Strategic Thinking at the Top Case Solution & Answer

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Business schools and other stakeholders in education and management development have vigorously debated the best way to teach the strategy of future leaders. Some experts have questioned whether the subject should be taught at all – or at least if they should be taught to managers. Often absent from the debate, however, had an in depth discussion of how individuals learn to think strategically in the first place. What specific experiences are important and how they contribute? Moreover, what are the different ways in which these experiences are absorbed to develop the ability to think strategically? To answer these and other questions, conducting a study that identified the executives who were considered the best strategic thinkers in their industries. The study then examined the whole experience (education, work, or other) that have contributed to the high capacity of these people. Furthermore, research has examined the ways in which leaders have gained experience in strategic thinking – a process that usually has more than a decade. The data showed that strategic thinking is derived from 10 kinds of experiences – for example, leading a major growth initiative or are facing a threat to the survival of the organization. In addition, leaders seem to gain experience in strategic thinking by one of three models of development. These results help to demystify the process by which strategic thinking is learned, with important implications for the development of management and practice of strategy.
by
Ellen F. Goldman
Source: MIT Sloan Management Review
9 pages.
Publication Date: June 1, 2007. Prod #: SMR257-PDF-ENG
Strategic thinking to solving Top Case