Participative approach to strategy communication: A case of small- and medium-sized metal enterprises with a review after seven years

Abstract

This article considers design science issues raised by research on a participative approach to strategy communication (PASC) in small- and medium-sized enterprises in the metal industry to create new visions for the future. It discusses the views of applying participative narrative methods in prescriptively driven research for supporting participation and communication. The article concludes by offering an outline of a framework for an innovative approach to method-assisted research for a PASC. The target year for the focus group (FG) review was arranged to be 2010 because that particular year was set to be the most opportune and interesting after seven years of the first study. A case study showed that narrative scenarios and storytelling are suitable in a PASC to make a strategy illustrative and plausible as well as to construct a mental model of it. The FG review showed, however, that the anticipated development has not occurred in all matters. A new concept, a "mental model of the future company,'' is tentatively proposed as a tool for a PASC. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.