Emergence of Strategy in Practice: Strategizing Processes of Communication Practitioners

Abstract: Despite increased interest for process-oriented and complexity driven research in strategic communication, much research is still based on traditional definitions and assumptions of strategy and communication. This is problematic, since research increasingly suggests that organizations are constituted bottom-up through interactions and communication, where strategy is influenced and co-created throughout organizations. To further conceptualization of strategy and strategic communication practitioners, this qualitative case study aims to analyze how strategic communication practitioners are strategizing in practice. Based on observations and interviews con-ducted during a three week period, analysis was conducted through a lens of social constructionism, with influences of sensemaking theory, communication constitutes organizations perspective, theories of strategizing and emergence of strategy. The results yielded a framework of strategizing, where two overarching processes were identified: stimulating interaction and co-creation, and inoculating a communicative perspective. These two processes are brought to life by several subprocesses of communicational practice. Through which practitioners reach intersubjective under-standings and definitions of strategic needs, which garnered peripheral and emerging strategy. This materialized through in-group discussion, strategic listening, and ongoing identity negotiation. Furthermore, a tension of role-expectations was identified and analyzed by applying the proposed framework of strategizing. This showed that practitioners actively strategize in their in-group interactions to work through organizational tensions and tensions of role-expectations, which impacts both strategy planning and formulation.