We draw upon strategic management theory, organizational behavior theory, organization theory, and entrepreneurship models to form an integrated model of venture growth including 17 concepts from 5 micro/macro research domains. The model was tested with responses from 307 companies from the architectural woodworking industry. CEO’s specific competencies and motivation, and competitive strategies, were direct predictors of venture growth. CEO’s traits and general competencies, and the environment had significant indirect effects. 3 This research explores the causes of venture growth. Past entrepreneurship research has often studied individual differences (Begley & Boyd, 1987), strategic management concepts (McDougall, Robinson, & DeNisi, 1992), and organization theory concepts (Aldrich & Wiedenmayer, 1993) as isolated causes of venture performance. More recent studies propose that individual, organizational, and environmental dimensions combine to provide a more comprehensive prediction of venture development and growth than any one dimension in

their data. We also thank two anonymous referees for their thoughtful suggestions. Errors remain the responsibility of the authors. 2Business environment, operations strategy, and performance: An empirical study of Singapore manufacturers Consideration of the task environment, those forces which are out of the short-run control of management, has been relatively neglected in operations strategy research. The neglect of environmental factors in operations strategy research is surprising when one considers that the fit between environment and organizational capabilities and resources is a central tenet of major strategic management paradigms. We use a path analytic framework to study the effects of environment on operations strategy selection and performance (self-reported change in profits) for a sample of Singapore manufacturers. We identify strong relationships between environmental factors such as labor availability, competitive hostility, and market dynamism and the operations strategy choices encompassed by competitive priorities. The data also indicate that, when faced with the same environmental stimuli, high performers choose to emphasize different competitive priorities than low performers. In addition to exploring substantive questions about the importance of the environment in explaining operations strategy, this research also demonstrates that environmental variables can provide effective controls for industry effects in multiple industry empirical studies in operations strategy. 1.

Actor-issue analysis

Business and Information Systems (IS) alignment is a key management issue and has been largely investigated. Yet, little research shows companies how a fit between these "two worlds" can be achieved. The assumption of this paper is that making explicit the business model can contribute to improving the business/IT alignment. Moreover information systems supporting environmental scanning, strategic or competitive intelligence, and technology assessment, which are of prime importance for organizations, are much less investigated. This paper also aims at deriving a theoretical framework for assessing a technology environment from its properties such as complexity, uncertainty and disruptiveness.

Abstract. Appraising the environmental context in which an organization deploys its activity is a necessity in order to make appropriate decisions and adapting strategies to a context in constant evolution, especially in a time where this context is increasingly complex, uncertain and disruptive. Decision makers therefore need more than ever better tools that aid them to analyze their environment, providing them the most pertinent information to take the most appropriate decisions. In this paper, we attempt to propose a set of reusable artifacts that would facilitate the development of decision support systems for assessing the organization's environment. In particular, we propose an ontology that defines the different elements that shall be taken into account in order to effectively and efficiently scan an environment. We then provide an overview of some analysis techniques and tools that could be useful to analyze, assess and visualize essential information about these elements. Finally, we present two decision support system prototypes that allow a partial analysis of the environment using appropriate interaction and visualization techniques. 1

This thesis contains no material that has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other institution. To the best of my knowledge, this thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference is made in the text. ___________________________

This paper addresses the topic of the assessment of an organization's external environment and more particularly the lack of research providing conceptual foundations for developing suitable strategic information systems supplying managers with the necessary information and analysis tools to consider the key environmental aspects that are relevant to strategic decision making. Inspired by research in the field of domain and enterprise ontologies, this paper argues that the development of a formal model of the environment would help solve this problem. As a result, this paper develops a conceptual model of the environment that assembles the available but scattered knowledge on this topic and translates it into a more formal form that may facilitate the creation of environmental Twenty Seventh International Conference on Information Systems, Milwaukee 2006 1 information systems and tools and demonstrates its usefulness by applying it to analyze a concrete environment.

Abstract. This issue of Advances in Developing Human Resources has discussed scenario planning as a contemporary business approach to support the strategic roles of human resource departments in organizations. Scenario planning is usually situated in the domain of strategic and business planning, yet it is increasingly considered a major organizational intervention approach to overcome organizational defensive routines and bring about learning and change in organizations.The articles in this issue bring together academics and practitioners discussing a wide range of issues concerning the theory, research, and practice of scenario planning, illuminating different applications of the method as well as some pitfalls that need to be acknowledged and considered by those wishing to use it in their organizations.

*Corresponding author. Re-exploring the Relationship Between Flexibility and the External Environment The organizational structure literature has long posited that increases in uncertainty should lead to organic (adaptable) structures (e.g., Burnes and Stalker, 1961). Similarly, the operations management literature has focused on the importance of flexibility as a competitive weapon (e.g., De Meyer, Nakane, Miller and Ferdows, 1989), and as a response to environmental uncertainty (Swamidass and Newell, 1987; Gerwin, 1993). However, recent attempts to empirically validate a relationship between environmental uncertainty and operational flexibility in manufacturing plants have failed to show a significant relationship (Pagell and Krause, 1999). This research attempts to rectify these contradictory findings by replicating and extending the works of Swamidass and Newell (1987) as well as Pagell and Krause (1999). The results find no support for the proposition that firms that respond to increased uncertainty with increased flexibility will experience increased performance.

PROFESSIONS AND THEIR FORMAL educational programs result from the interaction of social, cultural, and institutional factors. The current interplay of economic, technological, social, and cultural factors may support the establishment of formal educational programs for competitive intelligence professionals. However, due to the hybrid nature of the intelligence profession, the established disciplines may not provide the most appropriate environment in which these programs can flourish. To appreciate its distinctive characteristics, a definition of the intelligence function, as well as a description of the required competencies, is presented.