It's definitely part of the discussion. Sometimes part of strategy is to keep a character in the corner, but you can always modify a combo, sacrifice a little damage, if it means you might be able to get more or end the match with additional damage.
For example if you're in the corner back to the wall with Sonya, opponent has 65% health, conventionally you cannot end the round with a combo, so you do 5 hit pop up, instead of doing JK, HK which does more, you would do JK leg grab to get them back in that corner, setting a potential match ending scenario, rather than getting a little more damage and giving them the chance to get away.
Of course you guys know this, but this is helpful to newer players, as I see some players giving up tactical advantage for damage in non-match winning scenarios, and giving up damage for tactics in match winning scenarios.
I have been teaching players recently whom I've been able to train in person the value of keeping an opponent cornered even if it means you don't get all the damage possible. Another factor here is being able to recognize when a combo or move will kill and when it won't, which I consider to be a very high level player ability that I guarantee under 1% of even the competitive base uses.
There have been time as Human Smoke for example, when I'm low on energy and I know that his B&B finish will not win the round, so instead I'll do aaHP, aaHP, HK, or LK to keep them near the corner. The air throw at the end would keep put them far away from me, possibly sacrificing the round, in the corner, they have less options. It's also important to know when your moves disable, and positioning for corner placement, ie: Smoke back to the wall, vs facing the wall, and how many hits you should use when in order to get a teleport that will make you face the wall, or neglecting to use the TP because it'll put your back to the wall.
For Sonya, her only real option to put them back to the wall is the Leg Grab, and if she's facing the wall, she can kill or do more damage most of the time without using it when killing with it is possible, so it's not worth that 1% extra it does that may or may not finish them off. The only times I ever really use it facing the corner are if I'm very far ahead on life/opponent has no chance, or after a RH combo but you do risk it being blockable if you don't hit the RH low enough, otherwise aaHP to Bike kick, Wave Punch, or Rings, but Rings might create too much of a 50/50.
So in the end, a solid mix of maximizing damage and tactical advantage is the true key. Either or will get you wins, but combing both will get you more. Of course my favorite mid screen Sonya combo is 5 hit pop up, bleeding JK, aaLP, JK, leg grab, but I've only ever gotten that unblockably once in game against a person, so it's a huge risk.