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On the discrepancies between macro and micro level identification of competitive strategies

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  • Herrmann, Andrea M.

Abstract

As economic internationalization advances, the question of how firms cope with increasing pressure for competitiveness gains momentum. While scholars agree that firms need a competitive advantage, they debate whether firms exploit the comparative advantage of their economy and converge on that strategy facilitated by national institutions. No, argue strategic management proponents of the resource-based view. Yes, claim contributors to the competitiveness literature. My micro-level studies of these opposing views show that firms within one economy do not converge on the institutionally supported strategy. The discrepancies between these findings and the analyses of the competitiveness literature are attributed to differences in the indicators employed to measure corporate strategies. Whenever macro-level indicators are used, the related loss of information on micro-level variety entails that convergence effects are more pronounced possibly exaggerated.

Suggested Citation

  • Herrmann, Andrea M., 2008. "On the discrepancies between macro and micro level identification of competitive strategies," MPIfG Discussion Paper 08/6, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.
  • Handle: RePEc:zbw:mpifgd:086
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    1. Why Do We Do These Things? Good question. For The Answer, Look In Your House of Mirrors ... VERY Carefully.
      by Roger Erickson in Mike Norman Economics on 2013-08-12 19:13:00

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    1. Herrmann, Andrea M., 2008. "Choosing and successfully sustaining competitive strategies in the European pharmaceutical industry," MPIfG Discussion Paper 08/9, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.

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