Title: The globalising Chinese business enterprise: the role of strategic fit

Authors: Theodore T. Herbert, Ilan Alon, J. Mark Munoz

Addresses: Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College, 1000 Holt Ave – 2722, Winter Park, FL 32789–4499, USA. ' Rollins College, 1000 Holt Ave – 2722, Winter Park, FL 32789–4499, USA. ' Tabor School of Business, Millikin University, 1184 West Main Street, Decatur, Illinois 62522, USA

Abstract: To achieve full performance potential in becoming a global business competitor, enterprises in transitioning economies, particularly Chinese business enterprises, must identify and rectify deficiencies in their resources and capabilities. Too often, prescriptive advice on globalisation requirements is given that is too narrowly focused on accommodating the full range and interactive effects of multiple action responses needed. We offer an approach that is useful for considering the range of options for Chinese firms through the lens of multiple response levels, ambient factors, the individual level, the intraorganisational level and the interorganisational level. We argue that the approach allows the identification of deficient resources and capabilities which, upon being remedied, must pass another hurdle of analysis, that of inspecting their potential for misalignment or poor strategic fit. While the approach is especially well-suited to China, the concept may also be suitable for other transitioning environments.

Keywords: China; Chinese firms; globalisation strategy; strategic fit; strategic alignment; firm resources; firm capabilities; transitioning economies; Chinese business enterprises.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCCM.2007.016164

International Journal of Chinese Culture and Management, 2007 Vol.1 No.1, pp.4 - 21

Published online: 07 Dec 2007 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article