The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of the development of the strategy field from its classics to contemporary works.

Course content and shedule

The course is organized along the three major themes of Strategy Process, Strategy Content and Strategy Context which are organized around four of Mintzberg’s 5 Ps of strategy and include ten schools of strategy. Both classic and contemporary works will be covered in the different sessions.

The sessions include the following:

November 20, at 9-12 in B6046 at JIBS

1. What is strategy?

led by Senior Associate Professor Karin Hellerstedt och Docent, Associate Professor Anders Melander

December 12, at 9-12 in B6046 at JIBS

2. Strategy as a plan:

  • The design school - Strategy development as a process of realization
  • The planning school – Strategy development as a formal process

led by Docent, Associate Professor Anders Melander

January 22, at 13-16 in B6046 at JIBS

3. Strategy as a pattern:

  • The learning school – Strategy development as an emergent process
  • The strategy as practice school – Strategy as an ongoing contextual process

led by Professor Leona Achtenhagen

January 24, at 9-12 in B6046 at JIBS

  • The cultural school – Strategy development as a collective process

led by Docent, Associate Professor Olof Brunninge

February 8, at 9-12 in B6026 at JIBS

4. Strategy as a position:

  • The configurational school – Strategy development as a process of transformation
  • The positioning school – Strategy development as an analytical process

led by Professor Daniel Pittino

February 27, at 9-12 in B6026 at JIBS

5. Strategy as a perspective:

  • The environment school – Strategy development as a reactive process
  • The power school – Strategy development as a negotiation process
  • The cognitive school – Strategy development as a mental process
  • The entrepreneurial school – Strategy development as a visionary process

led by Senior Associate Professor Karin Hellerstedt och Professor Timur Uman

March 8, at 9-12 in B6026 at JIBS

Final presentations of course paper

led by Senior Associate Professor Karin Hellerstedt och Professor Timur Uman


Additional information

Teaching in campus meetings takes place in interactive lectures requiring active class participation, with assigned homework between the occasions. All teaching is in English and the course is 7.5 credits.

The course has a maximum of 14 places. The seats are accessible via the "first come, first served" principle. The last day to apply is November 1, 2023.

Application form Word, 58.8 kB.

Course syllabus Pdf, 113.9 kB, opens in new window.

If you have any questions, please contact the course coordinator:

Karin Hellerstedt, JIBS
karin.hellerstedt@ju.se