Opening Strategy: Professional Strategists and Practice Change, 1960 to Today

by Richard Whittington

Strategy is becoming more 'open' - more transparent and more inclusive. Opening Strategy tells the story of how corporate strategists and strategy consultants have worked since the middle of the last century to open up the strategy process. First strategic planning, then strategic management, and now 'open strategy' have all brought more people into the strategy process and provided more strategic information, for the benefit of both business and society at large.

Informed by interviews with corporate strategists and consultants at leading firms such as General Electric and McKinsey & Co, and drawing on the historical archives of strategy's pioneers, this book provides vivid insights into the trials and tribulations of practice change in the strategy profession. Above all, it stresses the hard work of the little recognized and sometimes eccentric individuals who have been leaders in practice change. By building on a wide range of illustrations, covering both successes and failures, the book draws out general lessons for practice innovation in strategy. Those studying the topic will be able to set standard strategy techniques in historical and social context and develop new areas for investigation, while practising executives and consultants should gain a sense of how to innovate in strategy - and how not to.

Genres: Business

326 pages, Hardcover

First published May 21, 2019

About the author

Richard Whittington is a prominent academic in the area of Corporate Strategy. Currently at the Saïd Business School of the University of Oxford, Whittington has been influential in the Strategy-as-Practice approach, a more sociological and less managerial approach to the study of business strategy[citation needed]. Whittington has two children: Georgina and Richard.

Reviews

[Jaakko · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for anyone interested in the origins and current state of modern strategic thinking. Covers both “in-house” strategizingnas well as consultants.

-1 star for repetition