Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The thesis deals with the context, content (being concepts) and process of model
development. They are combined to propose a model for analysing strategic decision-making
in an environment characterised by high rates of change.
Over the last 230 years, society has been re-categorised from ‘agricultural’ to ‘industrial’ and,
more recently to ‘post-industrial’. Naturally, organisations are part of such society, and
strategy formation, as a process which is located within organisations, can only be discussed
within the context of the current society. By necessity therefore, the model for analysing
strategic decision-making would seek to reflect on the development of organisational
strategies in the current environment. This rapidly changing environment is characterised by
uncertainty which impacts on organisational decision-making.
Chapter 2 describes how the effects of uncertainty influences decisions and outcomes,
particularly when considering the decision-maker’s ability to manage risks emanating from
the environment, as well as organisational risks within own work domains. The loose
coupling of cause and effect leads to a conceptual problem when linear rationality is used to
frame meaning. Decision-makers experience demand to change such meaning (and structure)
based on the reality they are experiencing, presenting them with perceived dichotomies. In
order to overcome such dichotomies, ‘Constructivism’, as a methodology, is used to provide
form, acknowledging assumptions about behaviour and structure. The assumptions are
discussed using conceptual continuums (presenting the perceived dichotomies), posed as a
‘framework’ intended to assist leaders in dealing with uncertainty. Order, for example, is
temporarily established through standards that give an organisation stability. Innovation as a
concept, on the other hand, is associated with the flexibility required to succeed in dynamic
environments. Strategy formation in this thesis deals with the concepts ‘organising’,
‘standardising’, ‘rationalising’, ‘emergence’, ‘complexification’ and ‘innovation’ that form
part of such framework.
Chapter 3 provides insight to organisational order, which emerges from the interplay between
‘strategy formation’ as a deliberate process, and the emergent and varied organisational and
contextual forces at play over time. The process forms a narrative – and provides some of the
organisational stability. Strategies emerge, as would the institution created by the interplay.
The interplay results from continuous interaction between the intentional strategic
intervention and its actual interpretation or sensemaking throughout the organisation and its
context by those - including the leadership - who are operationalising the strategies. The
process of strategy formation provides opportunity for self-reflection by the decision-makers
(the I), the team members (the We), and the organisation - embodied in the social constructs
created through communication, processes and actions.
Chapter 4 connects the individual concepts in an iterative process of strategy formation, using
a morphological approach, to create structure from relationships. This enables the creation of
a normative model, which can be used in the process of analysing strategic decision-making
as a whole, that is, incorporating both the intention and its implementation.
The interplay and change of form provide the insight and the impetus for change to the
leader’s understanding of the schemata employed, the schemata embodied in organisational
strategy formation, as well as in decision-making. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tesis handel met die konteks, inhoud (konseptueel) en proses van model ontwikkeling.
Hierdie dimensies word gekombineer om ‘n model voor te stel waarmee strategiese
besluitneming in ‘n omgewing met hoë ‘n veranderingstempo ge-analiseer kan word.
Gedurende die afgelope 230 jaar is ons sosiale omstandighede geherklassifiseer van
‘agraries’ na ‘industriëel’ en meer onlangs, na ‘post-industriëel’. Natuurlik is organisasies
deel van die totale sosiale omgewing en kan strategievorming, as ’n proses wat geplaas is
binne organisasies, alleen bespreek word binne die konteks van die huidige samelewing. Dit
is dus noodsaaklik dat die model vir die analise van strategiese besluitneming poog om na te
dink oor die ontwikkeling van organisatoriese strategieë in die huidige omgewing. Die snelveranderende
omgewing word gekenmerk deur onsekerheid wat ’n impak het op
organisatoriese besluitneming.
Hoofstuk 2 beskryf hoe die gevolge van onsekerheid besluite en resultate beïnvloed, veral
wanneer in ag geneem word wat die besluitnemer se vermoë is om risikos wat voortspruit uit
die omgewing, asook organisatoriese risikos binne die eie werksdomein, te bestuur. Die losse
verband tussen oorsaak en gevolg lei tot konseptuele probleem wanneer ‘n linêre rasionaliteit
gebruik word om betekenis te vorm. Besluitnemers ervaar eise om sodanige betekenis (en
struktuur) te verander, gebaseer op die werklikheid soos dit ervaar word, aangesien skynbare
teenstellings na vore kom. Ten einde sulke teenstellings te bowe te kom, word
konstruktiwisme as ‘n metodologie gebruik om aannames oor gedrag en struktuur te erken.
Die aannames word bespreek met gebruik van konseptuele kontinuums (wat die skynbare
teenstellings in ’n eenheid voorstel), en word gestel as raamwerk wat bedoel is om leiers te
help om suksesvol met onsekerheid om te gaan. Orde word byvoorbeeld tydelik tot stand
gebring deur organisatoriese standaarde wat organisatoriese stabiliteit bring Innovasie as
konsep word daarnaas geassosiëer met die soepelheid wat nodig is om in dinamiese
omgewings suksesvol te wees. Strategievorming handel in hierdie tesis met die konsepte
‘organisering’, ‘standardisering’, ‘rasionalisering’, ‘ontluiking’, ‘kompleksifikasie’ en
‘innovasie’ wat deel vorm van sodanige raamwerk.
Hoofstuk 3 gee insig in die organisatoriese orde wat ontluik uit die interaksie tussen
‘strategievorming’ as bewuste proses en die ontluikende en veranderlike organisatoriese en
kontekstuele kragte wat oor tyd heen aan die orde kom. Die proses vorm ‘n narratief – en
voorsien gedeeltelik organisatoriese stabiliteit. Strategieë ontluik soos wat die instelling deur
die interaksies gevorm word. Die interaksies is die gevolg van voortdurende wisselwerking
tussen die bedoelde strategiese intervensies en die werklike interpretasie of singewing deur
die organisasie heen en in die konteks deur diegene – insluitende die leierskap – wat die
strategieë operasionaliseer. Die proses van strategievorming gee die geleentheid vir selfrefleksie
deur die besluitnemers (die Ek), die spanlede (die Ons), en die organisasie –
uitgedruk in die sosiale konstrukte wat deur kommunikasie, prossese en aksies geskep word.
Hoofstuk 4 verbind die individuele konsepte in ‘n iteratiewe proses van strategievorming, om
daarmee struktuur uit verhoudings te skep. Dit maak die daarstelling van ’n normatiewe
model wat gebruik kan word in die analise van strategiese besluitneming as geheel, dit wil sê,
met insluiting van beide die intensie en die implementering, moontlik.
Die interaksie en verandering van vorm gee die insig en die impetus vir verandering aan die
leier se verstaan van die skematas wat gebruik word, skematas wat beliggaam is in
organisatoriese stratiegievorming en besluitneming.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6491 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Weilert, Heinz Maria |
| Contributors | Muller, Hans Peter, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Information Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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