ABSTRACT
This chapter draws on research from a variety of sources such as problem solving, social and socio-technical innovation as well as philanthropic and corporate strategy. It describes different strategic options in the language of the 'innovation journey', distinguishing between exploratory, experimental and bureaucratic strategies. Reduction of complexity can be achieved by means of a problem definition which demarcates the problem's boundaries and stipulates which aspects of the problem situation count as relevant, and which do not. In philanthropic contexts, just as in other fields of research, the term 'strategy' is often associated with bureaucratic rationality. It is conceived as the equivalent of an explicit and elaborate plan oriented towards the achievement of long-term organisational goals which are treated as being fixed, specific and unambiguous. While bureaucratic strategies are often regarded as the paradigm of rational action, research in the social sciences overwhelmingly suggests the adoption of a contingency approach to strategy instead.
