Strategic management focuses on the importance of strategy implementation in organizations. While strategic planning is vital to the growth of companies, firms must implement formulated strategies; otherwise, such activities would become insignificant. A critical literature review provides the theoretical framework and context of research (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2016). This review, therefore, aims to set the studies to establish the broader context of this study.
The purpose of the study Engert and Baumgartner (2016) was to investigate and establish factors that influence the implementation of a sustainable corporate strategy. The researchers presented their findings based on the available literature in the field. They also used an in-depth investigation of a single case in the automotive industry. The case study used participant-observation, which occurred over three months. The observation methods were supported with qualitative interviews, data collected from the company, and workshop investigation. The study established that factors associated with a company’s structure, culture, management control, leadership, communication strategies, qualification, and employee motivation influence the implementation of the plan. Overall, the findings presented offer critical insights on how bridging gaps between corporate strategy formulation and implementation.
The study by Engert and Baumgartner (2016) presents a detailed and systematic tactic in investigating how organizational activities and internal factors influence strategy implementation. The research is particularly useful in informing the challenges facing both the micro and global companies in implementing strategy. However, this study does not allow for generalizability and validity in terms of establishing measurements and theory in strategy implementation in a broad context. The use of a single case is the primary source of weakness. The absence of systematic procedure raises critical concerns. Nevertheless, the researchers address some of these concerns by enhancing transparency in their single case study. Moreover, the researchers used specific research questions, and therefore, grounded their study the pragmatism research philosophy. The objective of pragmatism research philosophy is to coin problems to generate new knowledge (Bryant, 2017). Therefore, the analysis of this study can provide the direction of my research.