1. Ways of looking at strategy
Strategy lenses
Ways of looking at strategy

2. The strategy lenses Design Experience Variety / ideas Discourse
Strategy can be seen as:
Design
Experience
Variety / ideas
Discourse

3. Strategy as design Strategy as design
Strategy can be designed in advance and a detailed plan conceived by strategists
This approach is rational and objective
Little attention is paid to unpredictable aspects of strategy, cultural, political
The design lens is systematic, analytical and logical.

4. Strategy as experience
Strategy is influenced by the experience of managers
The organisation’s culture and the taken-for-granted assumptions and ways of doing things are key drivers of strategy
Strategy is likely to build on and continue what has gone before
Sometimes leading to self complacency.

5. Strategy as “variety” / ideas
Strategy ‘emerges’ from an uncertain and changing environment
Strategy comes from a variety of initiatives
New ideas ‘bubble up’ from unpredictable sources and not just the top
Organisations need to encourage diversity and look for initiatives at the bottom or the periphery of the organisation.

6. Strategy as discourse
Attention is focused on the way managers engage in creative argumentation
use language to frame strategic problems, make strategy proposals, debate issues and communicate strategic decisions
It is a dialectical process integrating diverse views
Managers bring in their cognitive resources
The way they ‘talk’ about strategy matters – participants, supportive environment
Creativity occurs through a dialectic negotiation and creative synthesis.
But it may also bring in the personal interests and ‘politicking’ of managers.

7. Strategy lenses: Design, Experience, Ideas, Discourse
New ideas
High Innovation
Ideas
Design
Discourse
Experiences
Conformity
Low Innovation
High Rationality
Low Rationality