Qualitative Analysis of Strategic Thinking Nature to Skill-Oriented and Thinking-Oriented

Document Type : مقاله مستخرج از پایان نامه

Authors

1 Master's student in Business Management, Department of Management, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran.

Abstract

Aim and introduction: Various studies have acknowledged the importance and influence of strategic thinking in formulating efficient and successful strategy implementation. Some studies have focused on competencies, techniques, components, elements, and skills of strategic thinking, presenting various results. However, there is no universally accepted concept that has gained agreement from all or the majority of researchers. In fact, the research literature reveals a lack of consensus in the understanding of strategic thinking. Each scientist has presented their own models, derived from their own perspectives. The current research aims to investigate the concept of strategic thinking and provide a comprehensive understanding of it. It also aims to compare strategic thinking with other thinking styles, considering it as a distinct and independent style of thinking. Therefore, this research addresses two sub-questions: what is the concept of strategic thinking using a Meta-Synthesis method, and how does strategic thinking compare to other types of thinking? Methodology: According to the purpose, the current research is developmental, and based on the nature of the data, it is qualitative. For data analysis, the Meta-Synthesis method was used, which utilizes the 7-stage model developed by Sandelowski and Barroso. Therefore, keywords were selected, and articles were extracted based on the search in databases including Science Direct and Elsevier, spanning from 1960 to the present day. In the screening stage, articles that were not suitable for Meta-Synthesis were removed based on criteria such as lack of sufficient information in the field of research objectives, lack of a suitable methodology model, and failure to present different results from other studies (repetition of concepts). In the last screening stage, the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) was used, and finally, 40 articles were identified as foundational articles and directly studied about strategic thinking. From the study of these articles, only 29 articles had specific concepts about the components, elements, or characteristics of strategic thinking. In the comprehensive study, concepts were coded. For this purpose, open coding was used, and in cases where the concepts were compatible, axial coding was employed. The member control method was used to ensure the quality of the extracted concepts, and it was accepted with a Kappa agreement coefficient of 0.86. Then, the components of other thoughts accepted in the literature were identified, extracted, and adapted to the components related to strategic thinking. This was done in order to assess their compatibility and non-compatibility, and to determine the answer to the second research question. Finding: Concepts and components related to strategic thinking, including 44 components, were extracted. From the comparison of these components, it was discovered that 29 components coincide with components from other thought processes, while only 15 components are distinct. Therefore, in order to ascertain the independence of strategic thinking as a thinking style, the accepted definition of thinking was taken into account, and the components that do not adequately represent thinking were identified. The identified components were grouped as follows: the first group consisted of thinking-oriented concepts, while the second group consisted of skill-oriented concepts. Those components that, according to the definition of thinking, contribute to problem solving, drawing conclusions, and making decisions, and utilize thinking tools while sharing the same concepts as other thinking styles, are classified as thinking-oriented. On the other hand, components that are described based on the expectations of implementing strategies and are directly linked to strategy are categorized as skill-oriented. Discussion and conclusion: The results of the study show that strategic thinking consists of two dimensions: thinking-oriented and skill-oriented. The thinking-oriented dimension is a result of holistic thinking, systemic thinking, creative thinking, critical thinking, and intuitive thinking. The skill-oriented dimension includes the attention and teachings that are expected from the strategy (15 components). In fact, what we are facing is the strategic mind, and strategic thinking is not an independent thinking style. The strategic mind demonstrates that organizations can enhance their ability to develop strategies and strengthen their strategic thinking skills by cultivating different thinking styles. Additionally, organizations can train their managers to be more skill-oriented by familiarizing them with strategy concepts and new strategic approaches. Organizations can improve their selection process for managers by evaluating the intellectual abilities of candidates to attract and hire. This study summarizes and consolidates the findings of previous research, without introducing new interpretations, to establish coherence and unity in the concept of strategic thinking. Additionally, it provides a clear framework for the training and development of strategic thinking.

Keywords

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Commercial Strategies
Volume 19, Issue 19
December 2022
Pages 167-201

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