This study considers what has changed in strategic leadership during the last
century and if we could learn something from the past. These questions are addressed
through an historical case analysis of a Finnish pulp and paper industry leader,
Gösta Serlachius. The findings show that at the surface level the world of
strategic leadership is likely to be transient and contingent, but at the deeper
level it seems to be based on much more stable elements. A correct combination of
absorptive and adaptive capacities merged with managerial wisdom provided the basis
for effective strategic leadership at the beginning of the 20th century in a similar
way as today. Indeed, the more things change, the more crucial is the combination of
these basic elements matching with the organizational environment. It is concluded
that historical studies can add substantially to the future strategic leadership
research.
Ahvenainen, J.
(1972a) Kankaan paperitehtaan historia I.
Jyväskylä:
Sisä-Suomen Kirjapaino
.
2.
Ahvenainen, J.
(1972b) Kymin osakeyhtiö vuosina 1918-1939.
Helsinki: Oy Tilmann Ab
.
3.
Ahvenainen, J.
(1975) Kankaan paperitehtaan historia II.
Jyväskylä:
Sisä-Suomen Kirjapaino
.
4.
Barker III, V. L.
, &
Duhaime, I. M.
(1997)
‘Strategic Change in the Turnaround Process: Theory and Empirical Evidence’
, Strategic Management Journal18:
13-38
.
5.
Bass, B. M.
(1985) Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations.
New York: Free Press
.
6.
Berson, Y.
,
Shamir, B.
,
Avolio, B. J.
, &
Popper, M.
(2001)
‘The Relationship Between Vision Strength, Leadership Style, and Context’
, Leadership Quarterly12:
53-73
.
7.
Beyer, J. M.
, &
Browning, L. D.
(1999)
‘Transforming an Industry in Crisis: Charisma, Routinization, and
Supportive Cultural Leadership’
, Leadership Quarterly10:
483-520
.
8.
Boal, K. B.
, &
Hooijberg, R.
(2000)
‘Strategic Leadership Research: Moving On’
, Leadership Quarterly11:
515-549
.
9.
Brouthers, K. D.
,
Brouthers, L. E.
. &
Werner, S.
(2000)
‘Influences on Strategic Decision-making in the Dutch Financial
Service Industry’
, Journal of Management26:
863-883
.
10.
Bryant, J. M.
(2000)
‘On Sources and Narrative in Historical Social Science: A Realist
Critique of Positivist and Postmodernist Epistemologies’
, British Journal of Sociology51:
489-523
.
11.
Bryman, A.
,
Stephens, M.
, &
Campo, C. A.
(1996)
‘The Importance of Context: Qualitative Research and the Study of Leadership’
, Leadership Quarterly7:
353-371
.
12.
Canella, A.
, &
Monroe, M. J.
(1997)
‘Contrasting Perspectives on Strategic Leaders: Toward a More
Realistic View of Top Managers’
, Journal of Management23:
213-248
.
13.
Chandler, A. D.
(1990) Scale and Scope.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press
.
14.
Child, J.
(1974)
‘Managerial and Organizational Factors Associated with Company Performance’
, Journal of Management Studies11:
13-27
.
15.
Cohen, D. A.
, &
Levinthal, D. A.
(1990)
‘Absorptive Capacity: A New Perspective on Learning and Innovation’
, Administrative Science Quarterly35:
128-152
.
16.
Conger, J. A.
(1998)
‘Qualitative Research as the Cornerstone Methodology for
Understanding Leadership’
, Leadership Quarterly9:
107-122
.
17.
Conger, J. A.
, &
Kanungo, R. N.
(1987)
‘Toward a Behavioral Theory of Charismatic Leadership in
Organizational Settings’
, Academy of Management Review12:
637-647
.
18.
Cyert, R. M.
, &
March, J. G.
(1963) A Behavioral Theory of the Firm.
Eglewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall
.
19.
Denis, J-L.
,
Langley, A.
, &
Cazale, L.
(1996)
‘Leadership and Strategic Change under Ambiguity’
, Organization Studies17:
673-699
.
20.
Denzin, N.
(1978) Sociological Methods: A Sourcebook.
New York: McGraw-Hill
.
21.
Fellman, S.
(2000) Uppkomsten av en direktörsprofession:
Industriledarnas utbildning och karriär i Finland 1900-1975.
Helsinki: Suomen Tiedeseura
.
22.
Fellman, S.
(2001)
‘The Professionalisation of Management in Finland: The Case of
the Manufacturing Sector, 1900-1975’
, Scandinavian Economic History Review49(3):
5-27
.
23.
Finkelstein, S.
, &
Hambrick, D. C.
(1990)
‘Top-management-team Tenure and Organizational Outcomes: The
Moderating Role of Managerial Discretion’
, Administrative Science Quarterly35:
484-503
.
24.
Finkelstein, S.
, &
Hambrick, D. C.
(1996) Strategic Leadership: Top Executives and Their Effects
on Organizations.
St Paul, MN: West
.
25.
Geletkanycz, M. A.
, &
Hambrick, D. C.
(1997)
‘The External Ties of Top Executives: Implications for Strategic
Choice and Performance’
, Administrative Science Quarterly42:
654-681
.
26.
George, A. L.
, &
Bennett, A.
(2005) Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social
Sciences.
Cambridge, MA: MIT Press
.
27.
Golden, B. R.
(1992)
‘The Past Is Past - Or Is It? The Use of Retrospective Accounts
as Indicators of Past Strategy’
, Academy of Management Journal35:
848-860
.
28.
Granovetter, M.
(1985)
‘Economic Action and Social Structure: The Problem of Embeddedness’
, American Journal of Sociology9:
481-510
.
29.
Grimm, C. M.
, &
Smith, K. G.
(1991)
‘Research Notes and Communications Management and Organizational
Change: A Note on the Railroad Industry’
, Strategic Management Journal12:
557-562
.
30.
Hambrick, D. C.
(1989)
‘Guest Editor’s Introduction: Putting Top Managers Back
in the Strategy Picture’
, Strategic Management Journal10:
5-15
.
31.
Hambrick, D. C.
, &
Fukutomi, G. D. S.
(1991)
‘The Seasons of a CEO’s Tenure’
, Academy of Management Review16:
719-742
.
32.
Hambrick, D. C.
, &
Mason, P. A.
(1984)
‘Upper Echelon: The Organization as a Reflection of Its Top Management’
, Academy of Management Review9:
193-206
.
33.
Hegele, C.
, &
Kieser, A.
(2001)
‘Control the Construction of Your Legend or Someone Else Will: An
Analysis of Texts on Jack Welch’
, Journal of Management Inquiry10:
298-309
.
34.
Hjerppe, R.
(1996) Finland’s Historical National Accounts
1860-1994: Calculation Methods and Statistical Tables.
Jyväskylä: Kopi-Jyvä
.
35.
Hosmer, L. T.
(1995)
‘Trust: The Connecting Link between Organizational Theory and
Philosophical Ethics’
, Academy of Management Review20:
379-403
.
36.
House, R. J.
, &
Aditya, R. N.
(1997)
‘The Social Scientific Study of Leadership: Qua Vadis?’
, Journal of Management23:
409-473
.
37.
Hoving, V.
(1947) Kymin osakeyhtiö 1872-1947.
Helsinki: Frenckell
.
38.
Hunt, J. G.
, &
Ropo, A.
(1995)
‘Multi-level Leadership: Grounded Theory and Mainstream Theory
Applied to the Case of General Motors’
, Leadership Quarterly6:
379-412
.
39.
Katz, R.
(1982)
‘The Effects of Group Longevity on Project Communication and Performance’
, Administrative Science Quarterly27:
81-104
.
40.
Kuisma, M.
(1993) Metsäteollisuuden maa.
Jyväskylä: Gummerus
.
41.
Kumar, R.
, &
Usunier, J.-C.
(2001)
‘Management Education in a Globalizing World: Lessons from the
French Experience’
, Management Learning32:
363-391
.
42.
Langley, A.
(1999)
‘Strategies for Theorizing from Process Data’
, Academy of Management Review24:
691-710
.
43.
Lawrence, B. S.
(1984)
‘Historical Perspective: Using Past to Study Present’
, Academy of Management Review9:
307-312
.
44.
Leavy, B.
(1996)
‘On Studying Leadership in the Strategy Field’
, Leadership Quarterly7:
435-454
.
Markides, C.
(1999)
‘A Dynamic View of Strategy’
, Sloan Management Review40(3):
55-63
.
47.
Miles, M. B.
, &
Huberman, M. A.
(1994) Qualitative Analysis.
Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE
.
48.
Miller, D.
, &
Toulouse, J.-M.
(1998)
‘Quasi-rational Organizational Responses: Functional and
Cognitive Sources of Strategic Simplicity’
, Revue Canadienne des Sciences de l’Administration15:
230-244
.
49.
Mintzberg, H.
(1989) Mintzberg on Management.
New York: The Free Press
.
50.
Norrmén, P. H.
(1928) Mänttä bruk 1868-1928.
Helsinki: Tilgmann
.
51.
O’Reilly, C. A. III
, &
Chatman, J. A.
(1994)
‘Working Smarter and Harder: A Longitudinal Study of Managerial Success’
, Administrative Science Quarterly39:
603-627
.
52.
Osborn, R. N.
,
Hunt, J. G.
, &
Jauch L. R.
(2002)
‘Toward a Contextual Theory of Leadership’
, Leadership Quarterly13:
797-837
.
53.
Pawar, B. S.
, &
Eastman, K. K.
(1997)
‘The Nature and Implications of Contextual Influences on
Transformational Leadership: A Conceptual Examination’
, Academy of Management Review22:
80-109
.
54.
Pentland, B. T.
(1999)
‘Building Process Theory with Narrative: From Description to Explanation’
, Academy of Management Review24:
711-724
.
55.
Pettigrew, A. M.
(1985) The Awakening Giant: Continuity and Change in
ICI.
Oxford: Basil Blackwell
.
56.
Pettigrew, A. M.
(1987)
‘Context and Action in the Transformation of the Firm’
, Journal of Management Studies24:
649-670
.
57.
Pettigrew, A. M.
(1992)
‘The Character and Significance of Strategy Process Research’
, Strategic Management Journal13:
5-16
.
58.
Pfeffer, J.
, &
Salancik, G. R.
(1978) The External Control of Organizations: A Resource
Dependence Perspective.
New York: Harper and Row
.
59.
Polvinen, T.
(1989) J. K. Paasikivi: Valtiomiehen
elämäntyö i 1870-1918.
Porvoo: WSOY
.
60.
Ragin, C. C.
(1994) Constructing Social Research: The Unity and Diversity
of Method.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press
.
61.
Rajagopalan, N.
, &
Datta, D. K.
(1996)
‘CEO Characteristics: Does Industry Matter?’
, Academy of Management Journal39:
197-215
.
62.
Robbins, D. K.
, &
Pearce II, J. A.
(1992)
‘Turnaround: Retrenchment and Recovery’
, Strategic Management Journal13:
287-309
.
63.
Shamir, B.
, &
Howell, J. M.
(1999)
‘Organizational and Contextual Influences on the Emergence and
Effectiveness of Charismatic Leadership’
, Leadership Quarterly10:
257-283
.
64.
Sheppard, B. H.
, &
Sherman, D. M.
(1998)
‘The Grammars of Trust: A Model and General Implications’
, Academy of Management Review23:
422-437
.
65.
Stake, R. E.
(1994) ‘Case Studies’, in
N. K. Denzin
&
Y. S. Lincoln
(eds) Handbook of Qualitative Research, pp.
236-247.
Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE
.
66.
Sternberg, R. J.
(2003)
‘WICS: A Model of Leadership in Organizations’
, Academy of Management Learning and Education2:
386-401
.
67.
Storey, J.
(2005)
‘What Next for Strategic-level Leadership Research?’
, Leadership1:
89-104
.
68.
Talvi, V.
(1979) Pohjois-Kymenlaakson teollistuminen: Kymin
Osakeyhtiön historia 1872-1917.
Kouvola: Kouvolan Kirjapaino
.
69.
Taylor, R.
(1975)
‘Age and Experience as Determinants of Managerial Information
Processing and Decision-making Performance’
, Academy of Management Journal18:
74-81
.
70.
Tsoukas, H.
(1989)
‘The Validity of Idiographic Research Explanations’
, Academy of Management Review14:
551-561
.
71.
Tuuri, A.
(1999) UPM-Kymmene: Metsän
jättiläisen synty.
Helsinki: Otava
.
72.
Vaill, P. B.
(1996) Learning as a Way of Being: Strategies for Survival in
a World of Permanent Whitewater.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass
.
73.
Waldman, D. A.
,
Ramírez, G. G.
,
House, R. J.
, &
Puranam, P.
(2001)
‘Does Leadership Matter? CEO Leadership Attributes and
Profitability Under Conditions of Perceived Environmental Uncertainty’
, Academy of Management Journal44:
134-143
.
74.
Wiersema, M. F.
, &
Bantel, K. A.
(1992)
‘Top Management Team Demography and Corporate Strategic Change’
, Academy of Management Journal25:
91-121
.
75.
Williams, M.
(2001)
‘In Whom We Trust: Group Membership as an Affective Context for
Trust Development’
, Academy of Management Review26:
377-396
.
