“It is the theory that decides what we can observe”  - Albert Einstein -
A configurational approach to organisational analysis identifies patterns and relationships within the complexity of organisational elements, such as strategy, structure, and processes. The dominant mode of inquiry of configuration theory is an integrated synthesis based on systems thinking, explaining that the parts [...]

Everybody who has been through business school or who had done a course in strategic management will be familiar with Porter’s (1980) competitive forces model. This approach focuses on the actions an organisation can take to protect itself against five competitive forces:

Rivalry among competitors;
Threat of subsitute products;
Threat of potential new entrants;
Bargaining power of buyers and
Bargaining power [...]

In 1991 Ikujiro Nonaka published an article about knowledge-creation in Japanese companies. (Please refer to the reference at the bottom of the post). The article explains how companies such as Honda, Canon, Matsushita, NEC, Sharp and Kao views knowledge-creation as a source of competitive advantage. Using the so-called ’spiral of knowledge’ model, the article provides [...]