Master

COMMENTARY: THE STRATEGY LENSES

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to emotion and self-interest may help adoption, but a reliance on this may lead to the early rejection of new practices. A more rational approach may mean that it takes longer to achieve adoption but will be less likely to result in early rejection. Language that appeals to or relates to accepted ways of doing things may, however, help ensure retention.

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Common discourse. It may be beneficial to seek to develop a common language of strategy in an organisation. This is a common reason for management development programmes in relation to strategy. The argued benefit is that managers can then communicate on the basis of a common set of generally understood concepts, terms and tools of strategy which makes strategy debate more effective. It is also a role management educators provide in the diffusion of strategy concepts and language, of course. A critical perspective for managers. A critical perspective on the discourse of strategy should prompt managers and students alike to question just how substantial concepts and models to do with strategy really are. Are they really based on sound evidence and theory; do they really make a difference? Or are they a discourse being employed because it seems to be what is expected; because it is ‘the language of strategists’; or a way for managers to gain power and influence? In this sense, seeing strategy as discourse can prompt the healthy questioning of concepts, ideas and assumptions that might otherwise be taken for granted.

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Conclusion

The core assumptions and the key implications of the four lenses of design, experience, variety and discourse are summarised in Table C.ii. They are not offered here as an exhaustive list. They are an attempt to encapsulate different approaches and insights into the complex

Table C.ii A summary of the strategy lenses

Strategy as: Design Strategy develops through . . . A logical process of analysis and evaluation Experience People’s...