Mintzberg (1994)

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Mintzberg (1994) - The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning

Planning is codifying, elaborating and implementing the existing strategy. It is about analysis.

Strategy is either an emergent pattern or a deliberate perspective, and cannot be planned. It is about synthesis.

It is assumed that discontinuities can be predicted, but they cannot, which results in the creation of strategies which fall apart in a crisis.

Planners gather hard data, but not soft data, which includes networks of contacts, talking with customers, suppliers and employees. The latter needs to be integrated into the planning process if a strategy is to succeed. The right side of the brain needs to be considered in strategy-planning, such as creativity and intuition – things which cannot be measured. This shows that strategy cannot be formalised; it is visionary and informal.

Strategy is done in times of instability characterised by discontinuous change, and upsets stable patterns, with managers being opportunists, rather than conductors.