Critical Analysis of a Scholarly Article
Critical Analysis of a Scholarly Article
Erika K. Epps
MGMT 6100
July 22, 2012
Petrina Woods-Shatteen
Critical Analysis of a Scholarly Article
When working with companies, an employee has to wonder from time to time what makes management tick. What is the source of their decision-making practices? Why should people strategize in business or in war? Well first let’s define what is strategy? “It is a plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result: a strategy for getting ahead in the world.” (dictionary.com, 2012) The main purpose of this article is to enhance our ability to think strategically. In addition, identifying how as managers and leaders of all organizational levels can develop and grow within the organization or aboard.
When thinking of how an organization runs. It understood that organizational leader have to take risks; it is an inherent part of their job, whether they enjoy it or not. However, the powers that be over them frown on unnecessary risks. The purpose of this attempt is to minimize risks while running the enterprise. “The other likely source for understanding is how thinking strategically develops, the leadership literature, identifies strategic thinking-related skills important to organizational leader but offers few specifics to guide their development.” (Barnard, 1938: Jaques and Clement, 1991) It is mentioned in the article that if management engage themselves in staff work experiences related to corporate planning. It would help them learn strategically. Imagine that you are the commanding officer in a war and you have hundreds of troops at your disposal. You and your regiment were dropped just off the coast of a war zone. However, it is early morning, clear and the sun is coming up over the ridge you see ahead. You know for a fact that the enemy is on the other side of that ridge. Yet you don’t know how many there are, the weapons there using or their exact positions.
Erika K. Epps
MGMT 6100
July 22, 2012
Petrina Woods-Shatteen
Critical Analysis of a Scholarly Article
When working with companies, an employee has to wonder from time to time what makes management tick. What is the source of their decision-making practices? Why should people strategize in business or in war? Well first let’s define what is strategy? “It is a plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result: a strategy for getting ahead in the world.” (dictionary.com, 2012) The main purpose of this article is to enhance our ability to think strategically. In addition, identifying how as managers and leaders of all organizational levels can develop and grow within the organization or aboard.
When thinking of how an organization runs. It understood that organizational leader have to take risks; it is an inherent part of their job, whether they enjoy it or not. However, the powers that be over them frown on unnecessary risks. The purpose of this attempt is to minimize risks while running the enterprise. “The other likely source for understanding is how thinking strategically develops, the leadership literature, identifies strategic thinking-related skills important to organizational leader but offers few specifics to guide their development.” (Barnard, 1938: Jaques and Clement, 1991) It is mentioned in the article that if management engage themselves in staff work experiences related to corporate planning. It would help them learn strategically. Imagine that you are the commanding officer in a war and you have hundreds of troops at your disposal. You and your regiment were dropped just off the coast of a war zone. However, it is early morning, clear and the sun is coming up over the ridge you see ahead. You know for a fact that the enemy is on the other side of that ridge. Yet you don’t know how many there are, the weapons there using or their exact positions.
References: Dictionary.com. (July 22, 2012). Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/strategy?s=t Barnard, C. I. (1938) The Functions of the Executive. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Casey, A., & Goldman, E. (2010). Enhancing the Ability to Think Strategically: A learning model. Management Learning, 41, 167–185. Garrick, J. (1998) ‘Informal Learning in Corporate Workplaces’, Human Resource Development Quarterly 9(2): 129–44. Goldman, E. F. (2008b) ‘The Power of Work Experiences: Critical Characteristics to Developing Expertise in Strategic Thinking’, Human Resource Development Quarterly 19(3): 217–39. Hanford, P. (1995) ‘Developing Director and Executive Competencies in Strategic Thinking’, in B. Garratt (ed.) Developing Strategic Thought: Reinventing the Art of Direction-Giving, pp.157–86. London: McGraw-Hill. Jaques, E. and Clement, S. D. (1991) Executive Leadership: A Practical Guide to Managing Complexity. Arlington, VA: Cason Hall. Merriam, S., Caffarella, R. and Baumgartner, L. (2007) Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Mintzberg, H. (1987) ‘Crafting strategy’, Harvard Business Review July–August: 74. Mintzberg, H. (1994b) ‘Planning and Strategy’, in The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning: Re-conceiving Roles for Planning, Plans, Planners, pp. 1–34. New York, London: Prentice Hall.