A RELAÇÃO ENTRE ESTRATÉGIA COMO PRÁTICA, ATUAÇÃO DA GERÊNCIA INTERMEDIÁRIA E O PENSAMENTO ESTRATÉGICO: PROPOSTA DE UM FRAMEWORK CONCEITUAL

From the strategy as a practice perspective, research on middle management needs to incorporate elements of strategic thinking into its analysis, given the relevance of identifying the perceptions of these organizational actors and their impact on the process of strategy formation. Thus, the main objective of this theoretical essay is to develop a conceptual framework capable of explaining the interlocution between the concepts of strategy as practice, middle management and strategic thinking. This conceptual framework is based on theoretical considerations derived from a bibliographic review guided by content domain and depth criteria, contemplating the state of art from the theoretical, empirical and contextual point of view. The construction of the conceptual framework revealed that the three concepts are related in a circular, continuous and interactive way, evidencing a process of interdependent relations, since practices, praxis and practitioners are indissociable elements. Therefore, the relationship Fernanda Bueno Cardoso Scussel; Rosalia Aldraci Barbosa Lavarda Perspectivas em Gestão & Conhecimento, João Pessoa, v. 10, n. 1, p. 2-22, jan./abr. 2020. 3 between strategy as practice, middle management and strategic thinking is not only possible but also desirable. As a main contribution, this paper discusses the relevance of the strategic thinking of middle managers, placing it as an articulator of the process and practice of strategy formation.