Emergent Strategy - Case Study Example

In emergent strategy, the organization evolves as it learns through experiences.Robin Hood’s group had advanced from the emergent strategy and in the second year, his band grew. The increasing band size was of concern as the discipline became difficult to maintain and expenses did not commensurate with the loot. According to Cook and Macaulay (2007) as the team grows the focus of team effectiveness starts to dull. The new members do not share the same sense of understanding the purpose of the group and the mission, and the objectives are no longer clear and relevant.

Strategic drift started occurring because Robin’s lieutenant’s resisted the idea of a transit tax on the travelers. Lorsch and Tierney (n.d.) contend that professionals develop their own perspectives irrespective of what the leaders might think.Looking through the lenses dissolves the dilemma in strategy (Scholes, 2005). The lenses are different ways of viewing the strategy development. In the Robin Hood case, the strategy has been viewed through the lens of experience. It is adaptation born through the political process.

It cannot be through the lens of design as it was not planned or logical and it has not been perceived through the lens of ideas because it has not emerged from diversity or variety. It was out of vengeance and conflict. Here the individual and collective experiences are central and culture and history strongly influence strategic thinking and choices. The strategy developed with time and there high chances of strategic drift, which has occurred in this case. Negotiation also influences the strategic direction when seen through this lens.

Hence the analysis of this case shows that the experience element has determined the strategy.In times of strategic drift, organizations can either experience performance problems or opt for strategic management development programs.