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

An overwhelming focus of research on the micro agency of strategic actors has led to the literature being characterized as demonstrating a micro-myopia, resulting in a micro-isolationism. This means we know little about how the micro interrelates with the macro in strategy work. We address this problem in our conceptual article which adopts a structurationist stance to explicate how strategy-as-practice (SaP) research could be enhanced and extended by paying equal attention to both agency and structure. Specifically, we advance strong structuration theory (SST), a promising development from Giddens’ seminal work on structuration theory, to show how strategic activity can be understood as an ongoing process of structuration unfolding over time. We argue for the use of both types of methodological bracketing (context and conduct analysis), advocating systematic attention to the interplay between macro-societal and micro-local levels of analysis. Our discussion concludes with guidance for researchers inviting them to undertake empirical fieldwork that overcomes SaP’s current micro-myopia, creating a more balanced corpus of work

A Store Manager's Account of His Company Strategy: A Pilot Study

A growing number of scholars in the strategic management field adopt a humanised approach to research via studying strategists and their strategising activities. However, most research is still centred on middle and top management. The pilot study described here illustrates the importance of looking at strategising among first line managers who are becoming increasingly active strategists in certain modern organisational structures. Besides serving as a pilot study for future piece of research, this study attempts to explore how a retail outlet manager perceived his organisational strategy. It also looks at the connection between some of his daily activities and the company’s strategy. This was achieved with a single case study design and analysis of data set produced from observing weekly meetings and interviewing the manager. This pilot study indicates that the store manager sees two strategies within his organisations - an overall strategy and a localised version of that strategy. Further, he is unaware of his strategic agency and that communication is an important part of strategising. These findings support the need for more studies on strategists and strategising activities and confirm the rationale for conducting a full-scale research using a comparative case study approach

Front-Line Managers' Strategizing: A Case Study of a High Street Optical Retailer

The present study investigates how Front-Line Managers (FLMs) accomplish strategizing practice and praxes in their day-to-day work at a high street optical retailer (Optica). Despite increasing research on strategizing work, we are still ill-informed about the phenomenon at the lower, non-senior management level. Data was collected over 12 months by interviewing 24 FLMs and four middle managers; by observing FLMs in their stores and during five regional monthly meetings; and by collecting internal documents and external industry reports covering seven years. The data was analysed using thematic coding whereby both the agent’s context analysis and conduct analysis methodological bracketing techniques were mobilised. Findings from the present research reveal that FLMs strategize by carrying out strategy-realising work in the form of localising practices and praxes. The organisation’s strategy constrains the localising work of FLMs, while their professional experience enables it. The organisation’s strategy is drawn up and enacted in the day-to-day work of FLMs when they are localising. The present study claims four main theoretical contributions to the SaP literature. Firstly, it advances strategizing as strategy-realising work by defining strategizing as a social strategy-realising praxis that transposes the abstract strategy statement into the concrete conduct. Secondly, it elaborates on a notion of strategy as a combination of external and internal social structure explaining strategy heterogeneity. Thirdly, this research extends current SaP literature by discussing the role of structural context in the tension between normativity and creativity. Fourthly, it advances a framework illustrating strategy-realising as a structuration process, composed of multiple and overlapping structuration cycles. The framework illustrates how structural context and strategic agency co-depend and co-emerge in strategizing practices and praxis. Methodological contributions are made in two ways. First, the present study offers a critical assessment of employing Strong Structuration Theory to conduct empirical SaP studies. Second, it elaborates a data analysis model that combines abductive logic with the agent’s context analysis and conduct analysis methodological bracketing techniques

Becoming top global chef: What does it take to become a highly successful entrepreneurial careerist?

PurposeThis study aims to understand the career path to the pinnacle of professional life. What does it take for an entrepreneur to become a global celebrity in one’s profession? The authors explore the career motivation, trajectory and outcomes of a niche population who made it to the top of their careers.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative method was applied, using publicly available, prerecorded interviews of a documentary series on a unique sample of 30 top global chefs who gain Michelin-stars or equivalent. The authors used a qualitative approach to analyze the data alternating data and theory.FindingsThe authors identify a unique pattern, which the authors label as the “two-steps” trajectory, where these successful chefs went through a dual-hurdle process: first, delving into formal training and establishing themselves; then moving to a top chef status through innovation inspired by their history, chance events and treating their work as an artistic oeuvre and an experience.Practical implicationsThe authors provide an observed pattern for what is required to be a top global chef.Originality/valueThis study advances career theory and entrepreneurship studies via integrating the two perspectives. The authors offer a theoretical contribution by identifying the relevance and importance of “new careers” for entrepreneurs, recognizing critical success factors and reinstating the balance between the agency of the entrepreneur and their context

Becoming top global chef: what does it take to become a highly successful entrepreneurial careerist?

PurposeThis study aims to understand the career path to the pinnacle of professional life. What does it take for an entrepreneur to become a global celebrity in one’s profession? The authors explore the career motivation, trajectory and outcomes of a niche population who made it to the top of their careers.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative method was applied, using publicly available, prerecorded interviews of a documentary series on a unique sample of 30 top global chefs who gain Michelin-stars or equivalent. The authors used a qualitative approach to analyze the data alternating data and theory.FindingsThe authors identify a unique pattern, which the authors label as the “two-steps” trajectory, where these successful chefs went through a dual-hurdle process: first, delving into formal training and establishing themselves; then moving to a top chef status through innovation inspired by their history, chance events and treating their work as an artistic oeuvre and an experience.Practical implicationsThe authors provide an observed pattern for what is required to be a top global chef.Originality/valueThis study advances career theory and entrepreneurship studies via integrating the two perspectives. The authors offer a theoretical contribution by identifying the relevance and importance of “new careers” for entrepreneurs, recognizing critical success factors and reinstating the balance between the agency of the entrepreneur and their context.</jats:sec