Exploring Enablers of Open Strategy-Making in Cross-Sector Settings

Abstract

Because meta-problems ignore man-made sectoral boundaries, solving them requires organizations to open up their strategy-making processes in order to gain access to diverse outside knowledge. Doing so, however, entails important challenges, especially in cross-sector settings that include professionals involved in divergent processes for organizing and implementing strategy-making in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Despite evidence on the expected benefits of open strategy-making, our understanding of its enablers remains under-developed. Our paper advances this understanding by exploring enablers of open strategy-making in a setting characterized by a meta-problem: We conduct an in-depth case study of a cross-sector healthcare partnership with the aim to improve healthcare for a socially deprived population. Our findings indicate that ensuring formalization, organizing diversity, and managing resources are key dimensions for open strategy-making in a cross-sector partnership. Our paper provides a framework of enablers with more detailed insights and illustrates key dynamics between enablers. Overall, our study informs strategy and policy makers about requirements for inclusive and transparent strategy-making across market sectors.