Foundations and Futures of Strategic Management

Abstract

Research in strategic management has burgeoned in the last few decades. This growth and specialization not only reflects impressive progress but also raises questions about the boundaries and future direction of the field. In an effort to promote the accumulation and integration of insights regarding strategic management we trace research in the field through a series of four generations of scholarship. In so doing, we highlight some of the most important challenges and contributions of each of these generations and note the tensions and opportunities presented by the field's focus on fundamental issues and frontier research topics. We also note the various integration mechanisms that have been called for and discuss their merits and demerits. We conclude by discussing the role of the Strategic Management Review as a complement to existing strategy journals.