THE APPLICATION OF CLUSTER ANALYSIS IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT RESEARCH: AN ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUE
Abstract
Cluster analysis is a statistical technique that sorts observations into similar sets or groups. The use of cluster analysis presents a complex challenge because it requires several methodological choices that determine the quality of a cluster solution. This paper chronicles the application of cluster analysis in strategic management research, where the technique has been used since the late 1970s to investigate issues of central importance. Analysis of 45 published strategy studies reveals that the implementation of cluster analysis has been often less than ideal, perhaps detracting from the ability of studies to generate knowledge. Given these findings, suggestions are offered for improving the application of cluster analysis in future inquiry.
Cite this
David J. Ketchen, Christopher L. Shook (1996). THE APPLICATION OF CLUSTER ANALYSIS IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT RESEARCH: AN ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUE. Strategic Management Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1097-0266(199606)17:6<441::aid-smj819>3.0.co;2-g
@article{j1996the,
title = {THE APPLICATION OF CLUSTER ANALYSIS IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT RESEARCH: AN ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUE},
author = {Ketchen, David J. and Shook, Christopher L.},
year = {1996},
journal = {Strategic Management Journal},
doi = {10.1002/(sici)1097-0266(199606)17:6<441::aid-smj819>3.0.co;2-g}
}Citations in this library
Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 2,383 citations exist upstream.