Strategy and Strategizing

This entry discusses strategy and strategizing as situationally relevant knowledge that can inform the choices that effectively, efficiently, and ethically use the resources (practices, actions, means, functions, and such) needed to influence outcomes. Introducing strategy into discussions of communication and management presupposes that instances of both are variously strategic. Such discussions risk presuming the ability to instrumentally control outcomes rather than merely influence them, and should recognize that organization in stakeholder communities is an effect of communication. The terms strategic and strategizing presuppose contextually relevant, task‐oriented (strategized) choices which by layers (macro, meso, and micro) are planned to achieve preferred outcomes. Strategic implies that, without proper knowledge, management and communication practices are variously random, coincidental, unfocused, and such. However, if knowledge of strategy (and strategizing) is sufficiently well understood and ably applied, organizations can increase the probability of achieving outcomes they desire while minimizing unintended consequences.