ABSTRACT
Robert Chia lays out a thought-provoking call to continue to develop management and organization research in the 'European tradition'. People often associate the term 'strategic management' with some key terms such as aim, vision, objectives, goals or route map. This chapter explores the observation that plans do not always come to fruition, before moving to less familiar territory. It introduces the idea of paradox, along with another major significant concept in strategic management, namely that of "emergent strategy", placing each in relation to planning. The chapter explores what happens during the realization that a particular plan is not coming to fruition, arguing that a form of creative action takes over. It focuses on something which is surprisingly absent from most mainstream writings on strategic management, namely the situated strategist resplendent in his myriad variety. To craft a strategy statement is, in rational terms at least, remarkably straightforward, since it might simply be thought of as a succinct plan.
