Business strategy formulation based on the behavioural analysis of stakeholders

Résumé

The purpose of this doctoral thesis is to contribute to the development of the field of behavioural strategy from building the current intellectual structure of the discipline to proposing an innovative approach to formulate business strategies, leveraging the knowledge of emotions and the behavioral decisions of stakeholders. The thesis comprises three steps, corresponding to the academic papers submitted for publication. The first step is a review of the literature using quantitative bibliometric techniques. The result is a map of the intellectual structure of the discipline, showing the most influencing works, grouped by commonalities, and displaying the relationships. The second step analyzes the behaviors of the different actors in the strategy room, using qualitative in-depth interview methodologies. The result explores the influence of behavioral biases and social dynamics and proposes a novel complex-system model of the interactions. The third step offers an innovative proposal. Using the behavioral approaches of business stakeholders as information about their emotional needs, it is possible to formulate business strategies that fulfil these needs. Thus, the value creation of the business is increased, adding to the satisfaction of the rational, the emotional needs of business stakeholders.