Article,
Configurations Revisited
Strat. Mgmt. J., 17 (7): 505--512 (July 1996)
DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0266(199607)17:7<505::AID-SMJ852>3.0.CO;2-I
Abstract
My 1986 article in SMJ represented an early attempt to apply the approach
of configuration to the field of strategy. Now, 10 years later, we
still have far to go. What is often lacking from the configurational
literature is the search for configuration itself: for complex systems
of interdependency and their core orchestrating themes. In this note
I address the two major approaches to configuration: conceptually
derived typologies and empirically based taxonomies. Some shortcomings
of this work are identified and a few ambitious remedial suggestions
are advanced. I then propose a third approach—studying configuration
as a variable or quality within each organization that can create
or destroy competitive advantage.
