Organizational strategic decision processes in disrupted markets

Abstract

Using strategic management theories of organizational decision-making and upper echelons as theoretical frameworks, this dissertation addresses the strategic decision processes used by newspapers to address mobile disruption of newspaper business models. This study used a cross-sectional within-case case survey design as the primary method to study the strategic decision processes newspapers are using to address the perceived disruption they are facing from wireless mobile devices. The study was conducted in two parts: the first stage used a purposive sample of semi-structured interviews with industry experts, while the second and primary stage of data collection used a nationwide survey of publishers of daily newspapers. The study found that the majority of newspaper publishers do not perceive wireless mobile devices as a disruptive threat to their business, and thus engage in a comprehensive decision-making process. While newspapers have moved toward a more centralized decision-making process, they also have attempted to be more open in their participation during the strategic decision making process, but also remain relatively slow in the time it takes to make a decision. Overall, there does not appear to be any relationship between perception of disruption and decision process characteristics.