The purpose of this study was to explore the strategising practices of sustainability champions at Transnet, a South African state-owned enterprise (SOE). The study set out to discover what these micro-strategising practices were and what strategic outcomes they had for the organisation at the corporate level of strategy praxis. The problem that this research sought to address was the need for greater progress towards corporate sustainability and the lack of research into the role, contributions and practices of sustainability champions in formal sustainability roles within relatively large organisations. This exploration was carried out in the form of a qualitative single-case study which drew on serial interviews (two per participant) and case documentation as sources of evidence. The data were analysed using Applied Thematic Analysis (ATA) in the CAQDAS software Atlas.ti. The study answered the research questions and found that sustainability champions engaged in seven sets of strategising practices with seven corresponding strategic outcomes. While it was not the intention of the study to develop a conceptual model, the process of synthesising the main findings resulted in a model termed the web of sustainable strategising. The study concludes that sustainability champions are strategists who aid their organisation in the pursuit of corporate sustainability while influencing the direction of macro-institutional arrangements towards sustainable development. These results cannot be generalised, but they are transferrable to similar contexts. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:50:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 3161.pdf: 4637531 bytes, checksum: 4c53d765063e54a9fc0993350014649e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-06-18 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / The complexity assigned to the strategy term has been largely discussed in the literature. The large amount of theoretical contributions to this issue, brought by several knowledge areas; the different tools proposed by academicians and consultants to operationalize its concepts, the plurality of actors that play their roles inside the organizational field are just some examples of the building blocks of such complexity. Also relevant to this discussion is the movement named Strategy as Practice , initiated by European researchers in order to bring a sociological focus to organizational strategies, considering them as something a company does instead of something a company has. Thus, the main goal of this thesis is to identify and compare how Brazilian companies actually practice their competitive strategy, and to what extent/in which way such practice is aligned with the main firm s idiosyncratic variables and with their competitive environments. In order to achieve such goal, this work took advantage of a mixed research method, with a survey with companies listed on Brazilian Stock Exchange and six case studies. Concerning industry perception and company praxis, the main findings indicate that: (1) the internal and external views of competitive advantage are, indeed, perceived as complementary regarding firm strategies; (2) even in more traditional industries, companies perceive their environment as dynamic, due to companies´ mobility, group consolidations or internal rivalry; (3) even in industry with high barriers to entry, firms regularly adopt a surveillance approach to monitor newcomers; (4) innovation tends to be more focused on process than on products, and there is a gap between intended and implemented innovation; (5) the perception of resources and competences spread throughout company networks suggests that controlling these resources may be more important than owning them; (6) at least in the studied companies, low relevance has been assigned to knowledge as a strategic advantage. Regarding strategy practices: (7) an annual strategy planning cycle takes place, focused on formulation activities and perceived as static in nature; (8) workshops and performance meetings were the most often identified strategic events; (9) strategy tools were perceived as highly effective and mainly targeted at structuring analysis and ensuring strategy implementation, with special emphasis to the abundance of financial tools and lack of creativity ones. Concluding, concerning practitioners: (10) it could by empirically identified the existence of an organizational structure responsible for companies strategic planning, generally close to financial areas; (11) those generally involved in strategic activities show a primarily analytical profile, with low presence of women; (12) senior executives have developed their careers mainly inside the company or inside the industry, with relevant business knowledge, while middle management plays its role by implementing decisions made by high executives; (13) consultancies tend to be highly used, and their recontracting is contingent upon the patterns of their involvement in the strategy process; (14) business press has been assigned low relevance, being substituted in some cases by financial releases or by information from industry entities. / A complexidade do tema estratégia tem sido amplamente discutida por diversos autores na literatura. O grande conjunto de contribuições teóricas ao tema, prestadas pelas mais diversas áreas do conhecimento; as diversas ferramentas propostas por acadêmicos e consultores para a operacionalização de seus conceitos; e a pluralidade dos vários atores deste espaço organizacional são apenas alguns exemplos dos fatores constituintes desta complexidade. Relevante também ao tema é o movimento Estratégia como Prática , iniciado por pesquisadores europeus no sentido de trazer um enfoque sociológico às estratégias, considerando-as como algo que as empresas fazem e não algo que as mesmas puramente possuem. Desta forma, o principal objetivo desta tese foi identificar e comparar como as empresas brasileiras efetivamente praticam sua estratégia competitiva e como esta prática está alinhada com as diversas variáveis intrínsecas às firmas e aos seus ambientes competitivos. Para tanto, foi empregado um método de pesquisa combinado, com a realização de survey junto às empresas da BM&F Bovespa e seis estudos de caso. No que se refere à compreensão setorial e à práxis das empresas, as principais conclusões do trabalham apontam que: (1) as visões internas e externas da origem de vantagem competitiva são, de fato, percebidas como complementares no que tange às estratégias da firma; (2) mesmo em setores mais tradicionais, as empresas os percebem como dinâmicos, seja por mobilidade de empresas, por consolidação de grupos ou por rivalidades internas; (3) mesmo em setores com elevadas barreiras à entrada, as firmas adotam postura de vigilância permanente sobre novos competidores; (4) a inovação tende a ser mais focada em processos que produtos, e existe uma lacuna entre inovação pretendida e aquela efetivamente implementada; (5) a percepção de recursos e competências espalhados na rede indica que talvez seja mais relevante controlar do que efetivamente possuir tais recursos; (6) ao menos nas empresas estudadas, baixa relevância pode ser atribuída à questão do conhecimento como diferencial estratégico. No que se refere às práticas, tem-se que: (7) na maioria das empresas existe um ciclo anual de planejamento estratégico, com foco em atividades de formulação e que são percebidos como estáticos; (8) workshops e reuniões de resultado foram os eventos estratégicos mais frequentemente identificados; (9) as ferramentas de estratégia foram percebidas como de alta eficácia e principalmente voltadas para estruturação de análise e garantia de implementação, com destaque para abundância de ferramentas financeiras e escassez de ferramentas de criatividade. Por fim, acerca dos praticantes tem-se que: (10) ficou evidenciada a existência de uma estrutura organizacional com responsabilidade sobre planejamento estratégico da empresa, geralmente próxima a áreas de finanças; (11) os profissionais envolvidos possuem perfil eminentemente analítico e com baixa presença de mulheres; (12) o executivo sênior desenvolveu sua carreira eminentemente na empresa ou no setor, com relevante conhecimento do negócio, enquanto a média gerência assume papel de implementadora de decisões da alta direção; (13) as consultorias tendem a ser bastante utilizadas e a recontratação das mesmas é contingente à forma do envolvimento no processo estratégico da companhia; (14) a imprensa de negócios assume pouca relevância, sendo substituída, em alguma medida, por releases financeiros das empresas ou informações de entidades setoriais.

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-03-31T14:16:26Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Daniel Lins Barros_Tese de Doutorado_PROPAD_UFPE_2014.pdf: 1974456 bytes, checksum: c1def649dbb54fca83af7051d4343e8c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-31T14:16:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Daniel Lins Barros_Tese de Doutorado_PROPAD_UFPE_2014.pdf: 1974456 bytes, checksum: c1def649dbb54fca83af7051d4343e8c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-12-18 / Esta Tese aborda a Gestão Estratégica e apresenta como principal objetivo a elaboração e aplicação de um framework do fazer estratégico de executivos, constituído à luz de quatro abordagens da estratégia: o Posicionamento, a RBV, o Processo da Estratégia e a Estratégia como Prática. Identificou-se em cada teoria contemplada na pesquisa as ações caracterizadoras da atuação gerencial, admitindo-se como hipótese preliminar que estas ações estariam relacionadas de maneira integrada e complementar, e como hipótese principal que estes relacionamentos se estabeleciam mediante o modelo proposto da tese, intitulado Framework Integrado e Multidimensional do Fazer Estratégico. A hipótese principal foi complementada pela definição de nove hipóteses intermediárias que fundamentaram os vínculos conceituais internos, promovendo coerência ao framework, que apresentava em sua versão preliminar um eixo central composto pela articulação teórica entre as abordagens da Estratégia como Prática e do Processo da Estratégia, seguido de uma área caracterizadora da RBV e uma outra região, mais periférica, que contemplava os fundamentos da abordagem do Posicionamento. A tese é considerada fundamentalmente quantitativa, com contornos qualitativos, utilizando questionários como instrumento de coleta de dados. Os cem questionários utilizados na amostra foram analisados por meio do Statsoft Statistica, fazendo-se uso das técnicas de análise multivariada e da Teoria das Facetas para elucidação dos resultados da pesquisa. Os resultados da pesquisa evidenciaram que as nove hipóteses intermediárias foram validadas mediante teste de correlação entre as variáveis que as caracterizaram, reafirmando a coerência interna do framework. Aproximadamente oitenta e seis por cento das variáveis caracterizadoras das abordagens teóricas foram classificadas conforme categorias iniciais, quando explicitadas em SSA emergente da análise dos dados, demonstrando coerência interna. Os construtos teóricos propostos foram validados mediante Alfa de Cronbach superior a 0,8 para todas as categorias, porém, a disposição das correntes do framework apresentou configuração diferente proposição inicial. No eixo central, o framework enfatizou a abordagem da RBV, condicionando as três demais teorias, que se apresentaram dispostas de forma periférica e estreitamente relacionadas entre si e com a RBV. O framework pôde, por fim, ser utilizado para melhor compreensão da realidade das IES estudadas e de seus gestores, possibilitando reflexões mais aprofundadas acerca do fenômeno estudado. / This dissertation approaches the Strategic Management and has as its main goal the development and implementation of executives strategic making framework, made out from four approaches of strategy: Positioning, RBV, Strategy Process and the Strategy as Practice. In all these theories, the executives actions were identified and the research had as preliminary hypothesis that the actions would be connected in an integrated and complementary way, and as the main hypothesis that these connections followed the model suggested by the dissertation, under the title Framework Integrado e Multidimensional do Fazer Estratégico (The Integrated and Multidimensional Framework of the Strategic Making). The main hypothesis was complemented by the definition of nine intermediate hypothesis that grounded the internal conceptual connections, promoting congruence to the framework, that presented in its preliminary version a central hub composed by the theoretical articulation between the Strategy as a Practice and the Strategy Process approaches, followed by a RBV area and another region, more peripheral, that contemplated the foundations of the Positioning approach. The dissertation is considered fundamentally quantitative, with qualitative outlines, using surveys as a tool of data collection. One hundred surveys were used at the sample and they were analyzed at Statsoft Statistica, using the multivariate analysis techniques and (Facets Theory) for the research results elucidation. The results of the research showed that the nine intermediate hypothesis were validated by correlation tests among their component variables, reaffirming the framework internal congruence. Approximately eighty-six percent of the variables were classified according initial categories, when made explicit in emergent SSA of data analysis, showing internal congruence. The proposed theoretical constructs were validated by Cronbach Alpha higher than 0.8 for all the categories, but, the disposition of the framework chains showed the configuration framework different from the initial proposition. At the central hub, the framework emphasized the RBV approach, conditioning the three other theories that were presented in a peripheral way and narrowly related to them and with RBV. The framework was able to, at last, be used to a better comprehension of the reality of higher education institutions and their managers, enabling deeper reflections about such phenomenon.

Abstract The purpose of this study is to increase understanding of participating in strategy practice when examined as membership in organizational hierarchy and as subjectivities in strategy discourse. The study approaches subjectivity in strategy practice from the viewpoint of organizational research within the strategy-as-practice (SasP) field, but has chosen a critical perspective to the assumption that strategy work belongs only to senior management. The study is based on interviews relating experiences of strategy participation in a public sector organization. It was found that when strategic planning and decision-making take place fairly far from practical everyday work, two separate strategy worlds would emerge within the organization: the conceptual and the practical world. The well-intended decisions made in the conceptual strategy world set demands for the subjects in the practical strategy world, who had to resort to coping mechanisms and survival strategies to deal with the practical consequences of the decisions. Furthermore, the traditional view of strategy as a senior management's top-down plan seemed to result in a division between strategy subjects and strategy objects. The division of subjectivities was not this dichotomic, however, as individuals moved more dynamically between the subjectivities identified in the strategy discourse. These positionings and subjectivities were products of the strategy practice and strategy discourse and they were studied using discourse analysis and positioning analysis. This study also opens a discussion on how a strategist's subjectivity could be defined within the strategy practices instead of being determined by hierarchical status. It proposes organizational citizenship as a basis for participating in strategy and views strategy as a combination of performing everyday work in a continuum, awakening and reacting to discontinuities and making necessary changes. / Tiivistelmä Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena on lisätä ymmärrystä siitä, millaiseksi strategiatyöhön osallistuminen määrittyy, kun sitä tarkastellaan toisaalta organisaation hierarkian jäsenyytenä ja toisaalta organisaation strategiadiskurssin subjektiviteetteina. Tutkimus kiinnittyy organisaatiotutkimuksen näkökulmasta strategy-as-practice (SasP) -kenttään tarkastellessaan strategiatoimijuutta osallistumisena strategiakäytäntöön, mutta valitsee kuitenkin kriittisen tarkastelukulman siihen, että strategiatyö kuuluisi vain johdolle. Tämä tutkimus perustuu haastatteluihin, joissa kartoitettiin strategiatyöhön osallistumisen kokemuksia kuntaorganisaatiossa. Yksi tutkimuksen havainnoista oli, että strategisen suunnittelun ja päätöksenteon tapahtuessa suhteellisen kaukana työn arjesta organisaatiossa näytti muodostuvan kaksi erilaista strategiamaailmaa: konseptuaalinen ja käytännöllinen. Konseptuaalisen strategiamaailman hyvässä tarkoituksessa tekemät strategiset linjaukset edellyttivät usein käytännöllisen strategiamaailman toimijoilta erilaisia selviytymismekanismeja ja selviytymisstrategioita. Lisäksi strategiatradition näkemys strategiasta johdon suunnitelmana näytti johtavan jakoon strategiasubjekteihin ja strategiaobjekteihin sekä osallistujiin ja osallistettaviin. Subjektiviteettien osalta jako ei kuitenkaan ollut näin dikotominen, vaan yksilöt liikkuivat dynaamisemmin strategiadiskurssissa tunnistettujen subjektiviteettien välillä. Näitä strategiakäytännössä ja strategiadiskurssissa muotoutuvia asemointeja ja subjektiviteetteja tutkittiin diskurssi- ja positiointianalyysia hyödyntämällä. Tutkimuksessa avataan keskustelua myös siitä, kuinka strategistin toimijuus voitaisiin nähdä strategiakäytännöissä määrittyvänä sen sijaan, että se määrittyy hierarkkisen aseman myötä tulevana oletuksena. Tällöin strategiaan osallistumista tarkastellaan organisaatiokansalaisuuteen liittyvänä toimijuutena ja strategia nähdään jatkumosta, epäjatkuvuuskohtiin havahtumisesta ja epäjatkuvuuskohtiin liittyvistä muutoksista muodostuvana kokonaisuutena.

The translation of strategic organizational practices by practitioners occurs from the moment that an idea of external origin is interpreted by agents from an organization and applied in a different context than one originated. Understanding that the convergence of a microrrelacional approach to strategy (Strategy-as-Practice) with a macrocontextual strategic approach (Institutional Theory) is possible, this study aims to understand how the translation of certain strategic practices by practitioners occurs, through a case study in three consultancies at the state of Sergipe. The research is qualitative, and the type is descriptive and exploratory. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with key informants of the studied organizations, in addition to document analysis and non-participant observation. Then, these data were triangulated in order to improve the data analysis, which were performed by a content analysis. The results reveal that in two researched companies, the translation occurs by broadcasting mode and also by a chain mode, due to the use of technology extracted directly from the supplier, but also pass the scrutiny of other companies, while in a third researched company, translation is mediated by other actors and organizations, from the performance of a specific person. / A tradução de práticas estratégicas da organização pelos praticantes ocorre a partir do momento que uma ideia de origem externa é interpretada pelos agentes de uma organização e aplicada em um contexto diferente daquele que foi originado. Entendendo que é possível a convergência de uma abordagem microrrelacional da estratégia (Estratégia como Prática Social) com uma abordagem estratégica macrocontextual (Teoria Institucional), o presente trabalho tem como objetivo compreender como ocorre a tradução de práticas estratégicas pelos praticantes, a partir do estudo de caso em três consultorias do estado de Sergipe. A pesquisa é de natureza qualitativa, do tipo descritiva e exploratória. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas com os informantes-chave das organizações pesquisadas, além da análise documental e observação nãoparticipante. Em seguida, esses dados foram triangulados com o intuito de conferir mais robustez à análise, realizada por meio de uma análise de conteúdo. Os resultados apontam que em duas empresas pesquisadas, a tradução ocorre por transmissão e também por corrente, devido ao uso de tecnologias extraídas diretamente do fornecedor, mas que também passam pelo crivo de outras empresas, enquanto na terceira empresa pesquisada, a tradução é mediada por outros atores e organizações, a partir da atuação de uma pessoa específica. / São Cristóvão, SE

Problem statement – The strategic roles and responsibilities of professional middle managers (at a South African university) are not aligned with the accountability and authority required while strategising to effect strategic change. Through an in-depth exploration of practitioners, their practices, behaviour, cognition and emotions during strategising, insights in the development of practical wisdom was gained. Purpose – The purpose of the empirical research study was to investigate how professional middle managers strategise to effect change during strategic change. The study context was a South African higher education institution undergoing internal organisational change. Four main research themes were explored with particular reference to the professional middle manager as a strategic practitioner, namely one who DOES, THINKS, FEELS and REFLECTS. Design, methodology and approach – An explorative and interpretive study was conducted utilising a single case and qualitative research methodology. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was conducted, which aimed to explore the rich experiences of the participants and the way they make sense of their personal journeys during the strategic change initiative. Strategy as practice theory was selected as the theoretical foundation for the study. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted, and participants provided self-reflection assessments contributing to a unique data gathering method. Findings – The results suggested the professional middle managers make use of holistic and comprehensive practices to effect change as they strategise during strategic change. Five formal strategic roles were confirmed relevant as enacted by the professional middle managers, i.e. implementing strategies, interpreting and communicating information, facilitating adaptability, downward supporting and upward influencing. In addition, six distinctive practices were identified, namely adapting, effecting change, collaborating, mobilising, peacekeeping and overseeing. v Research limitations and implications – The results of the study cannot be generalised due to the single case methodology; however, key learnings and insights can be utilised. Practical implications – It is recommended that the middle managers’ key performance indicators be aligned with the required accountability and authority required to fulfil their strategic roles while effecting change. In addition, the development of tailor-made training programmes as well as coaching and mentoring is advocated in order to transition adequately into a middle management role. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / D.B.L.

This study set out to explore the strategising practices of middle managers and thereby expand the body of knowledge in terms of middle management practices in strategising in general, and makes an original contribution at the frontiers of middle management practices in a university context in South Africa. Although some research has been done on middle managers and strategy, a knowledge gap still exists, especially regarding strategising in emerging economies, such as South Africa. More specifically, the actions of middle managers at universities are open for exploration. Universities are increasingly exposed to new challenges in a competitive environment due to declining state funding, changing student demographics, new technological developments and increased market pressures. The sustainability of universities is also threatened by changes inside the universities, such as the drive for corporatisation and a changing internal focus. The way universities respond to and pre-empt dealing with these challenges will influence the sustainability and competitiveness of the university and subsequently the nations it serves. However, very little is known about the university managers who are powerful in terms of the administrative systems and decision processes. In order to understand strategy work viii and to know what enables or constrains it, it is necessary to look at middle managers at universities. This research puts forward three main arguments: firstly, strategy is dispersed throughout the entire organisation and includes middle managers’ strategising activities. Secondly, a need exists for practically relevant research founded in the organisational realities. Thirdly, universities present a relevant context within which to study strategising practices. An exploratory qualitative case study was followed to answer the research questions. Findings indicate that university middle managers, who operate within a machine bureaucracy, create systems within systems in order to cope with the organisational demands. Middle managers are mostly responsible for strategy implementation and the support role of university managers is prominent. Findings also indicate that the strategy loses its meaning and in an environment where the strategy textual artefacts and talk are abundant. In such an environment compliance takes precedence over buy-in. Finally, this study identified the enablers of and constraints on the strategy work of university middle managers. This research confirmed that strategy and strategising are human actions and confirmed that knowledge of what people do in relation to the strategies of organisations is required. / Economics / D. Com. (Business Management)

The reality of a so-called theory/practice divide between what the academic world research and teach and how it is applied by practitioners has existed for decades. Academics commented about the practical applicability of theories concerning business management applications. This research attempts to understand a concept from a practitioners’ viewpoint. The focus of the research was on marketing and management practitioners’ application of market segmentation principles in their businesses. The study was qualitative in nature. Discussion guidelines were used in in-depth interviews from purposefully selected case study organisations. The analysis indicated that practitioners readily apply the economic principle of market segmentation. That is to divide the broad market into parts (segments) and then focus their attention on selected segments. The analysis also indicated that practitioners deviate from the current marketing theory on market segmentation. It was further found that management practitioners could benefit from applying some of the principles taught in market segmentation theory. The implications from the findings are twofold. The first is that an alternative theory regarding market segmentation emerged from management practitioners’ perspectives. The second is that it is possible to integrate aspects of other market segmentation schemes with the alternative theory to ensure a market segmentation approach that confirms management intuition as well as existing market segmentation theory. Merging these approaches creates a possible improvement in the practical application of current market segmentation theory. / Business Management / D. Phil. (Business Management)

This study set out to explore how Official Development Assistance was practised in South Africa. An exploratory narrative design was followed to uncover the ‘strategy in the skin’ of strategy practitioners in the unit of analysis and to respond, therefore, to the research questions. This study has contributed to the body of knowledge in that it has brought together an alternative confluence of three theoretical perspectives of strategy as practice; complex adaptive systems and organisational hypocrisy and has explored the impact of the practice lens on these standpoints. While there has been extensive research on each of the theoretical perspectives, there has not yet been a study that has drawn together the three perspectives in relation to an empirical unit of analysis such as Official Development Assistance practices and practitioners. The study responded to a knowledge gap in relation to how public sector organisations, such as government units and the strategy practitioners of such units, practice strategy beyond the reified, formalised conceptions of strategy and in relation to their inhabiting complex, political organisational systems. The study arrived at two central theoretical findings. Firstly, that strategising represents a calibration of strategic practices towards strategic outcomes through the activities of complex adaptive practitioners v within the more politically inclined organisation. Secondly, that beyond the text of strategy, there is sub-text that is equally part of the micro strategy towards strategic outcomes.The skilful and sometimes delicate balancing act, that strategists perform to legitimise the calibrated combinations of action and politics in organisational strategy, equally needs nuanced, subtle and more complex forms of organisational communication. The study, therefore, makes the claim that complex adaptive systems and the characteristics of political organisations (as not being geared to action) are inherently broadened through the multiple dimensions of the practice turn and strategy as sub-text. The research confirmed that strategy as practice is a useful lens to understand strategy beyond the formally documented scripts and espoused pronouncements of strategy within organisational studies / Business Management / D.B.L.

The study explores pausing in action is, within the ambit of Strategy-as-practice (s-ap) as an emergent school of thought. Pausing is thus discerned during the implementation phase of the strategy of a credit risk system within a South African bank, as strategy is known to take shape during implementation. Different sites of the bank’s systems – change, strategy practitioners, and their times of pausing, form the unit of analysis. Strategy-making and engagement are explored by understanding the influence of pausing on enabling or disenabling the strategic outcome of the risk system. Pausing is situated in an applied and theoretical gap as an intangible under-theorised strategy practice. Practitioners, as champions or non-champions of strategy, pause in various ways, and attribute meaning to this ‘action’. Their account of pausing is recognised for its value-adding or diminishing dimensions to strategy-making. The study follows a comprehensive literature review which shows limited theoretical positions on embodied, latent practices, such as pausing, as strategic practices. The body of knowledge provides a challenge for scholars to consider perceived ‘silences’ or the ‘receding’ of strategists as un-remarked dimensions of strategy, which could nevertheless be instrumental in the nature of the strategic outcome. The contribution of the current study identifies pausing as a strategic practice, especially when considered within the structure of engagement and social learning / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)