The Stretch of Strategic Management Discourse: A Critical Analysis

This article investigates the stretch of strategic management discourse, accomplished through writing economic development into the umbrella of strategic management. Building on the notion of authors as institutional entrepreneurs, I use discourse analysis methodology to analyze selected texts by Michael Porter that accomplish this discursive stretch. Findings illustrate the reality produced by the stretch of strategic management discourse, the discursive mechanisms used to accomplish this stretch, and how these mechanisms are concealed. I conclude with implications for future research investigating instances of stretch of strategic management discourses and for critical approaches to strategic management and economic development.