The Strategy-Performance Relationship Revisited : The Blessing and the Curse of the Combination Strategy

This study considers the viability of the combination strategy with regard to the Porter and Miles & Snow generic strategy typologies. Within each framework, it is possible to pursue a “combination strategy,” whereby dimensions of two or more pure strategies are incorporated simultaneously. The present study presents findings from a recent assessment of perceptions of 415 American and Mexican managers regarding their firms’ strategies and levels of performance. Data suggests that combination strategies can be associated with either inferior or superior performance. This paper also suggests that additional research should consider the I/O versus resource-based schism and seek to integrate the two schools of thought into a broader consensus