Many executives and scholars have argued that effective strategy implementation is at least as important as-if not more important than-developing a brilliant strategy. While there are several extant viewpoints regarding what is required for successful strategy implementation, perhaps the most influential perspective is that business success requires a fit between strategy and organizational architecture. Organizational architecture subsumes structural variables and capabilities. For the past 10 years, we have studied the performance implications of matching marketing's organizational architecture to four generic business strategies: Prospectors, Analyzers, Low-Cost Defenders, and Differentiated Defenders. Through six empirical studies we have identified best practice matches between these strategy types and: (1) marketing organization culture, (2) marketing strategy, (3) market strategy formation process, (4) market-focused strategic organizational behaviors, (5) marketing organization structure, and (6) marketing control systems. In this article, we bring together findings from each of these studies to provide a comprehensive overview of those marketing actions and policies that are associated with superior firm performance.

All executives would like their organizations to perform better, and most seek ways to make that happen. This paper focuses on how supply chains-- the series of activities through which products and services are created and then distributed to customers-- can enhance firm performance. For the last couple of decades, most firms have emphasized maximizing speed or minimizing costs within their supply chains. In the current business landscape, however, a broader approach is needed. We describe the main advantages of developing "best value supply chains" as a tool for enhancing performance. These chains differ from traditional chains in important ways. Best value supply chains are used by organizations as a central element of strategy, not simply as a means to move materials. Rather than focusing primarily on speed or cost, best value supply chains are designed to deliver superior total value to the customer in terms of speed, cost, quality, and flexibility. Our contention is that organizations that develop best value supply chains will enhance their performance. We support this contention with examples from leading firms that reflect a best value approach.

A study involving over 200 senior managers demonstrates that overall firm performance is strongly influenced by how well a firm's business strategy is matched to its organizational structure and the behavioral norms of its employees. Identifies a taxonomy comprised of four different combinations of structure/behavior types: Management Dominant, Customer-Centric Innovators, Customer-Centric Cost Controllers, and Middle Ground. These alternative structure/behavior types are then matched with specific business strategies (i.e., Prospectors, Analyzers, Low-Cost Defenders, Differentiated Defenders) to identify which combination(s) of structures and behaviors best serve to facilitate the process of implementing a specific strategy.