When strategy is a dirty word: The role of visuals in sensegiving strategy to a skeptical audience

IF 7.4 2区管理学 Q1 BUSINESS

Long Range Planning Pub Date : 2024-02-01 DOI:10.1016/j.lrp.2023.102411

Antonius van den Broek , Jonathan Gander

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

When setting a new strategy for their firm, managers engage in a range of sensegiving activities designed to introduce the new direction and explain the reasons for the change. These communication events commonly involve the use of strategic management terms and concepts to explain and justify the prescribed strategy. Literature thus far assumes that audiences understand and agree that these terms and underlying concepts are appropriate and relevant. Yet such views fail to explain strategy sensegiving in contexts where audiences of strategy presentations are ignorant or skeptical towards strategy concepts and ideas. We examine sensegiving under such conditions by analyzing a manager introducing a new strategy in a creative agency which expressed skepticism towards the concepts and practice of strategizing. Using data from video recordings of a sequence of internal strategy presentations, we identify three strategies designed to overcome prejudice towards strategic thinking while at the same time encouraging its use: winning the right to lead, finding resonance, and enrolling the audience into the strategy. We further find how these three sensegiving strategies are supported by carefully crafted visuals to either emphasize or de-emphasize aspects of the strategy and its supporting rationale. Our findings extend the literature on the practice of strategy by illustrating how the visual supports sensegiving efforts to guide a firm's interpretation of a proposed new strategic direction.

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当战略成为一个肮脏的字眼：视觉效果在向持怀疑态度的受众传达战略时的作用

在为公司制定新战略时，管理者会参与一系列旨在介绍新方向和解释变革原因的宣传活动。在这些传播活动中，通常会使用战略管理术语和概念来解释和论证所制定的战略。迄今为止的文献假定，受众理解并认同这些术语和基本概念的恰当性和相关性。然而，在战略演讲的受众对战略概念和观点一无所知或持怀疑态度的情况下，这种观点无法解释战略感知。我们通过分析一位在创意机构中介绍新战略的经理对战略概念和实践表示怀疑的情况，研究了在这种情况下的感性认识。利用一系列内部战略演示的录像数据，我们发现了三种旨在克服对战略思维的偏见，同时鼓励使用战略思维的策略：赢得领导权、找到共鸣以及让受众参与到战略中来。我们还进一步发现，这三种赋予感性的策略是如何通过精心制作的视觉效果来强调或淡化战略的各个方面及其支持理由的。我们的研究结果扩展了有关战略实践的文献，说明了视觉如何支持感性认识的努力，引导企业对拟议的新战略方向进行解读。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Long Range Planning Multiple-

CiteScore

13.00

自引率

7.10%

发文量

期刊介绍： Long Range Planning (LRP) is an internationally renowned journal specializing in the field of strategic management. Since its establishment in 1968, the journal has consistently published original research, garnering a strong reputation among academics. LRP actively encourages the submission of articles that involve empirical research and theoretical perspectives, including studies that provide critical assessments and analysis of the current state of knowledge in crucial strategic areas. The primary user base of LRP primarily comprises individuals from academic backgrounds, with the journal playing a dual role within this community. Firstly, it serves as a platform for the dissemination of research findings among academic researchers. Secondly, it serves as a channel for the transmission of ideas that can be effectively utilized in educational settings. The articles published in LRP cater to a diverse audience, including practicing managers and students in professional programs. While some articles may focus on practical applications, others may primarily target academic researchers. LRP adopts an inclusive approach to empirical research, accepting studies that draw on various methodologies such as primary survey data, archival data, case studies, and recognized approaches to data collection.