IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIC MISSIONS - EFFECTIVE STRATEGIC, STRUCTURAL ANDTACTICAL CHOICES

This article describes a study of the impact of strategic mission on t he relationships between firm performance and selected strategic, stru ctural, and tactical variables. Moderated regression analysis and subg roup analysis were used to analyse data collected from 91 advanced tec hnology manufacturing companies. Results indicate that firms with buil d-oriented strategic missions, relative to those with more hold- and h arvest-oriented strategic missions, performed better when they: (1) ad opted entrepreneurial strategic postures; (2) had organic organization structures; (3) offered relatively low product prices; (4) employed r elatively large sales forces; (5) offered relatively generous customer credit; and (6) offered relatively broad product lines. On the other hand, firms with hold- and harvest-oriented strategic missions, relati ve to those with more build-oriented strategic missions, performed bet ter when they emphasized R&D activity geared toward the development an d refinement of existing products. Strategic mission did not moderate the effectiveness of the firms' advertising expenditures or their new product development activity.