1. EXPLORING THE
CONCEPT OF „FIT“ IN
STRATEGIC
MANAGEMENT
N. VENKATRAMAN, JOHN C. CAMILLUS
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT REVIEW, 1984
Berildja de Carvalho

2. Table of Content
 Structure of the Paper
 Aim of the Paper
 The Conceptual Scheme of „Fit“
 Different Perspectives of „Fit“
 Using the Conceptual Scheme
 Future Research Ideas

3. Structure of the Paper
 Divided in three theoretical parts
 1. Definition of concept of „fit“
 2. Conceptual scheme highlighting six schools of
thoughts
 3. Application of conceptual scheme
 Summary
 References

4. Aim of the Paper
Recognition of strengths and weaknesses in
various approaches investigating and employing
“fit” in strategic management.

5. The Conceptual Scheme of „Fit“
 Paper focus: concept of fit in strategic
management
 “Fit”: “a matching or aligning of organizational
resources with environmental opportunities
and threats”
 Two dimensions:
 Conceptionalization of fit in strategy
 The Domain of fit

6. Different Perspectives of „Fit“
1. School: Strategy formulation School

7. Different Perspectives of „Fit“
2. School: Strategy implementation
School

8. Different Perspectives of „Fit“
3. School: Integrated Formulation -
Implementation School

9. Different Perspectives of „Fit“
4. School: Interorganizational (Strategy) Networks

10. Different Perspectives of „Fit“
5. School: Strategic Choice School

11. Different Perspectives of „Fit“
6. School: Overarching “gestalt” School

12. Using the Conceptual Scheme
 Paper suggests „fit“ to be considered a central
concept in strategic management
 Main idea behind developed scheme:
anticipating key issues in context of employing
fit in strategic management
 1. dimension: theoretical issues
 2. dimension: managerial issues

13. Future Research Ideas
 Strategic implementation School
 Managerial Issues
 Analyzing fit between strategy, structure and culture
 Which are the key variable to enhance performance?
 Link with RBV – approach from Penrose
 Theoretical construct: how to create a great place to work
(internal) and its interaction with its environment (external
perception of a great place to work ?
 Compare performance of two competing firms in order to
find out why one is performing “better”
 Analyze internal structure and culture
 Data analyze trough interview and questionaries'

14. THANK YOU!!