Top Management Influence: Debates in the Strategy Academic Field.

Abstract

The influence of management on firm performance has been a highly discussed topic in the field of strategy. This arti- cle is inspired by two questions that have been present throughout the history of the field: Does management influ- ence organizational behavior and performance? Is this an individual or a collective practice? In order to answer these questions, this article reviews authors and works considered relevant on the issue of management influence. This text reviews the management influence in the academic field of strategy; then, it highlights those theories that deny or min- imize the influence of management in organizational outcomes. After that, it presents the perspectives that believe in such an influence and goes deeper in Upper Echelons and Dominant Logic Perspectives. This article strengthens the learning of Strategy and promotes managerial research in different contexts.