Papers by Loizos Heracleous
Fundamental problems remain with evidence-based management. We argue that, rather than being addr... more Fundamental problems remain with evidence-based management. We argue that, rather than being addressed, these problems are treated as digressions. One explanation for this is an ongoing incoherence: the evidence-based approach relegates narrative to a ghetto category of knowledge, but it is itself a narrative. Moreover, while this narrative is becoming more polished through repetition and selective assimilation of critique, it is also becoming simplified and less interesting. A Foucauldian, archaeological analysis accounts for this development by locating evidence-based management in a broader historical context. This analysis shows how the roots of incoherence can be informed by older exchanges between evidence and narrative.
The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 2013
The purpose of this article is to extend the organizational development diagnostics repertoire by... more The purpose of this article is to extend the organizational development diagnostics repertoire by advancing an approach that surfaces organizational identity beliefs through the elicitation of complex, multimodal metaphors by organizational members. We illustrate the use of such "Type IV" metaphors in a postmerger context, in which individuals sought to make sense of the implications of the merger process for the identity of their organization. This approach contributes to both constructive and discursive new organizational development approaches; and offers a multimodal way of researching organizational identity that goes beyond the dominant, mainly textual modality.
Academy of Management Proceedings, 2008
The organizational identity (OI) field today includes a plurality of perspectives, spanning a var... more The organizational identity (OI) field today includes a plurality of perspectives, spanning a variety of ontological and epistemological viewpoints. Although heavily influenced by the concept's original, largely essentialist definition of central, enduring and distinctive organizational attributes (Albert and Whetten, 1985), more recent process studies have examined identity tensions (Fiol, 2002), fluidity (Gioia et al, 2000), paradox (Pratt & Foreman, 2000), and other means by which organizations develop a sense of self and build some form of distinctive continuity across space and/or time (e.g. Clegg, 2005). Our approach is informed by the social constructionist approach to identity (e.g. Cornelissen et al., 2007, Hardy et al, 2005. Organizational members of various levels and on various occasions (re)negotiate a description of their organizations as they engage in sensemaking "self" and "other" (Clegg et al., 2007)-a set of meanings informing their actions and interactions. Because of their performative ability to associate particular concepts with material references to (re)create desired objects (Hardy et al., 2000), narratives and metaphors are particularly effective devices of organizational identity talk (Brown, 2006; Chreim, 2005; Humphreys and Brown, 2002; Vaara et al., 2003). Organizations and their actors ideally need to have a sense of identity when deciding what the goals and direction of their organization should be, and often employ their sense of identity as a boundarysetting guide in making strategic choices such as mergers and acquisitions for instance (what the organization should or should not do).
Discourse, Interpretation, Organization, 2006
Long Range Planning, 2015
Realizing Strategic Management, 2001
International Encyclopedia of Organization Studies, 2008
Harvard business review
Our annual survey of emerging management ideas considers the downside of reliability and the upsi... more Our annual survey of emerging management ideas considers the downside of reliability and the upside of flip-flops; new directions for evolving technologies; and the persistent questions of who we are and what we fear.
Thinking Organization, 2005
Realizing Strategic Management, 2001
Realizing Strategic Management, 2001
... meaning different from their literal definition to those in the know in a particular context ... more ... meaning different from their literal definition to those in the know in a particular context and canreframe how a person or situation is perceived (Safire, 2008: 133). ... This then invoked on a subconscious level a different storyline, leading to a re-framing of ... Instead, the reframing ...
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Papers by Loizos Heracleous
We begin the book with an analysis of the airline industry and its key trends (Chapters 1 and 2), moving on to a broad outline of SIA’s strategic drivers of success (Chapter 3). We then focus on specific elements of SIA’s strategy and organisation, such as its core competency of cost-effective service excellence (Chapter 4), its innovation capabilities (Chapter 5), and its human resource management practices (Chapter 6). We end with some strategic lessons that we believe apply to any organisation that aims to achieve sustainable success in hyper-competitive markets (Chapters 7 and 8).
Chapter 1 analyses the airline industry as a whole, reviewing its historical development, important trends over time and key aspects of the industry economics. Issues discussed include the impact of government intervention; uncontrollable factors such as oil prices or political events; factors such as the perishability of seats, seasonality of demand and long time horizons in infrastructural decisions, injecting additional levels of complexity; airlines’ fixed and variable direct operating costs, and indirect operating costs; and lastly the chronically poor and volatile performance of the whole industry. Key trends in the industry such as the formation of alliances, the emergence of budget carriers and regional growth are addressed.
Chapter 2 outlines macro-environmental trends affecting the airline industry such as political, economic, social and technological elements, and then engages with the industry’s underlying structural dynamics such as the rivalry among competitors, threat of new entrants, power of suppliers and buyers and threat of substitutes. Lastly, strategic imperatives for airlines to succeed in this difficult environment are discussed, such as the need to utilise cutting-edge technology, the importance of cost-control, alliance management, avoiding the herd instinct and strategies to address commoditisation.
Chapter 3 proceeds to focus on SIA itself, addressing important strategic choices and resource deployment decisions at SIA, in order to get a broad understanding of the company’s superior performance. Factors discussed include SIA’s young fleet, low staff costs, global revenue base, push for efficiency, brand reputation, strategic consistency, response to crises, and alliance and acquisition strategies. In addition to having a significant stand-alone impact on SIA’s performance, these factors also interact with other factors, thus enhancing the magnitude of their impact. A key conclusion drawn from this analysis is that SIA’s superior performance is attributable to a complex array of strategic decisions which have been highly consistent over time. As we further discuss in Chapter 4, imitators would have to copy many of SIA’s strategic and organisational aspects to achieve similar levels of performance; this is always a more difficult task than copying single aspects.
Chapter 4 addresses what we believe is SIA’s core competence, cost-effective service excellence. It is relatively easy to deliver excellent service if one pours money into doing so. It is also relatively easy to achieve low costs if one does not aim to deliver excellent service. What is much harder to do is to deliver service excellence in an efficient manner, in other words implementing a strategy that integrates elements of differentiation and cost leadership. SIA is known for its service excellence, but what is less often appreciated is that its costs (seen as cents per available seat kilometre) are among the lowest in its peer group. How has SIA managed to achieve this? In common with other organisations with a reputation for excellent service, SIA displays characteristics such as top management commitment, customer-focused staff and systems, and a customer-oriented culture. However, our research has uncovered further insights into the development and maintenance of a reputation for service excellence while controlling cost – what we call the ‘five pillars’ of SIA’s activity system. These pillars are rigorous service design and development; total innovation (integrating continuous incremental improvements with discontinuous innovations); profit and cost consciousness ingrained in all employees; holistic staff development; and reaping of strategic synergies through related diversification and world-class infrastructure. These five pillars of SIA’s cost-effective service excellence are supported, operationalised and made real in everyday decisions and actions through a self-reinforcing activity system of virtuous circles, presented in the chapter. The core competence of cost-effective service excellence and the cultural values supporting it are thus more than just abstract ideas. They are ingrained into both the hearts and minds of employees as well as organisational processes. This may help to explain why SIA’s competitive advantage has been sustained for decades. While it is easy to copy single elements, it is much harder to reproduce an entire self-reinforcing activity system.
Chapter 5 continues the theme of service excellence with a focus on innovation. This chapter sheds light on SIA’s ability to be a serial innovator, introducing many firsts in the airline industry, and sustaining this innovative orientation over decades in the face of intense cost pressures, industry crises and the push towards commoditisation. We first present senior management’s perspective of the key challenges they face in delivering sustained and cost-effective service excellence. These challenges include, firstly, how to consistently satisfy the sky-high ...
The diversity of cases, firms, and strategy situations in this book makes it an invaluable resource for teachers, students, and strategists. It can be used by faculty to teach in udergraduate, graduate, and executive education sessions. The book can also serve as a valuable guide for business managers interested in understanding how to compete in Asia.
Key Features
A comprehensive collection of 33 cases on firms and their strategies in major economies in Asia, such as China, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea. Six of them are new to this edition. Features diverse industry contexts including old and new economy, manufacturing and service industries, and consumer and industrial products. Illustrates key concepts and theories in strategic management, such as industry analysis, firm competencies, diversification strategy, and strategic change. Also exemplifies contemporary and interdisciplinary concepts such as globalization, alliances, acquisitions, market entry, and corporate governance within the Asian context through exploration of firms strategies. Enables students and educators to simulate the decisionmaking process in organizations by immersing them into the complex environments faced by business leaders in a variety of situations. Reflects the importance of the broader responsibilities of firms through discussions of corporate governance and of corporate social responsibility.
More importantly, how can you put your own company on the same trajectory?
Flying High in a Competitive Industry provides the tools you need to design a strategy that will launch your organization to the forefront of its industry by revealing the secret to SIA’s remarkable success. The company has developed a careful balance of
Cost-effective excellence in service, Keen insight into economic trends, Unrivaled ability to recognize corporate misalignment and
Extraordinary human resource practices.
Flying High in a Competitive Industry gives you the inside secrets for how to outperform the competition at every turn and find vast profits on a consistent basis—even in industries where no one is making money."