deliberate and emergent strategy

5/24/2018 Deliberate and Emergent Strategy

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Mintzberg, H. and Water, J. A.1985:257-272


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DELIBERATE AND EMERGENT STRATEGY

Session 7



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Why look at this?

To give you some of the vocabulary of strategy.

To get you to think about the wider picture of how

strategy can evolve in a range of ways, depending on

the context and people.

Smaller businesses grow bigger and bigger businesses

need a different approach.

Know what approach you prefer.

Mintzberg, H. and Water, J. A. 1985:257-272Of Strategy, Deliberate and Emergent Strategic Management Journal


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Deliberate and Emergent

Strategy is an organisations plan for the future. Its away of establishing the long range goals and action

plans for implementation.

A strategy is a pattern in a stream of decision (asopposed to a random series of behaviours).

What we are looking at the difference between

leaders intentions and what they actually did.



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Whats the difference?

By comparing intended strategy with realisedstrategy it is possible to differentiate:

deliberate strategyrealised as intended strategy -

from

emergent strategypatterns of consistencies realisedin the absence of intention.

The difference being intention.



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Types of strategy

Intended

Strategy

DeliberateStrategy

Realised

Strategy

Emergent

Strategy

Unrealised

Strategy



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Pure Theory

Pure Intended Pure Emergent

To be deliberate:

Precise and clear intentions,

before action is taken.

Shared vision, common to all

actors.

Outcome must be realised as

intended.

To be emergent:

The complete absence of

intention. There must be no

strategy, not just an unrealised

strategy.

Most organisations are somewhere on the continuum.



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Planned Strategy

Leader at the centre, precise intentions exist,

formulated and articulated by the centre.

High level of control and direction.

The environment must be stable and predictable

usually based on industry standard programme.

Long in gestation and then adhered to.



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The Entrepreneurial Strategy

Vision

One individual, the person in control. Has a strong view of the

organisations position in the world.

May articulate the vision, may not, but can impose their vision on

others. Intentions may exist, but may be difficult to identify.

Market must be favourable, probably niche and safe. Might see

this pattern in larger organisation in crisis, where people will

follow the leader.



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The Entrepreneurial Strategy

Vision 1

Vision may have planned as

well as emergent

characteristics. It provides a

general sense of direction,

which may shift as the

entrepreneur spots a new

opportunity.

Adaptability, control,

flexibilityproviding that

the individual is willing to

learn.

Articulated strategy locks it

in placewhich is why it

may not be expressed

clearly.

Vision 2

Planned strategy often follow

entrepreneurial strategies.



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Ideological Strategy

A collective vision. This may be many organisationssharing a common belief system. While in planned and

entrepreneurial strategy emerge from one strong person,

these are embraced by all members.

People will resist changing the strategy, but may look for

different interpretations.

They are highly deliberate.



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Umbrella Strategy

A more relaxed approach, where control may be less tight.

Guidelines are set and boundaries clear, but people have

room to manoeuvre.

From the perspective of the leader, strategies are allowed to

emerge, within the boundaries. This might be seen as

deliberately emergent.

Professional organizations may adopt this approach.



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Process Strategy

Process

content

Influence is indirect, the process is guided, but the

content emergent. Centrally leadership defines theprocess, but lets people emerge within it.



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Others

Unconnectedwith no direction strategy emergesfrom enclaves. Strategies are organisationally

emergent, whether deliberate or not.

Consensusstrategy originates by consensus, but willbe emergent.

Imposedby the environment, organisation has no

choice, but may internalise it and make it deliberate.



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Why have one?

Encourages entrepreneurs to assess and articulate avision.

Ensures that you are auditing the environment and

the organisations capabilities and resources.

May highlight new possibilities and opportunities.

Provides organisational focus.

Guide the structure formation as the business grows.

Guides decision making.

Provides a starting point to set objectives.

Acts as a common language.


deliberate and emergent strategy

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