Current Issue : April-June Volume : 2026 Issue Number : 2 Articles : 5 Articles
Setting strategic objectives is crucial to organizational performance, as demonstrated by business excellence models (BEMs). However, most of the BEMs literature is silent on the approach through which strategic objectives are set. The aim of this paper is to introduce a simple approach for setting strategic objectives, based on the BEMs perspective. To develop this approach, 12 nonprofit organizations that have adopted BEMs are analyzed, in order to identify their strategic objective-setting approaches. A qualitative methodology is adopted, combining case study, content analysis, and interviews. The research findings identify three types of approaches. Through analyzing the approaches’ advantages and disadvantages, a seven-step process is developed. The paper also provides an analysis of other aspects identified by the organizations when setting strategic objectives, such as the number and type of objectives, planning timeframe, and key result areas. This study contributes to knowledge by proposing a seven-step approach for setting strategic objectives based on the BEMs perspective, and developing a related integrative analytical framework. The study also has a range of implications, especially for managers who are developing strategies and strategic objectives; those adopting BEMs; and those interested in the identification of capacity-building needs, stakeholder engagement, and change management issues in adopting BEMs....
Despite increasing FDI inflows, Ethiopia faces significant regional disparities in the distribution of firms across regions. Understanding the drivers of firm location preferences is crucial to the country’s balanced development. This study examined the extent of regional disparities and the factors influencing the location choices of foreign manufacturing firms in Ethiopia. Primary data were collected from July to October 2024 through a cross-sectional field survey of 187 foreign manufacturing firms. Descriptive statistics revealed significant regional disparities, with 65.78% of firms located in Addis Ababa. The multinomial logit model results indicated that Addis Ababa remained the primary destination for foreign firms, mainly due to its low investment risk, reliable costs, industrial agglomeration, and market potential. The Oromia region, ranked second, attracted firms because of its established infrastructure, better investor rights protection, and political influence. The Amhara region attracted firms that prioritized skilled labor, raw materials, and the optimistic attitude of the local community. Notably, political influence shaped firm entry differently across regions: it facilitated entry in Oromia with supportive political backing, reduced it in Amhara, and had no significant effect in Addis Ababa. Therefore, the findings underscore the need for targeted infrastructure investment and institutional reform to manage political influence and enhance investor security, thereby reducing regional disparities and promoting balanced economic development in Ethiopia....
In the post-pandemic digital economy, customer-centricity has evolved from a marketing ideal into a strategic necessity. As organizations confront shifting consumer expectations, intensified competition, and rapid technological advancement, the ability to align culture, processes, and technology around customer value has become the defining factor of sustainable growth. This paper examines the convergence of customer-centric strategy, hyper-personalization, and new digital business models between 2023 and 2025. Drawing on academic research and industry evidence, it argues that artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and automation are not merely tools for efficiency but foundational enablers of intelligent, predictive, and emotionally resonant engagement. Through theoretical lenses such as the Resource-Based View, Dynamic Capabilities Theory, and Service-Dominant Logic, the study shows how data-driven insights and adaptive capabilities create lasting competitive advantage. It further explores emerging digital business models including subscriptions, platforms, and product-as-a-service that leverage personalization to enhance customer lifetime value (CLV). Ethical governance, data privacy, and responsible AI design are identified as critical prerequisites for trust and long-term differentiation. The paper concludes by proposing a six-dimensional strategic framework: Customer Insight, Culture, Capabilities, Channels, Continuous Learning, and Conscience, that operationalizes customer-centric transformation. Ultimately, the research demonstrates that organizations capable of integrating technological intelligence with human empathy will define the next decade of business leadership, where profitability is inseparable from purpose, trust, and personalized value creation....
With the deepening of digital transformation, IT enterprises are not only the core practitioners of technological innovation but also the active implementers of their own digital transformation. As key executors of technological implementation, the work performance of IT employees directly determines an enterprise’s innovation outcomes and market competitiveness. This paper takes IT employees’ work performance as the research object and focuses on the heterogeneous characteristics of employees in positions such as R&D, operations, product management, and project implementation. Through a combination of literature review and interviews, it systematically identifies the key influencing factors at the individual, organizational, leadership, and technological levels. It further proposes theoretical propositions explaining how these factors may interact to influence performance outcomes in different roles. Based on these conceptual insights, the paper develops role-specific performance improvement strategies. The study aims to provide theoretical foundations and practical guidance for IT enterprises to implement refined performance management in the digital era....
This study explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping competitive advantage by reviewing the existing literature. It reviews literature with considering AI as a strategic resource, its integration with human judgment, contributions to decision-making quality, applications in marketing and innovation, cultural influences on adoption, and future research directions. The findings highlight AI as both a technological enabler and a sociotechnical phenomenon whose value depends on complementary assets, governance, and culture. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force reshaping the foundations of strategic management and competitive positioning. This review synthesizes findings from highly cited studies, highlighting several recurring themes: the role of AI as a strategic resource, the complementarities between human expertise and AI systems, improvements in decision quality and responsiveness, contributions to marketing and innovation practices, and the importance of organizational culture as a mediating factor. The analysis suggests that while AI adoption is strongly associated with enhanced firm performance, its benefits are contingent upon cultural readiness, governance practices, and integration into broader organizational processes. At the same time, unresolved challenges remain, including sustainability of advantage, ethical and regulatory concerns, and implications for workforce transformation. By consolidating insights across these domains, the review provides a structured agenda for future research on how firms can translate technological potential into lasting strategic outcomes....
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