Strategy as practice or parody? A case study of the strategic plan in a university

IF 2 4区管理学 Q3 MANAGEMENT

Scandinavian Journal of Management Pub Date : 2024-12-09 DOI:10.1016/j.scaman.2024.101392

Mats Alvesson, Stefan Sveningsson

引用次数: 0

Abstract

The paper shows, based on a case study of the production of a strategic plan at a fairly traditional university, the problems and potential meaninglessness of working with strategic plans in this type of setting, characterized by strong professional norms. Senior people involved in the strategy work raise strong doubts over, and distancing from, the process and outcome. Possible meanings of the strategic plan, in addition to having a (‘real’) strategy for the university, such as communicating a brand image, identity construction, or producing an image of rational management, backfired. The paper raises doubts about the strategic planning view, but also about strategy in practice or as process. An alternative understanding of strategy is proposed: strategy as parody.

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来源期刊

Scandinavian Journal of Management MANAGEMENT-

CiteScore

4.00

自引率

10.00%

发文量

审稿时长

71 days

期刊介绍： The Scandinavian Journal of Management (SJM) provides an international forum for innovative and carefully crafted research on different aspects of management. We promote dialogue and new thinking around theory and practice, based on conceptual creativity, reasoned reflexivity and contextual awareness. We have a passion for empirical inquiry. We promote constructive dialogue among researchers as well as between researchers and practitioners. We encourage new approaches to the study of management and we aim to foster new thinking around management theory and practice. We publish original empirical and theoretical material, which contributes to understanding management in private and public organizations. Full-length articles and book reviews form the core of the journal, but focused discussion-type texts (around 3.000-5.000 words), empirically or theoretically oriented, can also be considered for publication. The Scandinavian Journal of Management is open to different research approaches in terms of methodology and epistemology. We are open to different fields of management application, but narrow technical discussions relevant only to specific sub-fields will not be given priority.