Bess and Dee Volume 2 Chapter 7



Organizational Strategy 

Organizational strategy is an expression of how an organization needs to evolve over time to meet its objectives along with a detailed assessment. Developing an organizational strategy involves first comparing your institution’s present state to its targeted state to define differences, and then define what is required for the desired changes to take place.

Bess & Dee (2008), give an overview of the five models of organizational strategy: Linear (rational, assessment of internal modes), Adaptive (systems theory principles-adapt internal responses to external environment), Emergent (social construction-retrospective assessment of how institution is evolving), Symbolic (organizational culture-reflects values and beliefs of organization and its members), and Postmodern (questions power and privilege-embraces differences of opinion).

The symbolic model “serves as a story that explains organizational behaviors to internal and external audiences” (Bess & Dees, 2008, p. 714). The overall emphasis is on the "shared values and beliefs" of our society. Symbolic model of strategy which Bess and Dee (2012) state is "a common understanding of the institution's goals, behaviors, and outcomes" (p. 713).

The adaptive model means the institution/organization is being proactive and not reactive. Also there is assessment of the decisions, goals, policies, etc. to ensure that things are going according to plan. According to the text, the emergent model is sense-making through which the organization identifies patterns or activity.

Mintzberg (1983), describes linkages of external and internal coalitions and the resultant power relationship; these include instrument, closed system, autocracy, missionary, meritocracy, or political arena (Bess & Dee, 2008 p. 720). Autocracy configuration is said to be guided by personalized “control by the chief executive officer,” by a passive external coalition (Bess and Dee, 2012, p 720).

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">In 1983 Keller introduced SWOT analysis as part of his adaptive model to higher education. This stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (Bess & Dee, 2008 p. 728).

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">References

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">Bess, J. & Dee, J. (2008). Understanding College and University   

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">            Organization: Theories For  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">''Effective Policy and Practice. ''(p. 713-714). Sterling, Virginia: Stylus

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">            Publishing.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">Keller, G. (1983) Academic strategy: the management revolution in American higher education.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins Press.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN">Menon, A. (1999). Antecedents and Consequences of Marketing Strategy Making. Journal

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">of Marketing <span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN"> (American Marketing Association) 63 (2): 18–40. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">Mintzberg, H. (1983). Power in and around the organization. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt">Hall.