Project Two was designed to uncover the range and depth of the strategic constructs held by strategic leaders in the Case Company. The additional methodologies that were employed aimed to provide deeper insight into the extant strategic constructs. It also attempted to provide a further understanding of the factors influencing the potential for cognitive strategic flexibility. The direct but nonintrusive method employed via the repertory grid interview technique resulted in both fine-grained and rich sources of data. These sources confirmed not only many of the preliminary constructs and factors but also revealed several new constructs and influences not anticipated or uncovered in Project One.
4.2 Data Sources And Recording Methods
4.2.1 Repertory Grid Interview
The repertory grid methodology appears to be relatively simple and straightforward in its design. However given that the objective of using the repertory grid interview technique is to illicit constructs in a non-invasive way the design and implementation of the method are demanding. For this reason, a very structured format was followed based on best practice outlined by academic and practitioner models. Practioner recommendations and tips were also taken into consideration. In addition, the researcher rehearsed and practiced the methodology several times before going live with the target group. This practice was done by using non-target group interviewees and additional topics to ensure proficient experience with the methodology.
4.2.2. Purposefully Selected Target Group
This research was aimed at exploring the strategic frames of executives who are engaged in strategic thinking and not just operational execution. Therefore, only a limited portion of the senior management hierarchy of the Case Company was originally targeted. The hierarchy classification of Strategic Leaders in the Case Company meets the requirements for the scope and impact of strategic thinking. This population was selected due to the strong correlation between the leadership level and the significant percentage of “time applications and focus of effort” that this leadership level applies to strategy and vision (Charan and Drotter et al. 2001). This expectation is confirmed by the company’s Strategic Thinking, Leadership Competency description. For this level, the expectation is: “Creates TRN’s strategy and promotes the vision ensuring it evolves to meet global needs” (TRN Leadership Competency Framework). Additionally, the Case Company had a very flat organization and was culturally non-hierarchical. During the researcher’s time in the field, there were several initiatives aimed at maintaining this flatness by reducing the span of control with each restructure or reorganization. As Beinhocker and others have observed, not only does a flat hierarchy result in more stakeholders contributing to strategic decisions. It also helps “to prevent a small number of mental models from dominating the organization” (Beinhocker 2006).
The total population of this classification of leaders at the start of this research was approximately 415 executives or .006 percent of the employee population as outlined in Figure 1 in Chapter One. The geographic location of these executives is not evenly distributed but enough so as to provide a large diversity of perspectives from all global regions and many of the various markets within those regions. Despite the size of the relatively large number of Strategic Leaders, their responsibility and influence are strategic given the size, culture and truly global processes of the Case Company. The role and scope of the firm’s Strategic Leader classification is further described as follows:
“Establishes a vision, culture, and philosophies for how results are achieved and/or contributes to and influences direction, policy, and strategy. Authorizes investments. Independent and strategic decision making that provides a new direction for the company, or imperative for change. Operates at the global level (BU, Function) or large geography. Integration of functions of units or with BU wide impact. Policy approval level. Participate in strategy planning and support or provide critical expertise in the strategically important subject areas. Knowledge basis of industry & commerce interrelationship & legislation. Decisions based on intuition, creativity, and judgment” (TRN Leadership Competency Framework).
This description gives significant emphasis to longer-term thinking, new directions, and leading change. Given the data collected and interpretation made during Project One of this research, there is evidence of inconsistency in expectations of the company Leadership Model and the focus and attention of its Strategic Leaders. This inconsistency in expectations was one of the themes that the repertory grid interviews were intended to explore further. Ultimately the research results strongly impacted the detailed design of a new TRN Leadership Framework and competency model and the supporting actions outlined in Chapter Seven.
The target group noted above for this research has been further narrowed based on learning in Project One. Although all Case Company strategic leaders have the scope and role to drive or influence strategy, some of the leaders are in more influential roles than others. Project One discovered that Region Heads, Business Unit Heads and Strategy support function members have more strategic thinking requirements. Further, as Don Sull (2013, pers. Comm., 22 January) has stated, most CEO’s know the 40-80 top leaders they need to involve to drive the strategy. TRN has had such a selective group attend three different critical annual summits during the research period. The researcher had been involved in creating this selective list and took note of the status given these individuals. The selection of this target group was based on three criteria i) Role ii) diversity of experience in the industry iii) relative diversity of geographic and functional
scope. With these factors in mind the researcher selected five interviewees for participation in the repertory grid interviews.
The recent roles and responsibilities of these executives can be described as follows:
Interviewee One: BU Head To Region Head To Corporate Headquarters Country Head Interviewee Two: New Ventures Executive To Corporate Strategy Executive To
Customer Team Head
Interviewee Three: Asian Regional Customer Operations Head To CEO Chief Of Staff
to Region Head
Interviewee Four: Customer Team Head To Global Services Strategy Head
Interviewee Five: Region Head For South West Europe To Region Head for North East
Europe
As mentioned above the repertory grid interview is a simple but powerful process. Reger and Palmer (1996) refer to it as an “innovative method” and acknowledge that it is highly suited for eliciting cognitive processes. Nevertheless, the researcher relied heavily on advice outlined by Valerie Stewart’s Business applications of Repertory Grid in planning and designing the interviews. Devi Jankowicz’s (2004) The Easy Guide to Repertory Grids was also extensively referenced in regards to the conceptual process and analytical methodologies to ensure rigor in both design and process.