1. B301 Block 5: Strategic Implementation
Barriers to implementation
Strategists as People
Structure and Strategy
Managing Strategic Change

2. Block 5 explores ‘Implementation’
Analysis
Choice
Johnson and Scholes’ (2006)
Implementation

3. Block 5 overview
Unit 1: Barriers (Alexander 1985 & Hrebiniak 2006); Tools: CPA, Gantt charts, Control loop, double loop learning. Hickson et al 2003 planned/prioritised implementation. Success factors
Unit 2: People: Regner (2003) summarised; middle manager functions; TMT/MM interaction (Raes et al., 2011) – decision/implementation quality; consultants.
interface of senior/middle management reading 14 (Raes et al.)
U3: Structure and strategy; low/high context structural discourse; Mintzberg on structure; Raisch on real-life structures
balanced structures reading 15 (Raisch)
U4: Change: causes and nature of change (planned, incremental, punctuated equilibrium); scale/scope of change (Balogun and Hope-Hailey, 2008), implementation model (Hrebniak, 2006)
Obstacles to implementation reading 16 (Hrebiniak)

4. Alexander’s five key obstacles
Key tasks are not defined in enough detail
Problems requiring intervention by top management were not communicated to them fast enough
Changes in roles and responsibilities were not clearly defined
The key formulators of the strategic decision did not play an active enough role in implementation
Major problems surfaced during implementation, which had not been identified beforehand

5. Hrebiniak’s consulting experience revealed obstacles managers have to overcome
Managers are trained to plan not execute
Let the ‘Grunts’ handle execution
Planning and execution are interdependent
Implementation takes longer than formulation
Execution involves more people than formulation
Unit 1 (introduction). Unit 4 (Reading 16) 5
B203 Tutorial 2 5

6. Facilitating Implementation – Critical Path Analysis
Set up ordering systems (20)
Send off first orders (5)
Confirm agreement
(2)
Carry out minor works
(20)
Install racking
(10)
Receive Stock
Decide layout etc (10)
Confirm lines (5)
Install signage (7)
Decide Staffing (2)
Recruit and train staff (18)

7. Facilitating Implementation – Gantt Chart

8. Control Loop Possible action: Adjust task/resources Possible action:
Set objectives and establish standards of performance
Plan tasks, identify performance measures, carry out tasks
Monitor progress and compare performance to standards
Act on results of monitoring and take corrective action if necessary
Possible action:
Adjust task/resources
Possible action:
Do nothing

9. Control loops and ‘out of the box’
Difference between single and double loops
Argyris and Schon (1978) double loops show strategic learning and critical thing: question the firm’s goals
Morgan’s (1986) proposals for developing DL learning

10. Hickson et al (2003) Factors in successful strategic implementation
‘Planned’ and ‘prioritised’ options
Planned: based on experience
Prioritised: based on ‘readiness’
Case study of glass manufucturing

11. Strategists as People Jarzabkowski et al (20007) Regner (2003) on managers Raes at al (2011) on strategic interaction Wright et al’s (2008) six questions about strategy consultants
Strategy as a ‘social activity’
Senior Managers
Middle Managers (beyond the ‘classical’ view)
Interaction of senior and middle managers (Raes et al)
Strategy consultants: questioning some assumptions, and Wright et al’s 6 questions (2008)

12. Senior and middle manager interactions (Raes et al, 2011)

13. Structure discourse (more on discourse coming up in Block 6)
A different way of thinking about strategy
‘Ontological’: the nature of what is taken as ‘reality’
Child (2000) ‘low’ and ‘high’ contexts
‘Low’: assumes a ‘best practice’. Friedman’s (2006) view that globalisation is ‘flattening‘ the world. Mimetic isomorphism in organisations: same for strategies?.
‘High’: (Segal Horn and Faulkner, 2012) recognition and focus on specific contexts, embracing ‘messiness’
Geppert at al (2002 )consider hybrid contexts

14. Mintzberg’s six ‘ideal’ structural types
Simple Structure
Machine
Bureaucracy
Professional Bureaucracy
Divisionalised Form
Adhocracy
Missionary
Key part
Strategic apex
Technostructure
Operating core
Middle line
Support staff
Ideology
Coordinating mechanism
Direct supervision
Standardisation of work processes
Standardisation of skills
Standardisation of outputs
Mutual adjustment
Standardisation of norms
Dominant pull to:
centralise
standardise
professionalise
balkanise
collaborate
evangelise
(Mintzberg 1979)

15. Temporal Separation
Organisations change back and forth between different corporate structures
Decentralisation is used to ignite innovation and change: centralisation to increase coordination and efficiency
Exploitation and exploration are emphasized sequentially rather than simultaneously

16. Structural Separation
Organisations are divided into two (or more) separate units with different structures at the same time
Flexible ‘innovative units’ explore new areas for growth, while more formal ‘operational units ensure efficient organisations in the existing businesses
Exploitation and exploration are addressed by different employees and organisational units

17. Parallel Structures
Organisations create supplemental network structures to compliment the formal primary structure
Employees switch between the two types of strucutres depending on their respective tasks
Exploitation and exploration are addressed by the same employees, but in different structural environments

18. Managing Strategic Change
What is the difference between the planned and the incremental view of change?
What is ‘punctuated equilibrium’?
According to Balogun and Hope Hailey (2008) what are the four types of strategic change (depending on the nature and scope of change)? 18
B203 Tutorial 2 18

19. Balogun and Hope Hailey
Scope of Change
Transformation Realignment
Evolution
Adaption
Revolution
Reconstruction
Nature of Change
Big Bang Incremental
Balogun and Hope Hailey (2008) 19
B203 Tutorial 2 19

20. Hrebiniak’s model for implementing strategic change