Analysis: Strategic Choice and Determinist Theory in Management

This essay evaluates the benefits of strategic choice and determinist theory in organizational management, highlighting their impact on business strategy and decision-making. Strategic choice is presented as a method for evaluating strategic decisions, clarifying roles, and aligning decisions, while determinist theory emphasizes organizational structure and external resources. The essay also addresses ethical dilemmas, advocating for ethical decision-making processes and the utilitarian approach to ensure business ethics. Personal experiences are shared to illustrate the application of these theories in professional development. The conclusion asserts that both strategic choice and determinist approaches are significant for consistent business processes and resource alignment.

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Management Practice and Theory
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Introduction:
In the hardcore business environment, the organisations are showing their utmost
commitment towards implementing effective business strategy in terms of running the
internal operation in a consistent manner. Hitt & Duane Ireland (2017) commented that this is
the key of strengthening the position of a company in the market and thereby attain
competitive advantage. Implementation of effective business strategy serves the organisations
with the capability to bridge the connection in between employee performance and reward,
which is very much needed in order to run the business in an organised manner. With the
assistance of strategic planning, sustainable growth of business can be promoted. According
to Doz (2017) controlling the business in an appropriate manner plays a very significant role
in attaining desired outcome. There lies the significance of determinist approach, which
perceives the fact that the organisations holds some control in the market. The fundamental
aim of this essay is to evaluate the benefits of both strategic choice and determinist theory An
in-depth critical discussion will be conducted in order to show which approach is most
compelling in an organisational context.
Main discussion:
In the ultra-competitive business environment of contemporary times, execution of
effective business strategy is the key of attaining commercial success and thus sustain in the
market. as discussed by Meyer, Neck & Meeks (2017) this is the most powerful tool of
accomplishing organisational goals and objectives. Selection of the most appropriate strategy
is one of the most important areas of strategic management as its supports in aligning the
internal functionality of a firm with that of the mission, vision and objectives (Villar, Alegre
& Pla-Barber, 2014). Therefore, the choosing the most appropriate strategy is the key of
exploring the ability of a firm to act in an innovative manner. Strategic choice, in its simplest

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form, can be considered as the method of evaluating strategic decision making, which is one
of the most significant way of running an organisation in a systematic manner. Bettis et al.,
(2015) stated that this is basically the process of choosing the most suitable action for
attaining desired outcome from business. One of the major benefits of choosing the most
appropriate strategy is that, it supports in dividing the roles and responsibilities of the
employees clearly and thereby ensure transparency of business process. In addition, selection
of most appropriate strategy provides the organisations with the framework of effective
decision making. This is the way of aligning all the decision in a single direction (Donate, &
de Pablo, 2015).
In the volatile business environment, it becomes difficult for the management of an
organisation to explore the most appropriate decision. Moreover, Bettis et al., (2015) also
showed that appropriate strategic choices strategic choices strengthens the value of business
by clarifying the threats as well as opportunities. However, Bezzina et al., (2017) argued by
saying that strategic choice is a complicated and time consuming process, which can make it
difficult for the firms to run their business in a time manner. At the same time, the process of
making strategic choice is utterly complicated as it requires in-depth planning. Thus, Pfeffer
(2014) opined that lack of accountability among the leaders as well as the staffs creates
barrier in selecting the most appropriate strategy. Still, strategic choice is the best way of
exploring the internal opportunities and thereby cope up with the external environment,
which is extremely uncertain (Tian, Cordery & Gamble, 2016).
Organisational structure plays a very important role in the way of determining how a
organisation responds to the external business environment. This is the way, through which
the requirements of customers can also be satisfied appropriately. Ethiraj, Gambardella &
Helfat (2016) highlighted by saying that there lies the significance of Determinist Theory,
which shows that, organisational structure is one of the most significant factors in asserting

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the most suitable mode of controlling the business. According to this theory, it is the prime
responsibility of management of business organisations to explore the patterns of customers
that is changing rapidly and the unexpected challenges and take action accordingly in terms
of overcoming those issues. Ferlie et al., (2016) highlighted that there are multiple
frameworks of this determinist approach, which supports the organisations to be more
proficient and capable and challenging the uncertainty of external business environment.
Resource Dependence Theory is one of the most significant matter of consideration in this
context, which shows that, the external resources are the most important factors in
influencing the internal behaviour and environment of a firm. Therefore, proper alignment of
external resources are highly important factor in the management of strategy and tactics of a
company. As per the discussion of Michael, Storey & Thomas (2017) external resources are
highly significant factor in shaping the internal environment of a firm properly, by creating
comprehensive organisational structure. Additionally, resources are also being considered as
the basis of power of an organisation, through which, future direction can also be explored
(Bloom, Sadun & Van Reenen (2015).
On the other hand, institutional theory perceives every organisation as a social entity,
which must be operated by setting strong structure, scheme, norms along with regulations. As
per this theory, every organisation comprises of multiple elements, which must be aligned
properly for the sake of ensuring stability of business. Bettis et al., (2014) put stress on the
fact that as the intensity of competition in the market is increasing in a rapid manner, it is the
prime duty of the managers of a firm to ensure efficiency in their internal process. This is the
key of attaining competitive advantage. The internal environment of a firm must be created in
such a manner, which can help in taking decision with utmost competence. In the
contemporary times, the corporate entities are being considered as "Rule of Game". Hence,
Trigeorgis & Reuer (2017) opined the fact that in-depth understanding regarding the internal

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environment of an organisation helps in gathering all the resources such as money, human
capital, business plan along with decision making process within a single platform. Such
alignment is extremely significant factor in competing with the market properly (Sigala &
Chalkiti, 2015).
The notion of determinism is a crucial factor for controlling the human behaviour and
thereby guide the employees of an organisation in an effective manner. This is the mode of
lowering negative behaviour among the staffs by generating positive vive among them. Peng
(2017) observed that in the complicated business environment, the firms as well as employees
always intended to do right thing for the sake of coping up with the external challenges.
However, ethical dilemma are the common problem, which the managers might face in the
way of running business effective manner. Albrecht et al., (2015) showed that ethical
dilemma, in its simplest form can also be considered as moral dilemma, which can result in
such situation, where a choice in between two different options is to be made. Making fair
decision is the most common ethical dilemma, which is to be faced by the managers of
corporate entities. Such issue can hamper the consistency within business process by creating
wrong decision. However, acording to the counter argument of Durand, Grant & Madsen
(2017) in order to overcome such issue, it is imperative to execute ethical decision making
process. Exploring relevant guidance is one of the most critical factors of ethical decision
making process. After identifying the problem, the most significant resources are to be
explored. As negative behaviour among the staffs is the major problem barrier of ethical
decision making, it is vital to generate positive behaviour among them by integrating
considerable salary structure and other benefits. Akkas, Chakma & Hossain (2015) also
perceived that conflicting attitude among the staffs is also a greatest retraction in making
effective decision. Thus, it is important for the management to establish a strong professional
code of conduct in order to modify the behaviour among the staffs (Bender et al., 2018).

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Evaluating alternative factors is also a major step of ethical decision making. In
order to implement this step, it is important to explore multiple alternative factors and
evaluate the positive and negative consequences of each of the factors. Engert, Rauter &
Baumgartner (2016) stressed on the ground that this is the way, through which the most
appropriate solution to any impending issue. As the behaviour among the staffs is the critical
barrier of making ethical decision. Thus, as showed by Sikora, D.M. & Ferris, G.R., (2014) it
is worth to mention that that written guideline and standard are to be executed to control the
behaviour among the staffs and guide the staffs towards appropriate direction.
Utilitarian Approach is the best way method of ensuring business ethics. This can be
referred as the process of assessing the consequences of an action before implementing the
same. Harrison et al., (2014) commented that Utilitarian Approach is the best way of
minimising the ethical issues of business by maximising the benefits. With the assistance of
Utilitarian Approach, a strong sense of purpose of a business can be generated among the
employees. This is the way of strengthening the value of business by improving productivity
of business (Augier & Dew, 2018).
Exploring opportunity is one of the most important factor in promoting sustainable
growth in the professional career. In my professional life, exploring effective growth
opportunity was my greatest dilemma. This has created barrier for me to accomplish my
carrier goal. In order to overcome the issue, I have followed Utilitarian Approach. According
to the view of Milićević, Backović, & Sofronijević (2015) this has helped to perceive my
inner competencies and align them in the real context for the sake of gaining desired
outcome. I am working as a healthcare professional and followed a strong code of conduct in
order to perform my duty ethically. Link of the website, from which I have followed
professional code of conduct is as follows:

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https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/codes-guidelines-statements/professional-
standards.aspx
Simon, Fischbach & Schoder (2014) obsereved that with the assistance of utilitarian
approach, I have also explored my inner weaknesses and take proactive action accordingly in
order to overcome the challenges and thus cope up with my professional difficulties.
Implementation of effective business strategy is one of the major ways of running the
business in a systematic manner. Rosenberg Hansen & Ferlie (2016) showed that the notion
of strategic choice can also serve the corporate entities with the ability to define the roles
among the employees clearly, through which any kind of conflicting attitude among them can
be mitigated. On the other hand, determinist approach puts stress on organisational structure,
which is the key of running business in a consistent manner. Nickols (2016) highlighted that
strategic choice is the great way of making proactive business plan by aligning all the
necessary resources. In addition to that, the process of strategic choice also paves the way of
pouring knowledge and skill among the staffs by executing the provision of training and
development. One of the major strengths of strategic choice is that, it helps in addressing
operational issue and take prompt action for the sake of mitigating the issues. This is the tool,
through which strong interrelationship between the resources such as money, labour and
business plan can be integrated which is the key of attaining desired outcome.
Conclusion:
Based on the discussion, it can be concluded by saying that both the strategic choice
and determinist approach are highly significant in terms of running business in a systematic
manner. While strategic choice stresses on implementing effective tool, which is the key
factor of ensuring consistency of business process, determinist approach highlights the
significance of creating a strong organisational structure for aligning all the necessary

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resources such as money, human capital and business plan in a single platform in order to
attain desired outcome. However, centralised organisational structure sometimes results in
negative attitude among the staffs by creating barrier for them to remain flexible. Thus, it is
suggested for the firms execute strategic choice to accomplish organisational goals and
objectives. This is the most powerful technique of determining the position of a company in
the market and take action accordingly in order to improve the same.

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