undergo organizational transformation.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify critical success factors for the man... more Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify critical success factors for the management of change in transition economies.
Design/methodology/approach – Four longitudinal case studies of Russian oil companies covering a ten-year period from 1995, based on 71 in-depth interviews. Examines organisational change from a resource-based and organisational learning perspective.
Findings – Explains how top managers firstly, break with administrative heritage to increase absorptive capacity and secondly, leverage administrative heritage for rapid implementation of change. Intra- and cross-case analyses demonstrate that absorptive capacity increases and organisational change occurs where the top management team has radically different skills and mindsets from the dominant logic of the post-Soviet organisation, an entrepreneurial orientation and the capability to drive through change due to a top-down management style.
Research limitations/implications – The research is restricted to four case studies. However, the critical success factors identified could apply to any large, conservative and bureaucratic organisation undergoing change. This represents an interesting avenue for research on organisational turnaround in the West.
Practical implications – An understanding of the critical success factors for dealing with administrative heritage will assist managers in transition economies and in turnaround situations in the West.
Originality/value – The speed of change in the Russian oil industry provided a unique setting for research into organisational change in transition economies. On the basis of cross-case analyses, a new theoretical framework was developed to explain the change process.
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Design/methodology/approach – Four longitudinal case studies of Russian oil companies covering a ten-year period from 1995, based on 71 in-depth interviews. Examines organisational change from a resource-based and organisational learning perspective.
Findings – Explains how top managers firstly, break with administrative heritage to increase absorptive capacity and secondly, leverage administrative heritage for rapid implementation of change. Intra- and cross-case analyses demonstrate that absorptive capacity increases and organisational change occurs where the top management team has radically different skills and mindsets from the dominant logic of the post-Soviet organisation, an entrepreneurial orientation and the capability to drive through change due to a top-down management style.
Research limitations/implications – The research is restricted to four case studies. However, the critical success factors identified could apply to any large, conservative and bureaucratic organisation undergoing change. This represents an interesting avenue for research on organisational turnaround in the West.
Practical implications – An understanding of the critical success factors for dealing with administrative heritage will assist managers in transition economies and in turnaround situations in the West.
Originality/value – The speed of change in the Russian oil industry provided a unique setting for research into organisational change in transition economies. On the basis of cross-case analyses, a new theoretical framework was developed to explain the change process.
Design/methodology/approach – Four longitudinal case studies of Russian oil companies covering a ten-year period from 1995, based on 71 in-depth interviews. Examines organisational change from a resource-based and organisational learning perspective.
Findings – Explains how top managers firstly, break with administrative heritage to increase absorptive capacity and secondly, leverage administrative heritage for rapid implementation of change. Intra- and cross-case analyses demonstrate that absorptive capacity increases and organisational change occurs where the top management team has radically different skills and mindsets from the dominant logic of the post-Soviet organisation, an entrepreneurial orientation and the capability to drive through change due to a top-down management style.
Research limitations/implications – The research is restricted to four case studies. However, the critical success factors identified could apply to any large, conservative and bureaucratic organisation undergoing change. This represents an interesting avenue for research on organisational turnaround in the West.
Practical implications – An understanding of the critical success factors for dealing with administrative heritage will assist managers in transition economies and in turnaround situations in the West.
Originality/value – The speed of change in the Russian oil industry provided a unique setting for research into organisational change in transition economies. On the basis of cross-case analyses, a new theoretical framework was developed to explain the change process.