Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effective strategizing practices in pluralistic settings: the case of Academic Medical Centers

  • Published:
Journal of Management & Governance Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Pluralism in organizations is dramatically and progressively increasing today, which makes it difficult for managers to capture a clear picture of what is really going on at the moment and to make strategic decisions. How strategy is formed and implemented in pluralistic contexts has been substantially underestimated for many years. This article investigates how specific strategy processes are constructed and which practices can be successfully adopted in pluralistic contexts, such as in Academic Medical Centers. We drew from a strategy as practice approach and adopted an ethnographic methodology to conduct the study. This paper demonstrates that some practices (strategy workshops, brutal facts and graphic charts) can reduce the risks of setting the strategy agenda in pluralistic organizations. Implications for managers and scholars are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. There is still a risk of developing a “tunnel vision” when strategic focus and priority concentrate on brutal facts available, and these are not fully representative of issues at stake. Furthermore, figures and facts could be used instrumentally to support a pre-determined and ideologically grounded decision instead of supporting an open discussion about a decision still to be made.

  2. Mind maps are a graphical method of taking notes. They are visual diagrams with lines and bubbles representing ideas and relationships between them. Mind maps are used to generate, visualize, structure and classify ideas and act as an aid in study, organization, problem solving, decision making and writing. We used software to integrate and expand notes every time we needed to do so.

  3. As such, it had preferential access to research funds granted by the Italian University and Research Ministry.

References

  • Amason, A. C. (1996). Distinguishing the effects of functional and dysfunctional conflict on strategic decision making: Resolving a paradox for top management teams. Academy of Management Journal, 39(1), 123–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amason, A. C., & Sapienza, H. J. (1997). The effects of top management team size and interaction norms on cognitive and affective conflict. Journal of Management, 23(4), 495–516.

    Google Scholar 

  • Balogun, J., & Johnson, G. (2005). From intended strategy to unintended outcomes: The impact of change recipient sensemaking. Organization Studies, 26, 1573–1602.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bechky, B. A. (2003). Sharing meaning across occupational communities: The transformation of understanding on a production floor. Organization Science, 14(3), 312–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burgess, R. G. (Ed.). (1984). Field research: A sourcebook and field manual. London: Allen and Unwin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Camillus, J. C. (2008). Strategy as a wicked problem. Harvard Business Review, 86(5), 98–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Card, K. S., Mackinlay, J. D., & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Readings in information visualization, using vision to think. San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cuccurullo, C. (2003). Il management strategico nelle aziende sanitarie pubbliche. Milano, Italia: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cuccurullo, C. (2006). Gli approcci strategici nelle aziende sanitarie pubbliche: un’analisi preliminare. In E. Anessi Pessina, E. Cantù (a cura di), Rapporto OASI 2006 sullo stato dell’aziendalizzazione nella sanità italiana. Milano: Egea.

  • Cuccurullo, C. (2007). Socializzare e comunicare la strategia in contesti pluralistici. In E. Anessi Pessina, E. Cantù (a cura di), Rapporto OASI 2007 sullo stato dell’aziendalizzazione nella sanità italiana. Milano: Egea.

  • Currie, G., & Procter, S. J. (2005). The antecedents of middle managers’ strategic contribution: The case of a professional bureaucracy. Journal of Management Studies, 42(7), 1325–1356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denis, J. L., Lamothe, L., & Langley, A. (2001). The dynamics of collective leadership and strategic change in pluralistic organizations. Academy of Management Journal, 44(4), 809–837.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denis, J. L., Langley, A., & Cazale, L. (1996). Leadership and strategic change under ambiguity. Organization Studies, 17(4), 673–699.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denis, J. L., Langley, A., & Lozeau, D. (1991). Formal strategy in public hospitals. Long Range Planning, 24(1), 71–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denis, J. L., Langley, A., & Rouleau, L. (2006). The powers of numbers in strategizing. Strategic Organization, 4(4), 349–377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denis, J. L., Langley, A., & Rouleau, L. (2007). Strategizing in pluralistic contexts: Rethinking theoretical frames. Human Relations, 60(1), 179–215.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Digman, J. M. (1990). Personality structure—emergence of the 5-factor model. Annual Review of Psychology, 41, 417–440.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DiMicco, J. M., Pandolfo, A., & Bender, W. (2004). Influencing group participation with a shared display. ACM conference on computer supported cooperative work (CSCW 2004), Chicago.

  • Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). Building theories from case study research. Academy of Management Review, 14(4), 532–550.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisenhardt, K. M. (1999). Strategy as strategic decision making. Sloan Management Review, 40(3), 65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eppler, M. J., & Platts, K. W. (2009). Visual strategizing the systematic use of visualization in the strategic-planning process. Long Range Planning, 42(1), 42–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fiol, C. M., & Huff, A. S. (1992). Maps for managers—where are we—where do we go from here. Journal of Management Studies, 29(3), 267–285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Floyd, S. W., & Lane, P. M. (2000). Strategizing throughout the organization: Managing role conflict in strategic renewal. Academy of Management Review, 25, 154–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glynn, M. A., Barr, P. S., & Dacin, M. T. (2000). Pluralism and the problem of variety. Academy of Management Review, 25(4), 726–734.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haleblian, J., & Finkelstein, S. (1993). Top management team size, ceo dominance, and firm performance—the moderating roles of environmental turbulence and discretion. Academy of Management Review, 36(4), 844–863.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hodgkinson, G. P., & Sparrow, P. R. (2002). The competent organization: A psychological analysis of the strategic management process. Buckingham: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodgkinson, G. P., Whittington, R., Johnson, G., & Schwarz, M. (2006). The role of strategy workshops in strategy development processes: Formality, communication, co-ordination and inclusion. Long Range Planning, 39(5), 479–496.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iaquinto, A. L., & Fredrickson, J. W. (1997). Top management team agreement about the strategic decision process: A test of some of its determinants and consequences. Strategic Management Journal, 18(1), 63–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarzabkowski, P., & Balogun, J. (2009). The practice and process of delivering integration through strategic planning. Journal of Management Studies, 46(8), 1255–1288.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarzabkowski, P., Balogun, J., & Seidl, D. (2007). Strategizing: The challenges of a practice perspective. Human Relations, 60(1), 5–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarzabkowski, P., & Fenton, E. (2006). Strategizing and organizing in pluralistic contexts. Long Range Planning, 39(6), 631–648.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarzabkowski, P., & Seidl, D. (2008). The role of meetings in the social practice of strategy. Organization Studies, 29(11), 1391–1426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarzabkowski, P., & Whittington, R. (2008). A strategy-as-practice approach to strategy research and education. Journal of Management Inquiry, 17(4), 282–286.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knight, D., Pearce, C. L., Smith, K. G., Olian, J. D., Sims, H. P., Smith, K. A., et al. (1999). Top management team diversity, group process, and strategic consensus. Strategic Management Journal, 20(5), 445–465.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lega, F. (2009). The XXI century manager of public organisations: Change-maker and peace-keeper. In F. Lega & D. Cristofoli (Eds.), Strategic Public Management. Milano: Egea.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lozeau, D., Langley, A., & Denis, J. L. (2002). The corruption of managerial techniques by organizations. Human Relations, 55(5), 537–564.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lurie, N. H., & Mason, C. H. (2007). Visual representation: Implications for decision making. Journal of Marketing, 71, 160–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mantere, S. (2008). Role expectations and middle manager strategic agency. Journal of Management Studies, 45, 294–316.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mintzberg, H., Ahlstrand, B., & Lampel, J. (1998). Strategy safari. London: Financial Times Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, G. (1986). Images of organisations. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, E. W., & Milliken, F. J. (2000). Organizational silence: A barrier to change and development in a pluralistic world. Academy of Management Review, 25(4), 706–725.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pettigrew, A. M. (1987). Context and action in the transformation of the firm. Journal of Management Studies, 24, 649–670.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pettigrew, A. M. (1990). Longitudinal field research on change theory and practice. Organization Science, 1(3), 267–292.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pfeffer, J. (1981). Power in organizations. Marshfield, MA: Pitman Pub.

    Google Scholar 

  • Samra-Fredericks, D. (2003). Strategizing as lived experience and strategists’ everyday efforts to shape strategic direction. Journal of Management Studies, 40(1), 141–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schreyögg, J., & von Reitzenstein, C. (2008). Strategic groups and performance differences among academic medical centers. Health Care Management Review, 33(3), 225–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New York, NY: Doubleday.

  • Van Maanen, J. (1988). Tales of the field: On writing ethnography. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vessey, I. (1991). Cognitive fit: a theory-based analysis of the graphs versus tables literature. Decision Sciences, 22, 219–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, W. G., Pfeffer, J., & O’Reilly, C. A. (1984). Organisational demography and turnover in top-management groups. Administrative Science Quarterly, 29, 74–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whittington, R., Molloy, E., Mayer, M., & Smith, A. (2006). Practices of strategising/organising—broadening strategy work and skills. Long Range Planning, 39(6), 615–629.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whyte, J., Ewenstein, B., Hales, M., & Tidd, J. (2008). Visualizing knowledge in project-based work. Long Range Planning, 41(1), 74–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiersema, M. F., & Bantel, K. A. (1992). Top management team demography and corporate strategic change. Academy of Management Journal, 35(1), 91–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wooldridge, B., Schmid, T., & Floyd, S. W. (2008). The middle management perspective on strategy process: Contributions, synthesis, and future research. Journal of Management, 34(6), 1190–1221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yin, R. K. (1994). Case study research. London, UK: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Strategy and Accounting, Second University of Naples, C.so Gran Priorato di Malta, 81043, Capua (Ce), Italy

    Corrado Cuccurullo

  2. Department of Policy Analysis and Public Management, Bocconi University, Via Roentgen 1, Milan, Italy

    Federico Lega

Authors
  1. Corrado Cuccurullo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Federico Lega
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Corrado Cuccurullo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cuccurullo, C., Lega, F. Effective strategizing practices in pluralistic settings: the case of Academic Medical Centers. J Manag Gov 17, 609–629 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10997-011-9196-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10997-011-9196-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation