National Context as an Important Variable for the Development of IT-based Strategic Capability

This study was initiated to inquire as to why Wal-Mart failed in the Korean market. For multi-national corporations, environmental differences such as cultural and social differences among countries require business strategies to vary country by country. In Korea, Confucian Ethics are penetrated in every aspect of people's lives. An important aspect of Confucian Ethics is the role and responsibility of women in society. Considering this, businesses need to understand Korean women's preferences as consumers and develop business strategies accordingly. This study emphasizes that IS strategy is one component of the business strategy and, as such, must be rooted in business issues. Understanding that IS strategy should fit to national contexts, this study investigates the underlying process in which IT-based strategic capability is developed according to national context to gain competitive advantages.