10 Schools of Strategic Management

Ten deeply embedded, though narrow, concepts typically dominate current thinking on strategy. These range from the early Design and Planning schools to the more
recent Learning, Cultural and Environmental Schools.
While academics and consultants keep focusing on these narrow perspectives, business managers will be better served if they strive to see the wider picture. 2 Some of
strategic management's greatest failings, in fact, occurred when one of these concepts was taken too seriously.
Recall the story of the blind men measuring an elephant - to one, the elephant seemed "very much like a wall", and to another, grasping the elephant's trunk, it felt very
much like a snake. "We are all like the blind men and the strategy process is our elephant", say Mintzberg, Ahlstrand and Lampel. 3 "Everyone has seized some part or
other of the animal and ignored the rest. Consultants have generally gone for the tusks, while academics have preferred to take photo safaris, reducing the animal to a
static two dimensions. As a consequence, managers have been encouraged to embrace one narrow perspective or another, like the glories of planning or the wonders of
core competences. Unfortunately, the process will only work for them when they deal with the entire beast, as a living organism".
The lesson in all this is that there is a need for a wider systemic perspective and a better practice, not neater, but narrow technique or theory.

 
Intended Realized School Associated Some
SCHOOLS Source Base Discipline Champions
Messages Messages Category Homily Shortfalls

Design P.Selznick None Case study teachers (especially Fit Think Prescriptive "Look before Neither
(Architecture as at or from Harvard University), (strategy you leap" analytical, nor
metaphor). leadership aficionados, especially making as intuitive. Too
in the United States case study) static for the era
of rapid change.
Planning I.Ansoff Some links to "Professional" managers, MBAs, Formalize Program Prescriptive "A stitch in Neither supports
urban planning, staff experts (especially in (rather than time saves real-time strategy
system theory, & finance), consultants, & formulate) nine" making nor
cybernetics government controllers - encourages
especially in France and the US creative
accidents.
Positioning Sun Tzu's 'The Art Economics As in planning school, Analyze Calculate Prescriptive "Nothing but Strategy is
of War' (industrial particularly analytical staff (rather than the facts, reduced to
Michael Porter organization) & types, consulting boutiques", & create or madam" generic positions
military history writers, especially in the US commit) selected through
Purdue University
formalized
 analysis of
industry
situations.

Entrepreneurial J.A.Schumpeter, None (although Popular business press, Envision Centralize Descriptive "Take us to Vague vision;
A.H.Cole & others early writings individualists, small business (then hope) (some your leader" strategies are
in economics come from people everywhere but most prescriptive) designed manly
economics) decidedly in Latin America & based on the
among overseas Chinese leader's intuition.
Cognitive H.A.Simon & Psychology Those with psychological bent - Cope or Worry (being Descriptive "I'll see it Too subjective
J.March (cognitive) pessimists in one wing, optimists create unable to when I believe approach to
in the other cope in either it" strategy
case) formulation - it is
just in the head
of the strategist.
Learning C.E.Lindbiom, None (perhaps People inclined to Learn Play (rather Descriptive "If at first you Strategy
M.Cyert, some peripheral experimentation, ambiguity, than pursue) don't succeed, development
J.G.March, links to learning adaptability - especially in Japan try, try again" process is rather
K.E.Weick, theory in and Scandinavia chaotic,
J.B.Quinn & psychology & unpredictable and
C.K.Prahlad & education). Chaos process- rather
G.Hamel theory in than result-
mathematics. oriented
Power G.T.Alison Political science People who like power, politics, Promote Hard (rather Descriptive "Look out for Focuses mainly on
(micro), J.Pfeffer & conspiracy, especially in than share) number one" the clash of self-
& G.R.Salancik, & France interests of
W.G.Astley stakeholders
(macro) during the process
of strategy
development

Culture E.Rhenman & Anthropology People who like the social, the Coalesce Perpetuate Descriptive "An apple Not well suited
R.Normann in spiritual, the collective - (rather than never falls far for radical change
Sweden especially in Scandinavia and change) from the tree" projects.
Japan

Environment M.T.Hannan & Biology Population ecologists, some React Capitulate Descriptive "It all Severe limits to
 J.Freeman. organization theorists, splitters, (rather than depended" strategic choice.
Contingency & positivists in general - confront)
theorists (eg especially in the Anglo-Saxon
D.S.Pugh et al) countries
Configuration A.D.Chandler, History Lumpers & integrators in general, Integrate, Lump (rather Descriptive & "The Polarized
McGill University as well as change agents. transform than split, prescriptive everything between two
group, R.E.Milles Configuration perhaps most adapt) there is a approaches
& C.C.Snow popular in the Netherlands. season" favoring either
Transformation most popular in radical or
the US incremental
change

Based on the Sloan Management Review1, 1999