The dynamics of open strategizing, Through the lens of Paradox Theory
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2025-07-01
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en
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Abstract
This study explores the dynamic nature of open strategizing in the context of a large-scale public
infrastructure project in the Netherlands. Using an inductive research design based on document
analysis and semi-structured interviews, key slipping and tipping points that shape shifts in strategic
openness were identified. The findings reveal that openness is not a fixed state, but an evolving
process by critical shifts. These shifts are driven by three paradoxes: transparency versus control,
inclusion versus selectivity and accountability versus closure.
Rather than viewing openness as a linear process, this research highlights how public actors
continually balance competing demands, strategically managing openness in response to political
pressures, project phases, and procedural constraint. By seeing open strategizing as a paradoxical
and situational practice, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of how open strategizing in
the public sector unfolds.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen