What are Strategic Decisions: Theoretical Issues and Empirical Evidence

Abstract

This paper contrasts two theoretical views of strategic decisions, general and situational. We discuss the conceptual, substantive, and methodological issues associated with these two views and report the results of an empirical analysis using survey data, which was aimed at providing some evidence regarding the validity of these two views. Despite the wealth of theoretical support for the situational view, our research shows that the general view of strategic decision seems to be dominant in management practice.