Strategic responses to changing ICT and policy
Many people find Max Bosoit’s* model helpful when considering where a school or college is in relation to a rapidly changing (or ‘turbulent’) context–such as the one we experience with technology. We are assuming here that turbulence runs counter to strategy, as strategy is concerned with taking control.
Bosoit identifies four types of response to turbulence: emergent strategy, intrapreneurship, strategic intent and strategic planning. These types can be related to an organisational understanding of the area we are considering– ICT or e-learning in our case.
The chart below illustrates the relationship between these types, turbulence and an understanding of the subject area.
During a period of low turbulence, the overall direction of travel of a school or college that has not got to grips with ICT can be seen by standing back and looking at what has happened. The strategy is emergent. In this state, small incermental changes occur but any intended strategies might not fully materialise.Because the strategic planning function of the organisation does not have a full grasp of the situation, unexpected challenges occur that need to be dealt with as they arise. The executive might not necessarily have all the data to tackle the problem either.
During a period of high turbulence, low understanding leads us to a state of ‘intrapreneurship’, a state where individuals and departments respond in their own way as the organisation does not have the capability to deal with the pace of change. We often see an ad hoc response to change that moves us away from an integrated solution. This state is opposed to strategic planning and is often considered not a good place to be.
Strategic planning is a familiar state in which we are able to set strategic targets such as ‘increase the pupil to computer ration to 1:1′ or ‘ensure all students leave with at least a level 2 qualification in IT’. This is a nice place to be as turbulence is low and we have a good understanding of our area. The underlying assumption in this state is that with enough understanding, data and analysis we can send the organisation in the right direction. Typically, data is regularly passed up from the ‘bottom’ of the organisation for analysis at the top. Decisions are then passed back down.
Strategic intent is a way in which we can deal with an area of rapid change or turbulence. Strategic intents define organisational capabilities and characteristics that enable the school or college to move forward within a strategic framework whilst still being able to respond to change. They can arise from an intuitive understanding based on experience and knowledge of the subject area. A good vision leads to good strategic intents. Good strategic intents are free from the details that become obsolete by quickly changing circumstances. The ability to define, and plan from, strategic intents is extremely useful way of planning for effective ICT and e-learning.
When asked to audit a school’s or college’s ICT provision, I often look for signs that might indicate where they are in relation to this diagram. For example, seeing departments and keen individuals developing personal electronic mark-books and reporting tools indicates a level of intrapreneurship that suggests a more strategic approach needs to be taken as a whole-school or college initiative.
There are ways of developing strategic intents and, importantly, actions that can be taken to move from one strategic type to another. I will look at these states in relation to education ICT in later posts and may also refer to them when I see examples either in my work or more generally.
See the reference below for more information.
Reference
*Bosoit, M (1995) Preparing for turbulence: the changing relationship between strategy and management development in the learning organisation. In Garrat, B (Ed.), Developing Strategic Thought: Rediscovering the art of direction giving. London: McGraw Hill
During a period of high turbulence, low understanding leads us to a state of ‘intrapreneurship’, a state where individuals and departments respond in their own way as the organisation does not have the capability to deal with the pace of change. We often see an ad hoc response to change that moves us away from an integrated solution. This state is opposed to strategic planning and is often considered not a good place to be.
Strategic planning is a familiar state in which we are able to set strategic targets such as ‘increase the pupil to computer ration to 1:1′ or ‘ensure all students leave with at least a level 2 qualification in IT’. This is a nice place to be as turbulence is low and we have a good understanding of our area. The underlying assumption in this state is that with enough understanding, data and analysis we can send the organisation in the right direction. Typically, data is regularly passed up from the ‘bottom’ of the organisation for analysis at the top. Decisions are then passed back down.
Strategic intent is a way in which we can deal with an area of rapid change or turbulence. Strategic intents define organisational capabilities and characteristics that enable the school or college to move forward within a strategic framework whilst still being able to respond to change. They can arise from an intuitive understanding based on experience and knowledge of the subject area. A good vision leads to good strategic intents. Good strategic intents are free from the details that become obsolete by quickly changing circumstances. The ability to define, and plan from, strategic intents is extremely useful way of planning for effective ICT and e-learning.
When asked to audit a school’s or college’s ICT provision, I often look for signs that might indicate where they are in relation to this diagram. For example, seeing departments and keen individuals developing personal electronic mark-books and reporting tools indicates a level of intrapreneurship that suggests a more strategic approach needs to be taken as a whole-school or college initiative.
There are ways of developing strategic intents and, importantly, actions that can be taken to move from one strategic type to another. I will look at these states in relation to education ICT in later posts and may also refer to them when I see examples either in my work or more generally.
See the reference below for more information.
Reference
*Bosoit, M (1995) Preparing for turbulence: the changing relationship between strategy and management development in the learning organisation. In Garrat, B (Ed.), Developing Strategic Thought: Rediscovering the art of direction giving. London: McGraw Hill