Henry Mintzberg’s book Strategy Safari identifies 10 different ways organisations think about strategy. Each school of thought gives you a different perspective on how strategy is made or evolves.
Design School
Strategy is a clear, deliberate plan made by top leaders, who study the outside world and then decide the best approach.
Example: The leadership team analyzes market trends and designs a 5-year plan to launch eco-friendly products to stay ahead.
Planning School
Similar to Design, but more focused on formal, step-by-step planning with detailed goals, KPIs and timelines.
Example: The company creates a thorough annual strategic plan with quarterly milestones for market expansion.
Positioning School
Here, strategy is all about finding and holding a unique competitive spot in the market that others can’t easily copy.
Example: A brand positions itself as the most affordable, high-quality coffee in urban cafes to stand out from competitors.
Entrepreneurial School
Strategy comes from visionary leaders who drive the company forward with bold creativity and opportunity spotting.
Example: The founder spots a gap in virtual reality training and shifts the company’s focus to develop cutting-edge VR learning solutions.
Cognitive School
Strategy emerges from how individual thinking styles and people interpret their business environment – it’s about the way specific mindsets shape the plan.
Example: The leadership team regularly discusses customer feedback to adapt the product roadmap based on collective insights about customer experience.
Learning School
Strategy isn’t fixed; it develops over time through trial, error, and adaptation as the company learns what works best.
Example: A startup adjusts its marketing tactics monthly based on data and customer reactions to find the best approach.
Power School
Strategy is influenced by politics and power struggles within the organization – who holds influence can shape the direction.
Example: Different department heads push for competing priorities, and the final strategy reflects compromises between their interests.
Cultural School
Strategy is shaped by the company’s culture, shared values, and beliefs, which guide how decisions get made.
Example: A family-owned business focuses on long-term relationships and community impact as core strategic priorities.
Environmental School
External forces like market trends, regulations, and technology drive strategy – companies must adapt to survive and thrive.
Example: A manufacturing company shifts to green production methods to meet new environmental laws and customer demand.
Configurational School
Each organization is unique due to history, leadership style, and circumstances – strategy flows from this unique setup.
Example: After a merger, a company develops a strategy that blends two cultures and leadership approaches to create a new identity.
These schools give you different lenses to understand and shape strategy, showing it can be both planned and emergent, formal and informal, rational and political – all at once.