Performing Strategy Analogical Reasoning as Strategic Practice

We present a novel metaphorical approach to organization development, the use of embodied metaphors, and in doing so we extend current understandings and uses of metaphor. ln terms of understandings of metaphor, we go beyond the dominant semantic-cognitive dimension to address the spatial and embodied dimensions. ln terms of uses of metaphor, we discuss an intervention technology based on embodied metaphors, which emphasizes induced rather than naturally occurring metaphors, builds on a developed theoretical base of collaborative diagnostic technologies, and can be employed in a targeted manner for issue diagnosis and intervention. Implications for the use of embodied metaphors are discussed.

One of the central challenges for organizational learning at an intersubjective level has been suggested in terms of developing a shared language as a prerequisite for shared understanding in a community. In this respect, social learning theory suggests communities of practice as loci, and discourse as the medium of such learning. Rather than knowledge acquisition, social learning refers to identity formation through competent participation in a discursive practice. Listening as a central, yet so far neglected, element of discursive practice involves the constitution of a relational basis that allows for intersubjective meaning generation. We suggest listening as a condition for the possibility of social learning and illustrate our suggestion with an empirical case. Finally, we discuss the implications of our argument for organizational and social learning as well as its broader relevance.

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ln complex business environments, management teams often draw on knowledge structures when making decisions. More specifically, it has been proposed that management teams respond to critical incidents through the use of guiding principles as heuristic devices that draw on emotionally grounded narratives. Because of their importance in guiding managerial decision-making, a more in-depth exploration of the process qualities of how guiding principles may be developed is needed. Based on a theoretical examination of a similar knowledge structure-the mental model-we propose that such development processes will be more effective if they involve dialogue. More precisely, we argue that guiding principles can be actively developed in a conversational process of dialogue involving inquiry, divergence and convergence. We illustrate our theoretical suggestion with an indicative case study of two management team workshops in a European-based telecommunications firm.

This paper addresses the leadership of peak performance in groups. We present findings from an empirical study in a symphony orchestra exploring the relationship between the conductor, the musicians and music in the creation of peak performance. These findings include the importance of aesthetic perception, responsive presence and a catalyst. The authors further present an integrative model that portrays group peak performance as a recursive process whereby the group has a shared aesthetic experience of its own performance. Such beautiful performance is difficult to sustain and is extremely fragile.

This article explores how the link between the hand and the mind might be exploited in the making of strategy. Using Mintzberg's image of a potter undergoing iterative and recursive learning and knowledge-building processes as a point of departure, the authors develop a three-level theoretical schema, progressing from the physiological to the psychological to the social to trace the consequences of the hand-mind link. To illustrate the authors' theoretical schema, the authors present an illustration case of managers from a large telecommunications firm experimenting with a process for strategy making in which they actively use their hands to construct representations of their organization and its environment. The authors conclude that new and potent forms of strategy making might be attained if the fundamental human experience of using one's hands is put in the service of all kinds of organizational learning.

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Analogical reasoning as proposed by cognitive scientists in general, and by organization scholars in particular, refers to the successful transfer of structural similarities from a source to a target domain. In strategic management, this concept has materialized in approaches such as strategic mapping. Yet, the concept and its application seem to have emphasized primarily the cognitive aspects of analogical reasoning. Bourdieu's concept of practice allows us to explore analogical reasoning in a more integral manner, i.e. presenting embodied aspects of analogical reasoning as complementary, equally relevant for such processes. Thus, we propose analogical reasoning as a practice of strategy and illustrate our claim with an empirical case.

This working paper has been integrated into WP67

L’identité organisationnelle fournit un cadre qui organise le sens et la motivation ; ce cadre peut faciliter ou inhiber la créativité des membres d’une organisation. Comprendre la nature de l’identité organisationnelle reste cependant problématique : beaucoup d’études empiriques menées à ce jour sont limitées en raison de l’importance accordée aux données verbales et textuelles. Cet article étudie comment les "senior managers" de trois entreprises différentes définissent l’identité de leur organisation, quand ils y sont invités par le biais d’un jeu de construction en trois dimensions. L’étude de ces trois interventions nous permet d’aboutir à trois résultats. Nous constatons que les métaphores favorisent la construction de sens autour de l’identité organisationnelle ; de plus amples discussions autour de ces métaphores permettent de révéler certaines pensées préalablement cachées, et le recours aux matériaux de construction en 3 D favorise la création d’un environnement dans lequel les facteurs émotionnels peuvent se manifester avec certitude. Grâce à l’approche multidimensionnelle de l’identité organisationnelle, les managers formulent des descriptions de l’identité, surprenantes, chargées d’émotions, plus riches et donc plus favorables à la créativité organisationnelle.

This article claims that for the development and communication of strategy to become the inspired and inspiring process it must be, it is up to company leaders to alter their strategizing practices in three crucial, perhaps counterintuitive ways: (i) be more subjective and less generic: (ii) explore new ways to stimulate insights and communication; (iii) Recognize that context matters.

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This paper presents a field study of decision-making processes at two organizations operating in high velocity environments. It reviews existing literature on managerial knowledge structures and decision-making, and identifies methodological and conceptual limitations with these approaches with respect to organizations in high velocity environments. The authors develop two interpretive cases that focus on the articulated and social methods management teams used to make decisions. They found that both organizations used rules of thumb or heuristic reasoning in their decision-making, that these rules of thumb functioned as headlines of deeper organizational narratives, and that these narratives were grounded in emotional as well as purely rational considerations. We suggest that the term "guiding principle" usefully integrates our three findings into a second-order concept that may be further explored in future research of both a descriptive and prescriptive nature.

Imagination and play are often described as key ingredients in the process of scientific discovery. Yet these ingredients are rarely apparent when scientists meet to discuss strategic issues, such as planning new projects. François Grey and Johan Roos describe how the process of playing seriously with LEGO bricks has helped a variety of researchers, students and science managers to tackle a range of strategic challenges over the last few years, with some eye-opening results.

"Strategy researchers seem to have struggled to develop a theory of strategy creation. We believe this difficulty might be eased somewhat if the field had a notion of intentionality that allowed us to acknowledge emergent change. We here present serious play as a descriptive framework for activities through which the conditions of the possibility of emergence may be intentionally created. In this sense, the purpose of this chapter is to consider strategy creation as a kind of serious play."

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In this chapter Johan Roos argues that because our field is about humans, and humans interacting, strategy researchers should remain in the first person, rather than escaping into the convention of "third person anonymity". Two anecdotes illustrate Johan's own struggle to remain outside his work. To support his wish to remain the narrator, he draws on the Aristotelian ideal of phronesis. For the practice of strategy research, phronesis: (i) enhances our self-awareness as scholars: (ii) helps us understand more about what is going on:(iii) forces us to take a moral stance: (iv) calls for additional experiments with methodologies: and (v) changes the discourse in our field. Roos also suggests that phronesis may be significant to how managers approach the practice of strategy.

This book chapter can be obtained from : http://www.blackwellpublishing.com

Strategy researchers have struggled to develop a theory of strategy creation. We believe this difficulty might be eased somewhat if the field had a notion of intentionality that allowed us to acknowledge emergent change. We present serious play as a descriptive framework for activities through which the conditions of the possibility of emergence may be intentionally created. ln this sense, the purpose of this paper is to consider strategy creation as a kind of serious play.

This article details two cycles of interventions and reflection in various executive development contexts led by the authors as facilitator/consultants. Their hunch that changing the constraints of strategy processes would also change the content generated was tested by changing the typical mode of work to that of 'serious play' and modifying the usual medium from verbal, computer and two-dimensional text and graphic by the introduction of 3-D media (LEGO bricks). The authors examine the potential for using serious play in the particular organizational challenge of making strategy, and highlight the capacity of 'action research' to contribute simultaneously to both academic understanding and practical value.

This article can be obtained from : www.Lrpjournal.com