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This article aims to highlight the results of a study on the strategies of non-profitable organizations in the field of social advocacy in Quebec. First, the analytical framework into three strategies, emancipatory, cooperation-persuasion and confrontation, will be presented. The importance of the practices and the discourses of the organizations on each of the strategies will be presented in order to have an actual vision of the activities of the community organizations in social advocacy. Thereafter, links will be made between the characteristics of the organizations and their choice of strategy in order to determine whether some characteristics influence the use of one strategy rather than another.

Keywords: Action sociale, Défense de droits, Stratégies, Organismes à but non lucratif (OBNL), Modèles d'intervention, Intervention communautaire, Organisation communautaire, Social advocacy, Strategies, Non-profitable organization, Social work models, Community practice, Community organization

AbstractThe rational actor theory model consists of concepts which are presented as equal and necessarily interdependent. These concepts are also understood as the cause and the expression of the actor's autonomy. It is surprising that, despite all the developments in social sciences, human action continues to be constructed and interpreted from a perspective in which conscience, rationality, strategy, interest and intention constitute an atomic-like theoretical structure. An in-depth look at this structure, in fact, reveals that these five core concepts are of different semantic levels as well as not necessarily linked theoretically. Through this exercise, we discover that the model does not distinguish between principial and analytical categories. We also realize that while some of these concepts or categories are necessarily correlated, others are not and that the model's heuristic value, therefore, needs to be addressed; a series of indicators are suggested, which may allow for such a verification.

Keywords: Théories de l'action, intention, conscience, liberté, rationalité, intérêt, stratégie, Action theories, intention, consciousness, liberty, rationality, interest, strategy

The subject of this article is the relation between corporate strategy and the management of human resources. Three strategies are studied: entrepreneurship, growth and rejuvenation. The entrepreneurial strategy, especially in emerging industries, is characterized by groping moves and successive adaptations of products and technologies to effective demand. High levels of uncertainty exist as to product designs, customer expectations and technical choices: Swift adaptations are thus required. The corresponding approach to the management of human resources is first and foremost recruitment of managerial and scientific personnel trained in relevant «incubators» so as to balance the skills and competencies which the firm requires. This personnel is given discretion in an informal and flexible organizational context. The entrepreneurial team is thus in a position to modify products, services and distribution networks until the demand generated can sustain a viable enterprise. In the process many firms fail, some perform adequately and only a few become large scale. The growth strategy is characteristic of those firms which operate in industries where major technical and economic uncertainties have been reduced by successful entrepreneurs and where penetration of successive market segments leads to regular growth. In such industries, the critical strategic choices have been made and the focus is on the exploitation of opportunities. The approach to the management of human resources is oriented towards the achievement of coherence between the abilities and competencies of managers and the key competitive tasks required to attain success and performance. The process of arriving at coherence hinges on the integration of plans and management Systems for human resources to strategie corporate planning. However, this approach often entails the development of a corporate culture which promotes patterns of actions and world views which may render the firm unable to adapt over the years to declining demand, substitute products and new technologies. As a consequence many successful firms experience decline and decay as their industry matures. The strategy of rejuvenation may be achieved by the acquisition of growing firms thus leading to a multi-divisional and diverse organizational form. Many firms, however, discover that opportunities for acquisitions have dwindled and are thus obliged to base their re-orientation on the potential of their human resources. The external transformation and rejuvenation of human resources may be attained by i) the development and appointment of managers who symbolize new orientations and who undertake transitions in the corporate culture; ii) the planning of succession in managerial roles through transfer, development and the broadening of individual experiences; and iii) the promotion of internal entrepreneurship. Continual reassessment of human resources policies is required to insure their appropriateness in the light of the competitive context.

At a time when demographic evolution has made takeovers one of the major concerns for SMEs, it is important to take into account different aspects beyond the merely technical (legal, tax, or financial). It would be fruitful to consider the managerial perspective, particularly in relation to the strategy making process of the recently acquired enterprise. Thus, this article highlights the main links, interactions, and possible interferences that may occur between the personality of the owner-manager and the strategy making process. This research combines insights from existing literature and observations drawn from a two-year longitudinal case study. To conclude, we suggest paying closer attention to the level of adequacy or the “fit” (Kotter, 1982), between the personality of the buyer and the managerial position he plans to occupy within the enterprise.

Keywords: Transmission, Formation de la stratégie, Dirigeant, Vision stratégique, Socialisation organisationnelle