Routine reconfiguration in traditional companies' e-commerce strategy implementation: A trajectory perspective

This study explores the roles of routine reconfiguration in traditional companies' e-commerce strategy implementation. Drawing on the conceptualization of "routine as trajectory", in which routines are viewed as trajectories of interdependent actions through which organizations accomplish much of what they do, we investigate the interactions between the components of a trajectory, i.e., the trajectory projection, trajectory scheme, and trajectory action. A case study was conducted on the largest Chinese home appliance manufacturer attaining an e-commerce capability. Three roles of routine reconfiguration and their underlying mechanisms were identified. The study's theoretical contribution and practical implications and future research directions are discussed. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.