Title: Enabling the strategic planning of small and medium-sized information technology through advanced results: a configurational perspective of Mintzberg 5Ps

Authors: Taciana De Barros Jerônimo; Denise Dumke De Medeiros

Addresses: Centro de Tecnologia, Departamento de Engenharia de Produção, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Acadêmico Helio Ramos Avenue, sn. Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50740-530, Recife, PE, Brazil ' Centro de Tecnologia, Departamento de Engenharia de Produção, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Acadêmico Helio Ramos Avenue, sn. Cidade Universitária, CEP: 50740-530, Recife, PE, Brazil

Abstract: Individuals are pivotal to supporting knowledge and to contribute with new ideas that generate value for the firm. With this perspective, this paper compares the small and medium sized information technology enterprises (SMET) manager's behaviour to the 5Ps strategy describe by Mintzberg (1992). This study highlights different ways of strategic thinking, and the importance of the mutual trust and commitment between managers and employees in order to encourage SMET competitiveness through their market changes and environmental uncertainties. The results show the plurality of values shared by the organisational SMET managers. This analysis can guide SMET managers to optimise their behaviour performance. Our analysis relies upon a survey of 13 Brazilian IT firms.

Keywords: small and medium-sized enterprises; IT SMEs; strategic planning; information technology; business objectives; leadership; management; organisational structure; Mintzberg; mutual trust; mutual commitment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2013.056740

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2013 Vol.7 No.6, pp.663 - 678

Published online: 27 Dec 2013 *

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