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Causal mapping for strategy execution: Pitfalls and applications

Journal

California Management Review

Subject

Strategy and Entrepreneurship

Publishing details

California Management Review 2021 Vol 63:4 p 89-122

Authors / Editors

Markides C;MacLennan A

Biographies

Publication Year

2021

Abstract

Little research exists on practitioners’ application of causal mapping within the strategy process. We examine various organizations’ attempts to improve strategy implementation through developing strategy execution maps, which aim to translate strategic objectives into specific activities and provide sufficient clarity to inform employees’ decisions and actions. We find that managers often encounter pitfalls, both in framing the process and in developing maps. We suggest how to overcome these pitfalls and describe several applications of causal maps to further enhance strategy execution, also uncovered by our research. We illustrate findings via strategy execution maps for two organizations with distinctive strategies.

Keywords

Execution; Implementing strategy; Strategic alignment; Strategic coherence; Strategic objectives; Strategy maps; Clarity; Case method; Strategic clarity; Causal maps; Line of sight; Strategy execution; Strategy execution maps; Strategy implementation

Available on ECCH

No


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