Contribution of Managers in Organizational Action: A Comparative Discussion of Strategic Choice and Determinist Theories

Running Head: MANAGEMENT THEORY AND PRACTICE
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2018
Australia

MANAGEMENT THEORY AND PRACTICE 1
This is the era of globalization and demands for competitive advantage from the
organizations in order to sustain in the competitive market scenario. In this manner to get an
advantage, organizations follow strategic planning made for the business growth of their
individual organization. This strategic planning process and implementation is called
organizational action. Managers of an organization also play their respective role in planning
and implementing these strategies. In the past few decades the role of these middle managers
has been the main concern of several studies. In this order many studies have claimed that
middle manager have the potential of contributing a significant role in the strategic
development planning of an organization. In organizational strategic action contribution of
strategic choice and determinist theories is also discussed. This essay includes a brief
discussion of the contribution made by the managers in strategic planning and also a
comparative discussion of strategic choice and determinist theories. Also a thorough analysis
of these two strategies, strategic choice and determinist theories is carried out in this essay to
understand organizational action of an organization made to get a competitive advantage.
These both strategies have significant importance in developing the strategies for an
organization and managers are the crucial components to implement the organizational
action.
The increasing globalization has made even the smaller companies to expand their business
overseas. This expansion of such companies requires an extra strategic planning and effective
implementation. This whole process of developing a strategic plan and its implementation is
called organization’s action plan. Developing an effective and efficient organizational action
requires significant contribution from the managers of organization as well as the strategic
planning (Kalkan & Bozkurt, 2013). The key element strategic planning includes two major
strategies to develop an organizational action plan. These are strategic choice and determinist

MANAGEMENT THEORY AND PRACTICE 2
theories which contribute in organizational action and managers plan a critical role in
implementation of these theories (Harvey & Neil, 2017).
The role of leading groups and leaders of an organization influencing the organizational
action by their decision making choices is described by the strategic choice theory. In the
begging the organizational requirements were based on external environment only but the
theory of strategic choice has provided an alternative to such requirements along with serving
the internal environment of the organization which also influences the organization action.
This theory involves the complete process of making decisions to choose one particular
strategy among the various alternatives. There can be several methods of making the final
decision for the choice of appropriate strategy (Ian & Trevor, 2005). This theory of strategic
choice encourages the leaders and managers of the organization to consider both the external
and internal environments for the selection of best strategy. Strategy making process involves
the identification of problem in the beginning of the process then different solutions are
shortlisted to make a preference list (Koeing, 2011). After this strategic choice theory is
applied to make a decision for the selection of best solution from the available ones. Several
parameter are considered in strategic choice theory, some of these parameters are as,
feasibility, consensus, prudence, and acceptability. Sometimes this strategic choice theory is
considered in bigger policies of an organization. This theory mainly focuses on the decision
making process in a particular strategic planning situation irrespective of the timescale and
substances of the situation. Also the approach is interactive as the theory is not designed to be
used by only experts but used as a framework of communication for the people with different
skills and from different backgrounds (Kealy, 2015).
In organizational action other determinist theories also play an important role in influencing
the strategy development of for the company business. There are several determinist theories