Premium
ASSESSING PORTER'S (1980) MODEL IN TERMS OF ITS GENERALIZABILITY, ACCURACY AND SIMPLICITY
Author(s) -
Miller A.,
Dess G. G.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of management studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.398
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1467-6486
pISSN - 0022-2380
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-6486.1993.tb00316.x
Subject(s) - generalizability theory , simplicity , explanatory power , limiting , predictive power , computer science , econometrics , management science , economics , psychology , epistemology , philosophy , engineering , mechanical engineering , developmental psychology
The Porter (1980) model of generic strategies is evaluated in terms of simplicity, accuracy ( i.e. , predictive and explanatory power), and generalizability, through an empirical analysis of PIMS data. Results lead to the following conclusions: (1) the simplicity of Porter's model captures much of the complexity inherent in strategic gestalts; (2) Porter's framework could be improved by viewing it as providing three important dimensions of strategic positioning rather than three (or four) distinct strategies; (3) performance norms vary significantly across strategic types, though Porter's predictions of performance are not entirely accurate; (4) strategies such as those described by Porter are possibly more contingent than generic, thus limiting the generalizability of some prescriptions implicit in the model.