Micro Strategy and Strategizing Analysis of a Catering Firm Market Strategy from a Loosely Coupled P

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Micro Strategy and Strategizing- Analysis of a
Catering Firm Market Strategy from a Loosely
Coupled Perspective

• Fred H. Strønen and Bente R. Løwendahl, Oslo
  University College and Norwegian School of
  Management

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Introduction

• Micro Strategy Strategizing
• How strategy is created at the micro level
• Open up the black box of strategy (Mintzberg et
  al 1998)
• What is made sense of as strategic?
• Different individuals, groups or coalitions
• Bootleg Strategies
• Real time (Pettigrew, 1990)

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Theoretical Background 1

• JMS, special ed. Johnson, Melin Whittington
• Strategy research in post-modern conditions
  Løwendahl Revang, 1997
• The real world of managers Mintzberg, 1973
• Strategy formation, Mintzberg, 1978
• How decisions happen Mintzberg, Raisinghani
  Torret, 1976

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Theoretical Background 2

• Emergent and deliberate strategies, Mintzberg
  Waters, 1985
• Innovation and strategy, Burgelman, 1980
  Burgelman Sayles, 1986
• Grass root strategies in investment banks, Eccles
  Crane, 1988

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Theoretical Background 3

• Loosely coupled systems, Weick, 1976 and Orton
  Weick, 1990, March Simon, 1958
• Strategy formation vs. formulation, Mintzberg vs.
  Anshoff, 1990 1991

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Realized strategy
Intended strategy
magnifying glass
            Adapted from Mintzberg Waters
(1985)
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        Some phenomena are made sense of as
outside, and others inside the existing or
overall strategy. (Adapted from DeWit and Meyer,
1998 151).
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Methodology

• Participant observation
• Real time data, Pettigrew 1990
• Case Method, Yin, 1984

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The Catering Firm Strategy 1

• Catering Firm Market Director Mr. Årvik
• Analyzed from a loosely coupled perspective
• What did the existing strategy legitimize?

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The Catering Firm Strategy 2

• Market vs. product veiw
• Could we claim it was a new strategy?
• The relationship between Fjordlands overall
  strategy and the Catering Firm Strategy
• Why was the CF Strategy created?

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The Catering Firm Strategy 3

• We can speculate Why did the CF Director regard
  his work as different?
• Why did the CEO not integrate the work?
• Why was the CF Strategy not included in the
  overall strategy?

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How could this happen?

• The Catering Firm Market Director played
  strategist
• Attention in another direction
• Legitimacy outside the firm
• Resource allocation within the firm

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What could happen?

• The Catering Firm strategy could have been killed
• The Catering Firm strategy could have continuted
• The director would go, and the strategy was
  included in the overall strategy of Fjordland

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Conclusion 1

• What is the purpose of strategy? E.g. why do we
  have strategy?
• Strategy can create energy
• Strategy Action True

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Conclusion 2

• Interpretive flexibility (Bijker et al. 1987)
• Strategy can be expansive, explorative inspiring,
  instead of limiting, exploiting and controlling