City Research Online

Abstract

The paper shows, based on a case study of the production of a strategic plan at a fairly traditional university, the problems and potential meaninglessness of working with strategic plans in this type of setting, characterized by strong professional norms. Senior people involved in the strategy work raise strong doubts over, and distancing from, the process and outcome. Possible meanings of the strategic plan, in addition to having a (‘real’) strategy for the university, such as communicating a brand image, identity construction, or producing an image of rational management, backfired. The paper raises doubts about the strategic planning view, but also about strategy in practice or as process. An alternative understanding of strategy is proposed: strategy as parody.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Publisher Keywords:	Strategy, Planning, Parody, University, Practice
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
Departments:	Bayes Business School Bayes Business School > Management
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

Export

Downloads