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