The Role of ‘Good Conversation’ In Strategic Control

Abstract

ABSTRACT Most current writers on strategic control, whether from the rational planning or processual schools, agree on the importance of dialogue and debate between the interested parties to the control process. This is particularly so when strategic control is regarded in a ‘warning bell’ sense, responding to a signal that all is not going according to plan, rather than as a behavioural constraint or as an element of agency theory practice. This paper advances a normative framework for ensuring the effectiveness of such discussions based on Bird's notion of a ‘good conversation’. Bird argued that the discussion of business ethical problems should be vocal, reciprocating, issues‐oriented, rational, imaginative, and honest. It is argued here that these characteristics should also apply to the discussions within the strategic control process if the process is not to be dysfunctional.