STRATEGY AS PRACTICE & LEADERSHIP

Strategy as Practice & Leadership

Strategy as Practice & Leadership

Introduction

Nowadays, strategy does not only refers to firm's position or what an organisation has but also refers that an organisation and it diverse workforce do. Strategy is not a written document but the way multiple actors in an organisation carry out their work, as well as addresses how it is done and who does it, all these points are vital for both strategy theorists and practitioner. However, managers of a firm strive to determine most effective answers of these questions in order to become more competent practitioners of strategy. This new definition or perspective highlights a gap between theories of strategy and actual practices of organisational members. This gap arises because of much research on strategy remain remote from the study of that innumerable of practices and activities entailed in carrying out strategy.

This assignment critically evaluate the statement “(Strategy is not) something that an organization has but something its members do” (Jarzabkowski, Balogun & Seidl, 2007, pp.5-27). This paper appraises how do the strategising managers' practices to form a strategy as an activity of organisation.



Discussion

Complexity Perspective: New Ways of Thinking about Strategy

Jarzabkowski et al, (2007, pp.5-27) offered a new perspective of strategy, and stated that strategy is not just a document but the way people of an organisation behave and carried out their job responsibilities. As regard to strategy, people's actions in firms, subsequently brings the people's attention who are the “performers” strategy. In literature, the word “strategising” refers that action of strategy. In addition, praxis and practices are the key influencers in shaping activities of strategy practitioners; micro-actions are built in macro-area along with institutionalised properties that allow transmission of actions.

Previous studies (Sheehan & Foss, 2009, pp.240-260; Adcroft & Willis, 2008, pp.313-333; Whittington & Cailluet, 2008, pp.241-247) have highlighted four basic ways of thinking about strategy. During 60s, the “planning” approach was adopted that emphasis on techniques and tools to assist practitioners to take decisions regarding the direction of business. A new focus was developed by researchers during 70s, which examines the firm's pay-off to pursue different strategic directions, such as internationalization, joint ventures, acquisitions, innovation and diversification strategy. Researchers during 80s, explored how companies come first to identify the need for change at a strategic level, as well as make efforts to achieve it. In addition, the approach of “practice” draws on several insights of the school process; however, comes back to the leadership level, and take into consideration how leaders do strategy or strategise.

A critical review of the literature helps in deciding and identifying to facilitate better understanding of the influence of top leaders/ managers as strategists, in the context of strategy as practice framework. This not only refers to a process of formulating strategy but also a learning process to adjust to the environment and to make and give meaning to the new vision of the organisation. In the recent years, this new perspective of strategy as practice has emerged ...