A Critical Review of “Crafting Strategy” By Henry Mintzberg

Word Count: 1068

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Contents

Page
Introduction

3

Placing of the article in the wider strategy debate

3-4

Discussion of Strengths and Weaknesses

4-5

Conclusion

5

Reference

6-8

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Introduction
Strategic management contains various subjects and topics, most of which do not have the consistent identity (Ketchen, Boyd and Bergh, 2008). It is no doubt that there are still many debates towards strategy concept. In this essay, the article “crafting strategy” will be reviewed. This is analysed by putting the article in to a wider debate about strategy, then discussing its main strengths and weaknesses.

Placing of the article in the …show more content…

Moreover, strategic thinking displays a whole perspective of mutual influences between each part of the company and its related environment. It also considers the interlinked relationship of past, present and future in order to think in time and utilise newly emerging chances (Liedtka, 1998).
However, there still exists criticism about this article as well. One drawback is Mintzberg failed to study the problems of emergent strategy in the business environment. To begin with, sometimes this strategy may consume too much time. As this process includes various
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experiments, it keeps trying to identify new method until it successes. No doubt that this involves a long period since no one can find a suitable compromise every time. Apart from that, each time firm tries a new strategy, it costs an enormous amount of resources such as labours or machines use, which is a waste of capital. As Ansoff point out, Mintzberg does not consider the consequence of using a trial and error approach in various programs. In fact, this approach costs hugely, and research presents that acquisitions can achieve better financial results by conducting a planned approach to diversification instead of trial and error one (1991).

Conclusion
In summary, this article presents the crafting strategy that is a metaphor towards strategymaking, and it considers the process of strategy making as craftsmen make their clay, which gives readers a vivid image of how the strategy