Talking about strategy: the role of epic plot structures in international contracting

Abstract

Emerging international markets are frequently characterized by high levels of economic and political uncertainty. Such inherent uncertainties render established ideas of competitive positioning problematic. An alternative perspective is developed which focuses on the day-to-day enactment of strategy through the medium of narrative. Narrative interviews with senior managers from Turkish international contracting firms provide insights into the contested storylines of strategy making. The plot structures mobilized are seen to comprise strategy making “in flight”. Senior managers are further held continuously to test emergent narratives against different audiences for the purposes of enhancing their persuasiveness. The aim is to instil an overall sense of coherence and direction among those with whom they interact. The temporal narratives mobilize epic plot structures from the past for the purposes of ascribing Turkish contractors with heroic identities in their quest for a desirable future. Yet the shared narratives also serve as a means of identity work through which the narrators strive to position themselves within their networks as acknowledged strategy makers. The espoused plot structures are further seen to coalesce to form a narrative infrastructure with direct implications for the future enactment of strategy. The research focus on the essential temporality of strategy narratives has important implications beyond the specific context of enquiry.