Size matters: The market–non-market strategy nexus and firm performance in South Africa

South African Journal of Business Management

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Size matters: The market–non-market strategy nexus and firm performance in South Africa
 
Creator Parnell, John A. Troilo, Michael L. Dobbelstein, Thomas
 
Subject Business; Management Non-market strategy; market strategy; business strategy; Africa; South Africa; firm size; firm performance; SmartPLS.
Description Purpose: This study seeks to discover how a firm’s size and its use of both market and non-market strategies (MS and NMS) impact firm performance in South Africa.Design/methodology/approach: We used the Prolific platform to gather survey data from 247 executives and managers across the country representing a variety of firm sizes and industries. Cronbach’s alpha, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and structural equation modelling via partial least squares (PLS-SEM) were then employed to test constructs and hypotheses. Configuration theory and social exchange theory (SET) are the conceptual foundations for this study.Findings/results: Firm size is a driver of the market strategy of differentiation, but not cost leadership. Larger firms are also more likely to pursue both political and social NMS. Differentiation and social NMS positively impact firm performance, but cost leadership and political NMS do not.Practical implications: Managers should emphasise differentiating their products and services rather than being a low-cost provider. When considering various non-market strategies, they should emphasise social NMS. Although large firms are more likely than small firms to pursue political NMS, they do not appear to accrue any benefit.Originality/value: This study fills gaps in the strategy-performance literature by directly linking firm size to strategic choices and by analysing the effects of different types of MS and NMS on firm performance. As such, it is valuable to both academics and practitioners. This study also advances our understanding of MS and NMS in South Africa.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2024-02-22
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion —
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/sajbm.v55i1.4273
 
Source South African Journal of Business Management; Vol 55, No 1 (2024); 11 pages 2078-5976 2078-5585
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://sajbm.org/index.php/sajbm/article/view/4273/2734 https://sajbm.org/index.php/sajbm/article/view/4273/2735 https://sajbm.org/index.php/sajbm/article/view/4273/2736 https://sajbm.org/index.php/sajbm/article/view/4273/2737
 
Coverage South Africa Modern Management Position, Gender, Firm Size, Strategy, Firm Performance
Rights Copyright (c) 2024 John A. Parnell, Michael L. Troilo, Thomas Dobbelstein https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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