Task and institutional influences on managers' mental models of competition

Daniels, Kevin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8620-886X, Johnson, Gerry and de Chernatony, Leslie (2002) Task and institutional influences on managers' mental models of competition. Organization Studies, 23 (1). pp. 31-62. ISSN 0170-8406

Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)

Abstract

From institutional theory, we argue (a) that the competitive, or task environment may encourage divergence of management cognition between organizations, management functions and amongst senior managers, and (b) that the institutional environment may encourage cognitive convergence at the level of the industry, the strategic group and within institutionalized practices linked to management functions and level. Using management cognition of competition as a vehicle and two cognitive mapping methods, we test a series of competing propositions amongst 32 managers in the UK personal financial services industry, an industry that evidences both task and institutional characteristics. Our findings indicate neither the superiority of exclusively task nor institutional explanations of management cognition. However, the results do indicate some influence of the institutional environment, most noticeably through the convergence of mental models within middle managers across the industry. The results also indicate some influence of the task environment, through cognitive differences across organizations and greater differentiation amongst senior managers' mental models. We interpret our results by referring to the usefulness of distinguishing between task and institutional environments in management cognition and strategic management research.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	cognition,cognitive mapping,institutional environment,institutional theory,mental models,task environment
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Norwich Business School
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Employment Systems and Institutions
Depositing User:	Elle Green
Date Deposited:	06 Mar 2012 16:14
Last Modified:	27 Oct 2023 00:41
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/37945
DOI:	10.1177/0170840602231002

Actions (login required)

View Item