2.3 Emergent strategy

Question 1

What factors cause the emergence of different strategies other than the original intended strategy?

Answer 1

1) People - changes to staff or changes to the mindset of existing staff
2) Director organisational events - changes to supply/demand, a striking workforce, a loss of assets
3) Indirect wider economic/external events - taxation/interest/government changes

Question 2

Mintzberg suggested a number of “types” of strategy - give examples of these (8 in total).

Answer 2

Planned
Entrepreneurial
Ideological
Umbrella
Process
Unconnected
Consensus
Imposed

Question 3

Pettigrew and Whipp (1991) developed a three-step process to strategic change. What are the three steps?

Answer 3

Context
Content
Process

Question 4

In “The Opposable Mind” Roger Martin (2007) introduced the idea of integrative thinking using a four step model. What were the four steps?

Answer 4

1) Salience - what features are important to achieve the vision?
2) Casuality - how do people make sense of what they are seeing?
3) Architecture - what order is required for the actions involved
4) Resolution - how will we know when the vision is achieved?

Question 5

Mintzberg offers 8 different types of emergent strategy. What is “planned” strategy?

Answer 5

Explicit and deliberate strategy with tight control and little room for variation.

Question 6

Mintzberg offers 8 different types of emergent strategy. What is “entrepreneurial” strategy?

Answer 6

Strategy that commences with intention and vision but is subject to the mind of the entrepeneur.

Question 7

Mintzberg offers 8 different types of emergent strategy. What is “ideological” strategy?

Answer 7

Strategy driven by strong beliefs and/or culture with the intent to influence or structure conformance to ideals, subject to the views of its leaders.

Question 8

Mintzberg offers 8 different types of emergent strategy. What is “umbrella” strategy?

Answer 8

Broad boundaries within which exist a range of types of strategy, with the ultimate intent being built around a commonalty of vision.

Question 9

Mintzberg offers 8 different types of emergent strategy. What is “process” strategy?

Answer 9

Strategy with the expectation that a particular route will be followed within certain process boundaries.

Question 10

Mintzberg offers 8 different types of emergent strategy. What is “unconnected” strategy?

Answer 10

Strategy involving a breakaway from the norm by part of the organisation.

Question 11

Mintzberg offers 8 different types of emergent strategy. What is “concencus” strategy?

Answer 11

Strategy from discussion and agreement between multiple parties.

Question 12

Mintzberg offers 8 different types of emergent strategy. What is “imposed” strategy?

Answer 12

Strategy as the result of an autocratic imposition of the required end result, for example by a government body. (e.g. FCA market study on insurance.