If you ever want an overview of the development of strategy as a professional field, this book is a good place to start.
Whittington, R. (2019) ‘Opening Strategy: Practices and Professionals’, in Opening Strategy. Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/oso/9780198738893.003.0001.
The book takes you on a journey through the development of the academic and professional field of strategy, how practices, praxis, practitioners and the profession has developed since the 60’s until today.
After a very interesting theoretical chapter (focus: ‘strategy as practice’), much emphasis is put on how how the practitioners of strategy – both in companies, but also consultancies have developed and shaped the use of strategy. An interesting reccuring theme is how development of new technology also contributed to development of approaches to use of strategy. In recent times, the whole dimension social network mentality, has both shaped expectations and the tech employed to involve wide groups of an organisation – and beyond – in the strategy process. Thus, from the idea of closed, top-management only thinking about strategy, we are barreling towards much more openness in the whole strategic process.
Very interesting and gives food for thought on where are we heading.
More on “strategy as practice”:
- Johnson, 2016. Strategy as Practice: Research Directions and Resources
- Golsorkhi, 2007, Cambridge Handbook of Strategy as Practice
- Jarzabkowski, 2005 Strategy as Practice: An Activity Based Approach (SAGE Strategy series)
Study in progress 