Strategic Planners in More Turbulent Times: The Changing Job Characteristics of Strategy Professionals, 1960–2003

Abstract

This paper investigates the changing job characteristics of strategic planners in the face of long-run increases in environmental turbulence since the 1960s. We build on contingency theory to examine how growing turbulence may have impacted three aspects of strategic planner jobs: temporal range, processes and organizational location. Drawing on job advertisement data between 1960 and 2003, we compare strategic planner jobs over time and relative to a similar managerial function, marketing. We find that the secular increase in environmental turbulence is negatively associated with forecasting (temporal range), economics and analysis (processes) and centralization (organizational location), especially *Manuscript-MUST NOT CONTAIN AUTHOR IDENTIFIERS Click here to view linked References

Towards an Understanding of HRDLean Strategy Linkages: A Multicase Study of Four U.S. Based Firms

“…Furthermore, through data gathering, we were also able to examine how HRD Lean developed over time. In particular, we provide a sociological understanding of strategy as advocated by Whittington () in explaining (a) how Operations and HRD managers became strategists for the organization and (b) how they organized work with other leaders to design better mechanisms for implementing Lean. Specifically, we draw attention to the lack of examination of managerial actions in prior HRD and Lean literatures, which failed to describe how these efforts interact to create signals about the relevance and importance of Lean strategy in organizations.…”

“…By including the more recent works of Girod and Whittington (2017 ); Whittington et al ( 2017 );and Jarzabkowski, Kaplan, Seidl, and Whittington ( 2016 ), which emphasize sociological perspectives, we add much-needed detail to theory building. For instance, these scholars highlight the importance of incorporating multilevel analysis in understanding strategy.…”

“…More recent streams of strategic management literature elaborate on microlevel aspects of strategy making in companies (Whittington, 2007). This literature emphasizes sociological perspectives for understanding the relevance of managerial decisions and organizational processes in strategy implementation ( Girod & Whittington, 2017 ;Jarzabkowski, Kaplan, Seidl, & Whittington, 2016 ;Whittington, Yakis-Douglas, Ahn, & Cailluet, 2017 ). The sociological view describes what managers do, categorizing their daily strategy-making efforts and tactics either as involving strategizing or organizing work (Whittington, 2003 ).…”

The role of project portfolio management in fostering both deliberate and emergent strategy

“…In today's volatile and unforgiving competitive environment, it might be the emergent strategic processes that are particularly relevant for organizational adaptability and survival (Chari et al, 2014;Hamel, 2009;Thomas and D'Aveni, 2009;Whittington et al, 2016).…”

Fra bokfører til rådgiver?

“…Den metodiske tilnaermingen i denne artikkelen er innholdsanalyse av stillingsannonser publisert på internett. En kvantitativ innholdsanalyse av stillingsannonser komplementerer eksisterende forskning på temaet ved å utnytte en tidsriktig datakilde som ikke er utsatt for forglemmelser eller overdrivelse av endringstakt, slik som for eksempel intervjuer (Whittington et al, 2017). Til tross for at innholdsanalyse av stillingsannonser ikke har vaert en utbredt forskningsmetode for å redegjøre for endringer i den norske regnskapsførerbransjen, er denne metoden ofte brukt for å fange opp utvikling i ulike yrkesgrupper (Whittington et al, 2017).…”