IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/srbeha/v40y2023i4p701-712.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The systems approach of strategic roadmapping: Framing challenges and contributions whilst flexing to changing conditions and circumstances

Author

Listed:
  • Clive Kerr

Abstract

For supporting strategy development, corporate practitioners and consultants have long appropriated the roadmap metaphor for journey‐making to establish the concept of strategic roadmapping. The practice involves charting future courses of action to help realize a vision. However, despite the significant uptake and use of the method, there still lacks a discourse on its inherent flexibility. Therefore, this paper outlines roadmapping's flexible nature from a systems perspective. The key attributes of the approach being general, scalable, customizable and dynamic are characterized. The governing framework underpinning roadmapping is depicted and described. To provide guidance on deploying this framework, two critical aspects are covered: (i) framing the challenges being faced and contributions necessary to move forward and (ii) with specific regard to having to deal with the realized unfolding of time, the need to flex to evolving conditions and new situational circumstances.

Suggested Citation

  • Clive Kerr, 2023. "The systems approach of strategic roadmapping: Framing challenges and contributions whilst flexing to changing conditions and circumstances," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(4), pages 701-712, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:srbeha:v:40:y:2023:i:4:p:701-712
    DOI: 10.1002/sres.2953
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2953
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sres.2953?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sucheta Nadkarni & V. K. Narayanan, 2007. "Strategic schemas, strategic flexibility, and firm performance: the moderating role of industry clockspeed," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 243-270, March.
    2. Robert Phaal & Clare Farrukh & David Probert, 2006. "Technology Management Tools: Generalization, Integration And Configuration," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 3(03), pages 321-339.
    3. Dosi, Giovanni, 1993. "Technological paradigms and technological trajectories : A suggested interpretation of the determinants and directions of technical change," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 102-103, April.
    4. Henry Mintzberg, 1978. "Patterns in Strategy Formation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(9), pages 934-948, May.
    5. M C Jackson, 2009. "Fifty years of systems thinking for management," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(1), pages 24-32, May.
    6. Michael J. Leiblein & Jeffrey J. Reuer & Todd Zenger, 2018. "What Makes a Decision Strategic?," Strategy Science, INFORMS, vol. 3(4), pages 558-573, December.
    7. Clive Kerr & Robert Phaal & David Probert, 2012. "Depicting Options And Investment Appraisal Information In Roadmaps," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 9(03), pages 1-19.
    8. Ron Sanchez, 1995. "Strategic flexibility in product competition," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(S1), pages 135-159.
    9. C. Marlene Fiol & Anne Sigismund Huff, 1992. "Maps For Managers: Where Are We? Where Do We Go From Here?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 267-285, May.
    10. Henry Mintzberg & James A. Waters, 1985. "Of strategies, deliberate and emergent," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 6(3), pages 257-272, July.
    11. Kerr, Clive & Phaal, Robert, 2020. "Technology roadmapping: Industrial roots, forgotten history and unknown origins," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    12. C. Marlene Fiol, 1994. "Consensus, Diversity, and Learning in Organizations," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 5(3), pages 403-420, August.
    13. Mowery, David & Rosenberg, Nathan, 1993. "The influence of market demand upon innovation: A critical review of some recent empirical studies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 107-108, April.
    14. Wanda J. Orlikowski & JoAnne Yates, 2002. "It's About Time: Temporal Structuring in Organizations," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(6), pages 684-700, December.
    15. Kerr, Clive & Farrukh, Clare & Phaal, Robert & Probert, David, 2013. "Key principles for developing industrially relevant strategic technology management toolkits," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 80(6), pages 1050-1070.
    16. J. Stuart Evans, 1991. "Strategic Flexibility For High Technology Manoeuvres: A Conceptual Framework," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 69-89, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Figge, Frank & Hahn, Tobias, 2012. "Is green and profitable sustainable? Assessing the trade-off between economic and environmental aspects," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(1), pages 92-102.
    2. Mengmeng Meng & Jiasu Lei & Jie Jiao & Qiuyan Tao, 2020. "How does strategic flexibility affect bricolage: The moderating role of environmental turbulence," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(8), pages 1-18, August.
    3. Aabo, Tom & Pantzalis, Christos & Park, Jung Chul & Trigeorgis, Lenos & Wulff, Jesper N., 2024. "CEO personality traits, strategic flexibility, and firm dynamics," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    4. E Tapinos & R G Dyson & M Meadows, 2011. "Does the Balanced Scorecard make a difference to the strategy development process?," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(5), pages 888-899, May.
    5. Miguel Perez‐Valls & Jose Cespedes‐Lorente & Juan Moreno‐Garcia, 2016. "Green Practices and Organizational Design as Sources of Strategic Flexibility and Performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(8), pages 529-544, December.
    6. Kumar Shalender & Rajesh Kumar Yadav, 2019. "Strategic Flexibility, Manager Personality, and Firm Performance: The Case of Indian Automobile Industry," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 20(1), pages 77-90, March.
    7. Ziyi Zhao & Yulu Yan, 2023. "The Role of Organizational Unlearning in Manufacturing Firms’ Sustainable Digital Innovation: The Mechanism of Strategic Flexibility and Organizational Slack," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-23, June.
    8. Shaker A. Zahra & James C. Hayton & Donald O. Neubaum & Clay Dibrell & Justin Craig, 2008. "Culture of Family Commitment and Strategic Flexibility: The Moderating Effect of Stewardship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 32(6), pages 1035-1054, November.
    9. Saleh Alkhodhair & Ahmed Alsanad & Khaled Alghathbar & Abdu Gumaei, 2020. "Key Quality Attributes for Computational and Sustainable Higher Education Strategy Implementation in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-23, March.
    10. Sarah Kaplan & Wanda J. Orlikowski, 2013. "Temporal Work in Strategy Making," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(4), pages 965-995, August.
    11. Tamer Khraisha & Keren Arthur, 2018. "Can we have a general theory of financial innovation processes? A conceptual review," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 4(1), pages 1-27, December.
    12. Robert P. Garrett Jr. & Jeffrey G. Covin, 2015. "Internal Corporate Venture Operations Independence and Performance: A Knowledge–Based Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(4), pages 763-790, July.
    13. Patrick Hoverstadt & Lucy Loh, 2024. "Back to basics: Developing systems methodologies from first (systems) principles," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(1), pages 207-215, January.
    14. Jan Ende & Wilfred Dolfsma, 2004. "Technology-push, demand-pull and the shaping of technological paradigms - Patterns in the development of computing technology," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 83-99, January.
    15. Ciarli, Tommaso & Ràfols, Ismael, 2019. "The relation between research priorities and societal demands: The case of rice," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 949-967.
    16. Tammy E. Beck & Donde Ashmos Plowman, 2009. "Experiencing Rare and Unusual Events Richly: The Role of Middle Managers in Animating and Guiding Organizational Interpretation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(5), pages 909-924, October.
    17. Matsuno, Ken & Kohlbacher, Florian, 2020. "Proactive marketing response to population aging: The roles of capabilities and commitment of firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 93-104.
    18. Hötte, Kerstin, 2023. "Demand-pull, technology-push, and the direction of technological change," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(5).
    19. Jin Li & Lulu Zhou & Xufan Zhang & Zhihong Chen & Feng Tian, 2018. "Technological Configuration Capability, Strategic Flexibility, and Organizational Performance in Chinese High-Tech Organizations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-17, May.
    20. Alexis Laszczuk & Lionel Garreau & Bernard de Montmorillon, 2017. "Understanding emergence in business model development: how companies interact with stakeholders to deal with environmental ambiguity," Post-Print hal-01787276, HAL.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:srbeha:v:40:y:2023:i:4:p:701-712. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/1092-7026 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.