Adaptive Strategies And Survival In An Environment Dominated By Economic Decline

Abstract

Hall (1980) described the “hostile environment” to be faced by organizations during the decade ahead and provided prescriptions for dealing with a hostile environment.  Our study examined 25 firms operating in an economically depressed area containing a number of elements corresponding to Hall’s hostile environment.  Specifically, we sought to identify adaptive survival strategies used by the sample of firms.  We then related the observed strategies to Hall’s prescriptions.  Generally, the firms employed one or both of the strategies prescribed by Hall:  (a) lowest delivered cost and (b) differentiated position.  While Hall cautioned against diversification, firms in this study did diversify, primarily through acquisition or by modifying technologies for use in other markets.