Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-16T13:25:53.355Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Do environment and intuition matter in the relationship between decision politics and success?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 January 2015

Said Elbanna ,
C Anthony Di Benedetto  and
Jouhaina Gherib
Said Elbanna
Affiliation:
College of Business and Economics, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
C Anthony Di Benedetto*
Affiliation:
Fox School of Business, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Jouhaina Gherib
Affiliation:
ISCAE, University of Manouba, El Mourouj, Tunisia
*
Corresponding author: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Little is known about the relationship between political behavior and successful decision making in non-Western national settings, or about the impact of environmental factors on this relationship. Moreover, our understanding of the decision processes through which political behavior translates into decision outcomes is also not well understood. The present research extends previous studies by examining how political behavior influences decision success in a new setting, with reference to the moderating impact of three environmental factors representing industry and society/nation environment effects, and the mediating role of a decision process, intuition. The findings from a survey of 131 Tunisian firms suggest that the practice of political behavior negatively influences decision success. We also find evidence of the importance of product uncertainty and intuition in understanding this relationship. Our findings address key issues not yet well understood in the theoretical literature, and provide managerial insights into ways of improving strategic choices in organizations.

Keywords

decision successenvironmentintuitionpolitical behaviorthe global financial crisis
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 21 , Issue 1 , January 2015 , pp. 60 - 81
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aiken, L. S., & West, S. G. (1991). Multiple regression: Testing and interpreting interactions. London: Sage.Google Scholar
Allison, G. T. (1971). Essence of decision: Explaining the Cuban missile crisis. Boston, MA: Little Brown.Google Scholar
Ashmos, D. P., Duchon, D., & Bodensteiner, W. D. (1997). Linking issues labels and managerial actions: A study of participation in crisis vs. opportunity issues. Journal of Applied Business Research, 13(4), 31–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51(6), 1173–1182.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Calantone, R., Garcia, R., & Dröge, C. (2003). The effects of environmental turbulence on new product development strategy planning. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 20, 90–103.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Castrogiovanni, G. (1991). Environmental munificence: A theoretical assessment. Academy of Management Review, 16(3), 542–565.Google Scholar
Child, J., Elbanna, S., & Rodrigues, S. (2010). The political aspects of strategic decision making. In P. Nutt & D. Wilson (Eds.), The handbook of decision making (pp. 105–137). Chichester: Wiley.Google Scholar
Child, J., & Hsieh, L. H. Y. (2014). Decision mode, information and network attachment in the internationalization of SMEs: A configurational and contingency analysis. Journal of World Business, 49(4), 598–610.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Collinson, S., & Houlden, J. (2005). Decision-making and market orientation in the internationalization process of small and medium-sized enterprises. Management International Review, 45(4), 413–436.Google Scholar
Cyert, R. M., & March, J. G. (1963). A behavioral theory of the firm. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
Dayan, M., & Elbanna, S. (2011). Antecedents of team intuition and its impact on the success of new product development projects. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 28(S1), 159–174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dayan, M., Elbanna, S., & Benedetto, C. A. D. (2012). Antecedents and consequences of political behavior in new product development teams. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 59(3), 470–482.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dean, J. W., & Sharfman, M. P. (1996). Does decision process matter? A study of strategic decision making effectiveness. Academy of Management Journal, 39(2), 368–396.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duarte, F. (2010). Teaching organizational power and politics through a critical pedagogical approach. Journal of Management and Organization, 16(5), 715–726.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eisenhardt, K. M., & Bourgeois, L. J. I. (1988). Politics of strategic decision making in high-velocity environments: Toward a midrange theory. Academy of Management Journal, 31(4), 737–770.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eisenhardt, K. M., & Zbaracki, M. (1992). Strategic decision-making. Strategic Management Journal, 13, 17–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elbanna, S. (2006). Strategic decision making: Process perspectives. International Journal of Management Reviews, 8(1), 1–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elbanna, S. (2010). Making strategic decisions: A state of the art review and empirical evidence from a cultural perspective. Dudweiler Landstr: Lambert Academic Publishing.Google Scholar
Elbanna, S. (2012). Slack, planning, and organizational performance: Evidence from the Arab Middle East. European Management Review, 9(2), 99–115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elbanna, S., & Child, J. (2007a). The influence of decision, environmental and firm characteristics on the rationality of strategic decision-making. Journal of Management Studies, 44(4), 561–591.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elbanna, S., & Child, J. (2007b). Influences on strategic decision effectiveness: Development and test of an integrative model. Strategic Management Journal, 28, 431–453.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elbanna, S., Child, J., & Dayan, M. (2013). A model of antecedents and consequences of intuition in strategic decision-making: Evidence from Egypt. Long Range Planning, 46(1–2), 149–176.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Emerson, R. M. (1962). Power-dependence relations. American Sociological Review, 27(1), 31–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Evans, M. G. (1985). A Monte Carlo study of the effects of correlated method variance in moderated multiple regression analysis. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 36, 305–323.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fedor, D., Maslyn, J., Farmer, S., & Bettenhausen, K. (2008). The contribution of positive politics to the prediction of employee reactions. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 38(1), 76–96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Finkelstein, S. (1992). Power in top management teams: Dimensions, measurement, and validation. Academy of Management Journal, 35(3), 505–538.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Galinsky, A. D., Rus, D., & Lammers, J. (2011). Power: A central force governing psychological, social, and organizational life. In D. De Cremer, R. van Dick, & J. Murnighan (Eds.), Social Pscyhology and Organizations. New York, NY: Routledge.Google Scholar
Gilbert, D. (2003). Strategic decision-making in Japanese trading companies: Case studies of information search activities. Journal of Management and Organization, 9(1), 27–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goll, I., & Rasheed, A. A. (1997). Rational decision-making and firm performance: The moderating role of environment. Strategic Management Journal, 18(7), 583–591.3.0.CO;2-Z>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gotsis, G., & Kortezi, Z. (2010). Ethical considerations in organizational politics: Expanding the perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 93(4), 497–517.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hart, S. (1992). An integrative framework for strategy-making processes. Academy of Management Review, 17(2), 327–351.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hart, S., & Banbury, C. (1994). How strategy-making processes can make a difference. Strategic Management Journal, 15(4), 251–269.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hickson, D. J., Butler, R. J., Cray, D., Mallory, G. R., & Wilson, D. C. (1986). Top decisions: Strategic decision-making in organizations. Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar
Hill, C. W. L., & Jones, G. R. (2012). Essentials of strategic management. Mason, OH: South-Western, Cengage Learning.Google Scholar
Hodgkinson, G. P., Sadler-Smith, E., Burke, L. A., Claxton, G., & Sparrow, P. R. (2009). Intuition in organizations: Implications for strategic management. Long Range Planning, 42(3), 277–297.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Janis, I. L. (1989). Crucial decisions: Leadership in policy and crisis management. New York, NY: The Free Press.Google Scholar
Judge, W. Q., & Miller, A. (1991). Antecedents and outcomes of decision speed in differential environmental context. Academy of Management Journal, 34(2), 449–463.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Khandwalla, P. N. (1977). The design of organizations. New York, NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.Google Scholar
Khatri, N., & Ng, H. A. (2000). The role of intuition in strategic decision making. Human Relations, 53(1), 57–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lawrence, B. S. (1997). The black box of organizational demography. Organization Science, 8, 1–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MacMillan, I. C., & Jones, P. E. (1986). Strategy formulation: Power and politics. St. Paul, MN: West Publication.Google Scholar
Madani, W., & Ayoub-Jedidi, C. (2005). Les groupes de sociétés Tunisiennes face à l’échéance de 2008, Fitch Rating North Africa. Retrieved from http://www.webmanagercenter.com/be/documents/fitch181005.pdfGoogle Scholar
Maitlis, S., & Lawrence, T. B. (2003). Orchestral manoeuvres in the dark: Understanding failure in organizational strategizing. Journal of Management Studies, 40(1), 109–139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
March, J. G., & Olsen, J. P. (1982). Ambiguity and choice in organizations. Bergen: Universitetsforlaget.Google Scholar
Miller, K. D. (1993). Industry and country effects on managers’ perceptions of environmental uncertainties. Journal of International Business Studies, 24(4), 693–714.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, C. C., Burke, L. M., & Glick, W. H. (1998). Cognitive diversity among upper-echelon executives: Implications for strategic decision processes. Strategic Management Journal, 19, 39–58.3.0.CO;2-A>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, D., & Friesen, P. H. (1984). Organizations: A quantum view. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
Mintzberg, H. (1973). Strategy making in three modes. California Management Review, 16(2), 44–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mintzberg, H., Raisinghani, D., & Theoret, A. (1976). The structure of ‘unstructured’ decision processes. Administrative Science Quarterly, 21(1), 246–275.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mohr, L. B. (1982). Explaining organizational behaviour. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
Moorman, C., & Miner, A. S. (1997). The impact of organizational memory on new product performance and creativity. Journal of Marketing Research, 34(1), 91–106.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mouley, S. (2013). The impact of the global financial crisis and combined transition factors associated with the post-revolutionary period: The case of Tunisie. IEMed, Mediterranean Yearbook.Google Scholar
Mouley, S., & Baccouche, R. (2012). Perspectives économiques des pays méditerranéens dans la post crise financière globale: Enquêtes de conjoncture auprès des PME – PMI en Tunisie et diagnostics comparés Algérie-Maroc, Femise Report, 34-09.Google Scholar
Mousavi, S., & Gigerenzer, G. (2014). Risk, uncertainty, and heuristics. Journal of Business Research, 67(8), 1671–1678.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pananond, P. (2007). The changing dynamics of Thai multinationals after the Asian economic crisis. Journal of International Management, 13(3), 356–375.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Papadakis, V. M., Lioukas, S., & Chambers, D. (1998). Strategic decision-making processes: The role of management and context. Strategic Management Journal, 19, 115–147.3.0.CO;2-5>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Parikh, J. I., Neubauer, F., & Lank, A. G. (1994). Intuition: The new frontier of management. Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar
Pettigrew, A. (1973). The politics of organizational decision-making. London: Tavistock.Google Scholar
Pfeffer, J. (1992). Managing with power: Politics and influence in organizations. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School.Google Scholar
Pillemer, F. G., & Racioppo, S. G. (2003). Making joint decisions. In J. D. Bamford, B. Gomes-Casseres & M. S. Robinson (Eds.), Mastering alliance strategy (pp. 149–170). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
Podsakoff, P. M., & Organ, D. W. (1986). Self-reports in organizational research: Problems and prospects. Journal of Management, 12, 531–544.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rajagopalan, N., Rasheed, A. M. A., Datta, D. K., & Spreitzer, G. M. (1997). A multi-theoretic model of strategic decision making processes. In V. Papadakis & P. Barwise (Eds.) Strategic decisions (pp. 229–250). London: Kluwer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberto, M. A. (2004). Strategic decision-making processes: Beyond the efficiency-consensus trade-off. Group & Organization Management, 29(6), 625–658.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rodrigues, S. B., & Hickson, D. J. (1995). Success in decision making: Different organizations, differing reasons for success. Journal of Management Studies, 32(5), 655–678.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sadler-Smith, E., & Shefy, E. (2004). The intuitive executive: Understanding and applying ‘gut feel’ in decision-making. Academy of Management Executive, 18(4), 76–91.Google Scholar
Scott, S. G., & Bruce, R. A. (1995). Decision-making style: The development and assessment of a new measure. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 55(5), 818–831.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sharfman, M. P., Dean, J. W., Mitchell, J. R., & Bartkoski, N. N. (2009). The limits of political behavior in strategic decision making. Paper presented at the Academy of Management Conference, 11 August, Chicago, IL, USA.Google Scholar
Shepherd, N. G., & Rudd, J. M. (2014). The Influence of context on the strategic decision-making process: A review of the literature. International Journal of Management Reviews, 16(3), 340–364.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sinclair, M., Ashkanasy, N. M., & Chattopadhyay, P. (2010). Affective antecedents of intuitive decision making. Journal of Management and Organization, 16(3), 382–398.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Snyman, J. H., & Drew, D. V. (2003). Complex strategic decision processes and firm performance in a hypercompetitive industry. The Journal of American Academy of Business, 2(2), 293–298.Google Scholar
Song, M., Di Benedetto, C. A., & Parry, M. E. (2009). The impact of formal processes for market information acquisition and utilization on the performance of Chinese new ventures. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 26(4), 314–323.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
The Central Bank of Tunisia (2009). The Annual Report for 2008. Tunisia: The Central Bank of Tunisia.Google Scholar
Tushman, M. L. (1977). A political approach to organization: A review and rationale. Academy of Management Review, 2, 206–216.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vaaler, P. M., & McNamara, G. (2004). Crisis and competition in expert organizational decision making: Credit-rating agencies and their response to turbulence in emerging economies. Organization Science, 15(6), 687–703.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walter, J., Kellermanns, F. W., & Lechner, C. (2012). Decision making within and between organizations: Rationality, politics, and alliance performance. Journal of Management, 38(5), 1582–1610.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Watkins, M., & Bazerman, M. (2003). Predictable surprises: The disasters you should have seen coming. Harvard Business Review, 81, 72–80.Google ScholarPubMed
Werner, S., Brouthers, L. E., & Brouthers, K. D. (1996). International risk and perceived environmental uncertainty: The dimensionality and internal consistency of Miller’s measure. Journal of International Business Studies, 27(3), 571–587.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zahra, S. (2011). Doing research in the (new) Middle East: Sailing with the wind. Academy of Management Perspectives, 25(4), 6–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar