- Filter resources
- Academic papers
- Data & impact summaries
Network dynamics of social influence in the wisdom of crowds
Examines when and why groups outperform individuals, highlighting the role of equity and interaction design.
Collaborative Networks: a mechanism for enterprise agility and resilience
A scholarly paper explaining why collaborative networks outperform hierarchical structures in volatile environments, providing theoretical grounding for Strategic Doing’s network-based approach.
Understanding Culture Through Pictures and a Thousand Words
Demonstrates how visual methods support sensemaking and shared understanding in complex cultural settings.
An Effectual Model of Collective Action for Addressing Sustainability Challenges
Presents a model for collective action under uncertainty, integrating effectuation theory with Strategic Doing.
Strategic Doing: A New Discipline for Developing Strategy
This paper introduces Strategic Doing as a network-based strategy discipline designed for open, loosely connected systems. It explains how simple rules and structured conversations enable coordinated action without central control.
Allowing Change Through “Letting It Happen”
Explores how enabling conditions and restraint often lead to more durable change.
Key themes: Emergence, complexity, indirect actionShoals Shift: An Ecosystem Transformation Success Story
In the Muscle Shoals region of North Alabama, the University of North Alabama (UNA) and its partners launched the Shoals Shift Project to address challenges such as generational poverty and low educational attainment. Rather than “waiting,” the collaborative team consciously embraced an approach of “doing, not waiting.” They applied Strategic…
Universities as Anchors of Regional Innovation
Article with overview of Strategic Doing as drivers of innovative ecosystems
Strategic Doing vs. Strategic Planning
A comparison between Strategic Planning and Strategic Doing from the Stennis Center at Mississippi State
Effective Strategy Making in Local and Regional Development
Paper presented at the R&D Management Conference (2014) This paper explores how strategy can be developed and implemented in local and regional contexts where authority is distributed and collaboration is essential. It examines how Strategic Doing supports coordinated action in loosely connected networks.
Going Beyond “What Should We Do?”: An Approach to Implementation of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Curriculum
2016 update on Pathways project incorporating Strategic Doing
The town-gown relationship: Collaboration in university communities
SD Fellow Rena Cotsones explores this particular kind of collaboration and what factors are behind success
Key themes: Cross-sector collaborationStimulating & Supporting Change in Entrepreneurship Education: Lessons from the Front Lines
This paper describes Pathways to Innovation (Pathways), a national program that uses a team-based guided change process to help faculty and institutions introduce and embed innovation and entrepreneurship into formal and informal educational experiences for undergraduate engineers. The paper briefly reviews the program design, its research based foundations, and the…
Social Networks, Strategic Doing and Sustainable Management of Local Food Systems
In recent years there has been increasing interest in many communities across the United States in developing local food systems. This has resulted in the creation of Food Policy Councils (FPCs) which have emerged as the entity with primary responsibility for managing the local food system’s growth and development. FPCs…
Network-based Engagement for Universities: Leveraging the Power of Open Networks
Paper presented at the 10th PASCAL International Observatory Conference (2012) This paper explores how universities can engage more effectively with their regions by working through open networks rather than hierarchical structures. Strategic Doing is presented as a practical approach to network-based collaboration.
Selected research and publications
2016 update on the Pathways project This paper focuses on the challenge of implementation — moving from ideas to action in curriculum reform. It documents how Strategic Doing was incorporated into the Pathways project to support coordinated, cross-institutional change.
Getting “There”: How Innovation & Entrepreneurship Become Part of Engineering Education
This paper reports on efforts of 50 universities to evolve their engineering education including their use of agile strategy.