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The Organizational Field of Strategy: Producers and Consumers of Strategy Discourse
Source publication
Strategy is a pervasive and consequential practice in mostWestern societies. We respond to strategy’s importance by drawing an initial map of strategy as an organizational field that embraces not just firms, but consultancies, business schools, the state and financial institutions. Using the example of Enron, we show how the strategy field is prone...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... this initial map, we concentrate on eight key sets of actors within the strategy field: gurus, business schools, consulting firms, financial institutions, top management teams, business media, state institu- tions, and pressure groups. The different roles and positions of these actors can be described in terms of Figure 1. ...
Context 2
... horizontal axis of Figure 1 describes the strat- egy field's actors according to the balance of their roles between producing and consuming the ideas, con- cepts, and representations that make up strategic dis- course. The axis represents a continuum: At the left- hand extreme, there are the producers of new ideas, concepts, and representations; moving rightward to the middle, there are those adapting existing ideas to new contexts-for instance particular firms or indus- tries, and those primarily disseminating these ideas; at the right-hand extreme are those who are simply passive consumers of the discourse. ...
Context 3
... actors can move easily from one set to another. The broad ellipses along Figure 1's horizontal axis allow for a wide range of roles within each set of actors. In reality, the ellipses are less distinct and less bounded than graphical convenience permits. ...
Context 4
... reality, the ellipses are less distinct and less bounded than graphical convenience permits. Figure 1's vertical axis positions the eight sets of actors according to their degree of financial independ- ence, as defined by their relative reliance on corpora- tions. At the top of the vertical axis, actors are finan- cially dependent on particular corporations, as employers or as clients. ...
Context 5
... the larger role of the business schools has been in disseminating received ideas in strategy (Engwall & Zamagni, 1998) and educating students as skilled readers of its dis- course (Barry & Elmes, 1997). As such, business schools disseminate as well as produce strategy dis- course, so that they stretch across the middle of Figure 1. On the vertical axis, business schools are more clearly placed, their diversity in terms of corporate, state, alumni, and student relationships giving them relative independence. ...
Context 6
... map of the strategy field in Figure 1 is a simpli- fied one, underplaying the overlaps between different sets of actors and omitting other sets, such as middle managers and employees, who also have important roles. Part of the research agenda into strategy as a social practice lies precisely in developing this map. ...
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Citations
... The open strategy literature addresses this phenomenon based on approaches from perspectives featuring practices (Splitter et al., 2019), sensemaking (Bencherki et al., 2019), dialogue (Heracleous, 2019), and networks (Hautz, 2019), as well as an institutional perspective (Goldenstein & Walgenbach, 2019). We propose an ethical dimension within the discussion of social practices, emphasizing that taking this strategy seriously (Whittington et al., 2003) when speaking of open strategy means considering its ethical dimension (Tsoukas, 2018). ...
... The tensions cited here, which are mapped in the literature (Hautz et al., 2017), are in fact the finding that up until now, dealing with the openness phenomenon has been an inevitable contingency of the global world and one of the social challenges that have arisen (Goldenstein & Walgenbach, 2019), but since theoreticians and managers still preserve a closed space as something sacred in terms of formulating strategy, this space remains a place where control and competition are still the only results pursued by organizations (Tsoukas, 2018). In order to take strategy seriously (in accordance with the discussions of Whittington, 2003 andVaara &Whittington, 2012) and deal with more responsive organizations (doing justice to the perspectives that we have brought to this discussion, such as dialogue and social practices), we have examined this problem of the ethical construction that the openness phenomenon requires. If we do not take this seriously, any discussion or theorization about openness may fall into the same managerialism that contaminates our practices and uproots many people, territories, and identities. ...
Purpose: This article debates the open strategy process, understanding the social pressure on companies as a highlighted dimension within the context of formulating strategy. Originality/value: Within corporate environmental and social crimes and negligence, companies can maintain their closed strategies and try to avoid institutional and social protests by responding ceremonially. To analyze this relationship, we use the theoretical framework of open strategy, assuming a practical perspective of this worldwide social phenomenon, and we also propose a discussion agenda for the ethical dimension of formulating strategy. Design/methodology/approach: We have conducted a documental case study of the Braskem “geological phenomenon” which occurred in Maceió, Alagoas, in 2018 using newspaper reports from Folha de S.Paulo and Estadão, as well as business reports. Based on these documents, we debate the corporate environmental crime that occurred (ecocide), which caused great losses on the part of the local residents. The documents were analyzed using content analysis and interpreted in light of the delineated theoretical framework. Findings: We emphasize the importance of including the ethical dimension in debates about open strategy and propose a reflection about taking this opening seriously. Openness is built from a dialogic perspective, and social practices are considered a social-historic and culturally situated framework.
... It may also reflect a lack of seriousness about strategy. Whittington et al. (2003) called for taking strategy seriously. Rumelt (2011, p.35) stated that serious strategy is a very difficult work that may not take place in successful organizations until "the wolf is at the door". ...
The rate of strategic failure reported in the literature has been alarming. Many authors attribute strategic failures to the challenge of implementation. One may, however, wonder whether strategizing is done in a genuine way or just in compliance with certain expectations. This paper argues that many organizations are not serious enough about strategy and do it mainly as a signal of good management or in response to institutional requirements. As a result, these organizations do not have authentic strategies. The paper builds on the strategy literature to argue for the need for more authenticity. It aims to contribute both to theory and practice. First, it introduces and develops the new concept of authentic strategy, presents its components, and distinguishes it from the concept of good strategy. Second, it proposes a self-assessment tool that executives can use to assess the authenticity of their strategy. This tool includes authentic mission, authentic vision, authentic values, core of authentic strategy, and implementation. The paper calls for further empirical research to validate and improve on the self-assessment tool. It also encourages addressing the impact of authentic strategy on organizational performance as an interesting subject for future research.
... Using an SAP lens allows for the use of a discursive approach to understanding this (e.g. Mantere & Vaara, 2008) Using an SAP lens involves recognising managers as active agents who mould and modify initiatives, rather than as passive receivers of strategy, structure, and change (Balogun & Johnson, 2005;Knights & McCabe, 1998;Stensaker & Falkenberg, 2007;Whittington et al., 2003). This lens helps to develop an understanding of the role actors play in influencing variances between intended and actual implementation. ...
This conceptual paper advocates for a Strategy as Practice (SAP) lens, which prioritises people and context, in future Human Resource Management (HRM) research related to strategy. The paper first provides a summary of what SAP intrinsically brings to the table and how it could provide an additive lens to better understand strategic issues within HRM. Incorporating the natural intersections between SAP, HR role theory, and Strategic Human Resource Management, we then highlight four distinct areas of enquiry which we believe could benefit from an SAP focus: 1/ being more strategic; 2/ strategy-making settings; 3/ incorporating multiple levels of analysis; and 4/ focusing on within-firm variability. In summary, this paper provides support and specific examples of where and how an SAP lens can provide a much needed refocus of attention away from just economic performance towards understanding humans' role in setting HRM initiatives and interpreting their outcomes.
... Social practice is an enduring activity that emerges through the recurrent actions of people (Nicolini, 2012). A growing body of work in organization studies expands the understanding of practices related to strategy (Jarzabkowski, 2005;Jarzabkowski et al., 2007;Jarzabkowski & Spee, 2009;Vaara & Whittington, 2012;Whittington, 1996Whittington, , 2006Whittington et al., 2003), knowledge and neo-institutionalism (Feldman & Orlikowski, 2011). Notably, the connectedness of 'doing' and 'action' provides the essence of practice as an everyday routine and practical activity (Schatzki, 2019). ...
In this paper, we draw on extant studies about curiosity and practice to analyse and frame curiosity as a salient social practice for organizations. We go beyond the psychological applications of curiosity to consider the social practices of 'doing' curiosity. We draw on the strategy as practice (SAP) literature and propose a curiosity as practice (CaP) conceptual framework. We argue that CaP is enacted at the nexus of three practices-sociomateriality, discursivity and agency-collectively enabling CaP to engage and connect with other practice bundles, including decision-making, sensemaking and strategising. Finally, we discuss the implications of our conceptual research and suggest an agenda of empirical research aligned with the CaP conceptual framework.
... As we progressed with the data analysis, sensitizing concepts from 'practice theory' and disciplinary-specific off shoots such as 'strategy-as-practice' (Jarzabkowski & Paul Spee, 2009;Whittington et al., 2003) and 'design-as-practice (Kimbell, 2011(Kimbell, , 2012 provided explanatory power toward our understanding of the connections and interactions between strategy and design practitioners (Birks & Mills, 2022). This is representative of developing 'theoretical sensitivity' (Charmaz, 2014;Glaser, 1978) about what is meant by practices and what they are made up of. ...
We explore the integration of design into strategy practices with a particular focus on the role and value of designers in developing innovative strategies. Despite the growing recognition of design practices and particularly design thinking for fostering innovative strategies, we still need to learn more about how designers contribute to strategy and how the practices of designers and strategists relate. To address this, we conducted a qualitative study involving 19 strategic design practitioners and 14 strategists. Following a grounded theory methodology, we share emerging themes to develop a conceptual framework that explains the roles of designers in strategy practice and how they are involved in strategy formulation. Our analysis suggests that designers increasingly work in roles that place them at closer junctions with strategy practitioners and therefore see their work influencing strategy more frequently and differently. Even when firms follow traditional strategy-making approaches and designers' proximity to strategy practices is more distant, designers are valued in many ways. Designers are integrated into strategy work, for example, through communication, inspiring a human perspective on impending change and transformation, exploration and discovery of possibilities and identifying 'levers' for change. Another valuable perspective designers bring is human-centredness and systems thinking, allowing strategy problem-solving to be divergent and iterative. We discuss the implications of our findings for designers and strategists and identify avenues for further research into the merging of strategic management and design practice.
... Moreover, small business enterprises can play an essential role in the growth of economies and lead countries to increase levels of competitiveness (Bellamy, et al., 2019;Kirby, 2013;Pickernell, et al., 2013;Hotho & Champion, 2011). Nowadays, strategic management is considered a fundamental approach for firms working in highly changing environments to succeed and is highly regarded since it provides firms with an essential direction to anticipate and respond to future changes (Demir & Ugurluoglu, 2019).Therefore, refining the implementation and quality of Strategic Management Education is perceived as a techniquethat increase management practices (Albana, et al., 2017;Grant, 2008;Jarzabkowski & Whittington, 2008;Whittington,et al., 2003), where the employment of Strategic Management Tools and Techniques in organizations should be seen as a Practice-Based Context (Albana, et al., 2017).Many authors underlined the significance of strategic management tools and techniques; as supported mechanisms for decision-making processes and improvement of Strategic thinking (Bellamy, et al., 2019;Gunn &Williams, 2007;Clark, 1997;Dyson, 1990;Langley, 1988). ...
This paper explores the knowledge and understanding of utilization level of strategic management tools and methodsat Jordanian manufacturing companies listed on Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) and nature of its relationship with some organizational characteristics. Researchers provided literature review on the strategic management processes, tools, and techniques in both developed and developing markets and collected data via a survey form, which was distributed on top management of the (86) manufacturing companies included in this studyand obtained (62)of those as valid responses, representing a response rate of (72%). Main results of this research indicate that Jordanian manufacturing companies have inconsistent levels of knowledge about strategic management tools and techniques and engage in strategic management processes using various tools and techniques, where the most knowledgeable toolsusedby Jordanian manufacturing companies are TQM, SWOT Analysis, 5-forces Porter model, PEST Analysis, and CRM. Results revealed that TQM, CRM, Financial Analysis for Companies Owners (FACO), PEST Analysis, CSF Analysis, Scenario Analysis, and 5-forces Porter model to be mostly used tools and techniques. Results also revealed that company's sizehas a positive relationship on the use and awareness of strategic management tools and techniques while the company's age shows less relationship.This study provides empirical evidenceson the use and understanding of tools and techniques related to management strategiesat the manufacturing firms in emerging markets.
... Moreover, small business enterprises can play an essential role in the growth of economies and lead countries to increase levels of competitiveness (Bellamy, et al., 2019;Kirby, 2013;Pickernell, et al., 2013;Hotho & Champion, 2011). Nowadays, strategic management is considered a fundamental approach for firms working in highly changing environments to succeed and is highly regarded since it provides firms with an essential direction to anticipate and respond to future changes (Demir & Ugurluoglu, 2019).Therefore, refining the implementation and quality of Strategic Management Education is perceived as a techniquethat increase management practices (Albana, et al., 2017;Grant, 2008;Jarzabkowski & Whittington, 2008;Whittington,et al., 2003), where the employment of Strategic Management Tools and Techniques in organizations should be seen as a Practice-Based Context (Albana, et al., 2017).Many authors underlined the significance of strategic management tools and techniques; as supported mechanisms for decision-making processes and improvement of Strategic thinking (Bellamy, et al., 2019;Gunn &Williams, 2007;Clark, 1997;Dyson, 1990;Langley, 1988). ...
This paper explores the knowledge and understanding of utilization level of strategic management tools and methodsat Jordanian manufacturing companies listed on Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) and nature of its relationship with some organizational characteristics. Researchers provided literature review on the strategic management processes, tools, and techniques in both developed and developing markets and collected data via a survey form, which was distributed on top management of the (86) manufacturing companies included in this studyand obtained (62)of those as valid responses, representing a response rate of (72%). Main results of this research indicate that Jordanian manufacturing companies have inconsistent levels of knowledge about strategic management tools and techniques and engage in strategic management processes using various tools and techniques, where the most knowledgeable toolsusedby Jordanian manufacturing companies are TQM, SWOT Analysis, 5-forces Porter model, PEST Analysis, and CRM. Results revealed that TQM, CRM, Financial Analysis for Companies Owners (FACO), PEST Analysis, CSF Analysis, Scenario Analysis, and 5-forces Porter model to be mostly used tools and techniques. Results also revealed that company's sizehas a positive relationship on the use and awareness of strategic management tools and techniques while the company's age shows less relationship.This study provides empirical evidenceson the use and understanding of tools and techniques related to management strategiesat the manufacturing firms in emerging markets.
... To understand the role of sayings and doings in servitization, practice theory (Bourdieu, 1990) provides a useful framework, which can be utilized to create vocabulary and concepts for doings, tools, and sayings that enable servitization (Luoto, Brax, & Kohtamäki, 2017). Practice theory considers strategy from a microperspective, which companies achieve as a compilation of practices (Vaara & Whittington, 2012;Whittington et al., 2003), including not only the practical practice-in-use but also the sayings, discourses, and narratives (Luoto et al., 2017). This inclusion of sayings can be considered to be a central strength in practice theory because sayings frequently become doings in organizations and society (Seidl & Whittington, 2014). ...
... Practices can be broadly defined as routinized types of behavior (Reckwitz, 2002, p. 249). Practice theory considers strategy from a micro-perspective, as a compilation of practices (Vaara & Whittington, 2012;Whittington et al., 2003). From the practice theoretical perspective, the servitization process can be facilitated by a variety of practices that consist of both doings and sayings of practitioners. ...
Complex transitions, such as servitization, require in-depth investigation to understand the changes taking place during the transformation. Practice-theoretical perspective can provide an interesting lens to understand the details of the changes taking place. This study presents a specific lens, Schatzki’s practice theory, to understand servitization. This article views servitization through practice emergence, persistence, and dissolution; we zoom in and out to understand servitization practices and discuss servitization-as-practice.
... In order to reinvigorate the SAP agenda, we need to rethink the notion of strategy as consequential Johnson et al., 2003;Whittington et al., 2003). Consequential means both (1) something that is important or significant, and also (2) an action or effect that arises indirectly from another action, rather than as an intended cause and effect. ...
In this essay we revisit the radical agenda proposed by strategy-as-practice scholars to study strategy as it emerges within people’s practices. We show that, while much progress has been made, there is still a dominant focus on articulated strategies, which has implications for what is seen as strategic. We anchor our argument in the notion of consequentiality – a guiding yet, ironically, constraining principle of the strategy-as-practice agenda. Our paper proposes a deeper understanding of the notion of strategy as ‘consequential’ in terms of both what is important to a wider range of actors and also following the consequences of these actors’ practices through the patterns of action that they construct. In doing so, we offer a conceptual and an empirical approach to reinvigorating the strategy-as-practice agenda by inviting scholars to take a more active role in field sites, in deciding and explaining what practices are strategic.
... Kipping's (2011) and Armbrüster and Kipping's (2002) studies on the rise of strategy consulting demonstrate the rapid increase in volume and influence. Likewise, we have cases like Enron in which the adverse effect of gurus and other strategy professionals was destructive (Whittington et al., 2003) and critical studies questioning the societal value-add of strategic management techniques (Mintzberg, 2000). 4. In the case of OuP we used the books that the publishing house had categorized on their websites as 'business history' . 5. The Web of Science categorization of business and economics was used in the study. ...
Scholars at the intersection of business history and strategic management have argued for the relevance and importance of historical methods in the study of strategic management of organizations. We flip this argument and ask about the role of strategic management concepts in the study of business history. We analyze volumes of Business History and Business History Review and a representative sample of business history books using a comprehensive set of keywords, each related to a specific sub-discourse in strategic management. Our results show that as scientific communities, business history and strategic management have become increasingly similar in their conceptual overlap. This study contributes further nuance to the understanding of intellectual change across scientific communities, and the role of business history in the rise of management and organizational history.
