Henry Mintzberg: Understanding Organizations, Strategy, Scenarios, Canoeing - 4Sight Chats #20

Henry Mintzberg is a management educator and writer. He is currently Cleghorn Professor of Management Studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He authored 20 books and received 21 honorary doctorate degrees. He is one of the most influential management thinkers of all times. Also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1_GjzfOkKqA CHAT OUTLINE [02:38] Henry's latest book "Understanding Organizations...Finally!" [07:06] The value of lumps (organizational archetypes) for the practitioners who do not see it [10:36] What has changed in Henry's ideas about strategy over the past few decades [13:08] Strategy & serendipity [15:29] Can scenarios help us to determine/improve strategy from the futures in the same way synthesis of experience helps us to determine/improve strategy from the past? [20:02] Isn't scenario planning a prediction of several possibilities? [22:58] Henry's ideas about the “obsession with theory” in management research and the detachment of PhD programs in management from management practice [30:00] Advice for business schools' deans on ways out of the problems in management education [34:43] Henry's work on rebalancing society: guidelines for policymakers [41:13] Canoeing and the view of the lake out of Henry's house MENTIONED SOURCES Mintzberg, H. (2023). Understanding Organizations...Finally!: Structure in Sevens: https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Organizations-Finally-Structure-Sevens/dp/1523000058 Mintzberg, H. (2023). Is serendipity serendipitous?: upcoming Mintzberg, H. (2015). Rebalancing Society: Radical Renewal Beyond Left, Right, and Center: https://www.amazon.com/Rebalancing-Society-Radical-Renewal-Beyond-ebook/dp/B00NJ2HIO2?ref_=ast_author_dp Rebalancing society website: https://rebalancingsociety.org/ Henry's personal website: https://mintzberg.org/ Henry’s YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@Mintzberg141?si=4bDiEgXxgMn2LXIb Henry's LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrymintzberg/ Supports Alex's videos: https://www.patreon.com/alexfergnani