Hung, Shih-Chang (1995) Social structures, industry system, corporate identities and strategic choices : a theory of strategy and an application to the Taiwanese microcomputer industry. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

The thesis develops a sociological theory of strategy that is then applied
empirically to nine firms within the Taiwanese PC industry. It aims to show why and
how firms within the same industry and country pursue different strategies.
This thesis begins by arguing the relative failure of economics to explain
strategic difference because of the socially-embedded nature of economic action. This
kind of argument calls for the use of sociology to analyse firm behaviour in order to
help reconcile society with agency. Because society embodies a wide range of social
structure, firms are able to draw upon a plurality of structural rules and resources in
order to gain their strategic agency. Informed by this pluralistic account of economic
action, the thesis goes on to suggest three sets of structural sources, namely, policy
style, business recipe and technology paradigm. The patterning of the three structures
constitutes an industry system which highlights the significance of social conflicts in
structuring firm behaviour. In order to negotiate the conflicts, firms have to choose to
conform to certain social structures. Here, choice is possible, because in the industry
system there is more than one social structure providing social rules and resources for
guiding and empowering firm behaviour.
While recognising the possibility of choice, the thesis continues to argue that
this agentive potential of doing otherwise is different for each company. The
difference is a product of corporate identities which establish firnis' structural links
with their attendant industry system and so provide them with both access to specific
social resources essential to strategic choice, and certain particular rules about how to
exercise their choices. Consequently, the concept of corporate identities provides an
institutional linkage between structure and agency and it is through this linkage that
we examine why firms make different strategic choices.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Strategic planning, Computer industry -- Taiwan -- Case studies, Industrial sociology
Official Date:	March 1995
Dates:	Date Event March 1995 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	School of Industrial and Business Studies
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Whittington, Richard, 1958-
Extent:	viii, 277 leaves
Language:	eng

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