Strategy, flexibility and human resource management: a study of the outsourcing of maintenance in UK petrochemicals

The thesis develops themes around eight published works and as such the thesis encompasses a coherent caucus of work within the petrochemicals industry in the UK. The thesis provides evidence which confirms the widespread use of a strategy of flexibility but challenges the conception of strategy as a deliberate formal plan, and the rational economism of Transaction Cost Economics. It also casts doubt on the existence of distinct strategic levels. The multinationals in the industry have been exposed as not using a sophisticated rationale to underpin their strategy, relying instead on institutional ideologies or mimetic isomorphism. The thesis also challenges exiting conceptions of the role of Human Resources in the pursuit of strategy by showing the importance of the generic HR function in line management as opposed to an HR department. Content 1. Introduction 2. Why Strategy? 3. The Formulation of Strategy 4. Schools of strategy 5. Levels of strategy 6. Process of strategy 7. Types of Strategy 8. Stakeholder theory 9. External Analysis 10. Internal Analysis 11. Integration 12. Human resources management HRM 13. Culture 14. SWOT Analysis 14. Generic Strategy 16. Managing change 17. Growth and Decline 18. Globalization and International Strategy 19. The Basis of Strategy: Structure 20. References Sisältö Introduction Why Strategy? The Formulation of Strategy Schools of strategy Levels of strategy Process of strategy Types of Strategy Stakeholder theory External Analysis Internal Analysis Integration Human resources management HRM Culture SWOT Analysis Generic Strategy Managing change Growth and Decline Globalization and International Strategy The Basis of Strategy: Structure References Innhold Introduction Why Strategy? The Formulation of Strategy Schools of strategy Levels of strategy Process of strategy Types of Strategy Stakeholder theory External Analysis Internal Analysis Integration Human resources management HRM Culture SWOT Analysis Generic Strategy Managing change Growth and Decline Globalization and International Strategy The Basis of Strategy: Structure References This free textbook introduces the reader to the different approaches and schools within strategic thinking as well as the tools used to investigate the strategic environment surrounding a business. You can download the book for free via the link below.