Abstract
Strategic group literature does not seem to offer strong enough theoretical bases to state the very existence of strategic groups and their effects on firm’s conduct and performance. The empirical validation of the existence of strategic groups has been usually done trying to contrast their predictive validity in relation to performance, obtaining conflicting evidence. Other papers have decided to contrast the convergent validity of the strategic group concept using different definitions and measures of this construct. Our work belongs to the second type of studies. It tries to make progress in the development of a theoretical model, able to state the industry features which affect the probability of the existence of strategic groups with a stronger or weaker predictive value. Starting from a proposal of strategic group definitions with different degree of strength, we carry out a convergent analysis in the electric lighting equipment producers industry. The inputs of this convergent analysis are the strategic group definitions offered by the three most important theoretical perspectives that have studied this construct: strategic positioning approach, resource based theory and cognitive psychology. Our results show that the strategic group structure of the industry fulfils only the weak definition of strategic group. This result entails that it does not exist a strategic group identity strong enough to turn the group into a strategic reference point, able to affect the conduct and, as a result, the performance of the group firms.
Key-words: Strategic group. Cognitive group. Competitive group. Convergent analysis. Explaining power.
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