Measuring performance in competitive strategy research

When testing for strategy–performance linkages, attention is often given more to the measurement of strategy than to the measurement of performance. However, the selection of performance measures can dramatically influence the findings and conclusions of such studies. This research note provides evidence to support this assertion. Specifically, it is demonstrated that empirical findings can be directly linked to performance measures utilised. Because different strategies may have different performance objectives, selecting appropriate measures is a critical, but difficult task.