Emergent Strategy

Whittington, Richard (2018) Emergent Strategy. In: Teece, David J. and Augier, Mie, (eds.) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Strategic Management. Palgrave Macmillan, London. ISBN 978-1-349-94848-2

Abstract

This entry introduces the concept of ‘emergent’ strategy, associated particularly with Mintzberg, Henry (born 1939), contrasting it with the more traditional strategy design approach. It identifies five implications of emergent strategy: reduced investment in formal strategic planning; the merging of strategy formulation and strategy implementation; the increased involvement of middle managers in strategy; the undermining of sequential approaches to the strategy process; and the greater role for learning in strategy. The entry identifies two new approaches to strategy ‘emergence’, associated with ecological and complex adaptive systems theories. The entry proposes the need for more research on strategic planning that goes beyond the polarized debate between strategy design and strategy emergence.

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