MGMT 759
Crafting Strategy
In “crafting strategy”, the author depicts that people usually view strategy as a traditional way
made by strategists and implemented by employees. However, he explains his finding that strategy
is not a specific plan for a company’s future, but continuously innovation derived from pressures
in the business environment. The innovation might be the way a company should be going. Then
a series of decisions would be made by managers and the strategy of a company would emerge
with them.
The author gives a lively example comparing potter as strategist and clay as strategy. First, the
potter may create a product that follows in the tradition of her past work, but she may also create
a work in a new direction. Second, strategy making should be a deliberate process-thought before
action, but “strategies can form as well as be formulated.” That’s why we call it crafting rather
than mass production. Third, the potter is intimately connected with her work, so strategists may
be those most intimately connected with the company and those products/services it sells. Thus,
they have evidence to follow when they make decisions.
The author also discusses the concept of umbrella strategy which are the broad guidelines of senior
managers. Also, this concept leave the specifics and inspire others in the organization a deliberateemergent strategy. He also discusses the process strategy where management controls the process
of strategy formation while leaving the actual content to others. The author explains that these
deliberate-emergent strategies are essential in businesses that require great expertise and
innovation. Yet, we need to notice “no stability, no strategy”, so the cycle stages flow likes that
evolutionary change goes on and then turmoil changes things and then stability returns.
Furthermore, to discover company strategy, we can look at the interplay of environment, leadership, and organization.