Of Strategies — deliberate and emergent

(Originally published on the OUBS Blog)

This is an article by Henry Mintzberg and James A. Waters. In it, they argue that there is often an intended and a realized strategy. They are linked either by a deliberate strategy or more loosely linked by some unrealized ones and one that simply emerged.

They start by saying that there is likely no purely deliberate and no purely emergent strategy. There would have needed to be precise intentions, articulated clearly, shared or accepted and realized exactly as intended without interference from outside forces… which is unlikely. As strategy is about being somewhat consistent in your actions, perfectly emergent strategy can’t exist because there would be consistency without any intentions … again unlikely.

Then they show several strategies that are common.

1. The planned strategy

“Organizations that must commit large quantities of resources to particular mission and so cannot tolerate unstable environments.” You will often see that were lots of resources are at play, like at an airline for example.

2. The entrepreneurial strategy

This revolves more around a central figure working in a co-operative environment. This one person has the vision and needs to articulate them well for them to be followed. As it is a personal vision, it is very easy to change, meaning that the company can change the vision and direction relatively easily.

3. The ideological strategy

Here the vision is very well accepted and even shared. This goes as far as becoming an ideology which is shared by the members of the company. This is a lot harder to change, even by the environment.

4. The umbrella strategy

In this case, there are simply boundaries which are set up and a general direction is defined. This umbrella might move if need be.

5. The process strategy

Here there are only processes set up which involve how the content of strategy is decided by the rest of the company. This often happens in unpredictable and uncontrollable environments.

6. The unconnected strategy

This happens in companies of experts, complex settings, where sub unites have their own strategies and are only loosely connected to the mother company.

7. The consensus strategy

Here you start with a collective action rather than intention. You do things and slowly converge by adjustment.

8. The imposed strategy

This time you set the strategy from outside, or rather it is being set, without the interference of anyone in the company. More often the environment only limits your movement though, and does not 100% direct it.

Emergent strategy itself means that you take one step at a time and try to learn what works. This enables management “to respond to an evolving reality rather than having to focus on a stable fantasy”.