Enlarging the Strategy-as-Practice Research Agenda: Towards Taller and Flatter Ontologies

Abstract

Taking perspectives from papers published previously in Organization Studies, we argue for progress in strategy-as-practice research through more effective linking of 'local' strategizing activity with 'larger' social phenomena. We introduce a range of theoretical approaches capable of incorporating larger-scale phenomena and countering what we term 'micro-isolationism', the tendency to explain local activities in their own terms. Organizing the theories according to how far they lean towards either tall or flat ontologies, we outline their respective strengths and weaknesses. Against this background, we develop three broad guidelines that can help protect against empirical micro-isolationism and thereby extend the scope of strategy-as-practice research.

Managing relationship gaps: A practitioner perspective

“…The empirical findings support the notion that "actors deploy practices reflectively" (Seidl and Whittington, 2014). Thus, in accordance with Jarzabkowski's concept of "practices-in-use" (Jarzabkowski, 2004), we posit that practitioners enact gap management practices reflectively and exploratively, based on their sensemaking of the gap situation and its contexture, i.e.…”

Moving beyond local practice: Reconfiguring the adoption of a breast cancer diagnostic technology

“…(Watson, 2012: 489) In particular, it is suggested that this fascination with the detailed understanding of local practice can produce empirical and theoretical "micro-isolationism", whereby "a local empirical instance is interpreted wholly in terms of what is evidently present, cut off from the larger phenomena that make it possible." (Seidl andWhittington, 2014: 1408) In so doing, there is a tendency to treat organizations and thus technologies as "the isolated containers of focal phenomena"…”

Reconciling structure and agency in strategy - as-practice research: Towards a strong-structuration theory approach

“…Archer, 1982;Cohen, 1989;Parker, 2000;Pozzebon & Pinsonneault, 2005;Stones, 2005;Whittington, 2015), and our paper does not seek to give an in-depth review of the theory in its entirety. Rather, we advance SST as a means to reconcile macro-and micro-organizational forces, emphasizing and restoring the balance between agency and structure that has been lost in most studies on strategizing (Rouleau, 2013;Seidl & Whittington, 2014;Vaara & Whittington, 2012).…”

“…Seidl & Whittington, 2014;Vaara & Whittington, 2012;Whittington, 2006). The failure to do this has seen the SaP literature labeled as exhibiting ''microisolationism'' (Seidl & Whittington, 2014) or ''micro-myopia'' (Vaara & Whittington, 2012). where empirical investigators are solely concerned with what managers are observed to do, and less interested in what and how macro-structures bear down and influence their situated doing.…”

“…Other theoretical lenses have also been utilized in the attempt by SaP researchers to link the micro and the macro (Seidl & Whittington, 2014). For example, Herepath (2014) used Archer's morphogenetic cycle to illustrate how macro-political structures can exert pressure on the strategizing praxes of managers in the Welsh National Health Service.…”