The Serious Business of Play
Journal
MIT Sloan Management Review
ISSN
1532-9194
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2005
Author(s)
Abstract
Most managers see strategy development as serious business. It is ironic, then, that some of the most remarkable strategic breakthroughs in organizations emerge not from well-ordered processes but from messy, ambiguous and sometimes irrational activities - pursuits that can best be described as play. Referring to research in the fields of developmental psychology and anthropology, the authors argue that play can stimulate the development of cognitive, interpretive skills and engender an emotional sense of fulfillment. It can help establish a safe environment for introducing new ideas about market opportunities, generating debate about important strategic issues, challenging old assumptions and building a sense of common purpose. The authors draw on their own experiences working with managers at the Imagination Lab Foundation and Templeton College, Oxford University, and they make sure to point out that play is no substitute for rational, conventional strategy development. Indeed, after the creative sessions are over, plenty of hard work remains to translate the ideas and insights into processes and actions.
Language
English
Keywords
strategy
strategic conversation
play
serious play
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
MIT Press
Publisher place
Cambridge, Mass.
Volume
47
Number
1
Start page
19
End page
20
Pages
2
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
20346