Mintzberg (C7 - Learning)

Question 1

Kiechel

Answer 1

Kiechel cited, in a fortune article, a study that showed only 10% of strategies to be actually implemented.

Question 2

Learning school

Answer 2

Small decisions over time shape strategies.

Feedback is leveraged and the strategy emerges from organisational learning.
-> increases organisation’s ability to deal with changing external conditions.

Strategy is deliberate by actors but emergent for the organisation.

Question 3

Quinn

Answer 3

Logical incrementalism - internal decisions and external events flow together to create a shared consensus for action among the management team.

Architects of strategy - top execs and CEO but rest of the organisation has some influence.

Question 4

Burgelman

Answer 4

Strategy arises from the ideas of workers in the operational level of the organisation, championed by middle managers.

‘the motor of corporate entrepreneurship’

Question 5

Basic principles of learning organisations

Answer 5

1. fighting the tendency to bury failure
2. periodic reassessment of processes and systems, everything can be improved.
3. sharing of knowledge and open-door policy
4. mobilise knowledge through interaction
5. learn from customers, suppliers and competitors

Question 6

Prahalad and Hamel

Answer 6

“collective learning”

core competency - roots of competitive advantage lie in the core competency of a firm (deep rooted capability that cannot easily be imitated).

strategic intent - rallying cry for employees, sets general direction, defines emerging market opportunities

stretch and leverage - have aspirations and be able to leverage resources to achieve them.

Question 7

Criticisms

Answer 7

Lack of clearly articulated strategy.

Strategic drift - drifting to new or more interesting strategies too often.

Wrong strategy is reached

Groupthink and negative learning (escalating commitment)

Expensive