The role of strategy maps in business integration: an interventionist approach

Abstract

This paper aims to describe how strategy maps contribute to cope with the resistances to strategic transformations, which characterise business integration processes. These maps are created, thanks to the involvement of the most influential organisational actors. The study follows an interventionist research approach, by means of which the researchers worked together with managers: the effort was to create strategy maps and cope with issues. The research site was provided by a company operating in the technological sector, experiencing change from a national dimension to a multinational group, as a result of a few acquisitions. The findings of the interventionist case study show how the persistence of identities, knowledge and practices may interfere with the achievement of effective integration. Further, the study suggests how strategy maps, while providing a visual representation of organisational actors' cognitive frames, are as well able to facilitate mutual understanding and to support strategic development.