Artistry for the strategist

Abstract

Purpose

Artistry has been suggested by many authors to be a characteristic of exemplary practitioners in any discipline; however, few have defined artistry, or described how it might be employed and developed. The purpose of this paper is to explain the role of artistry in practice and how it can be developed.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper explains the relevance of artistry to contemporary practice. The problems faced by today ' s practitioners are often filled with features such as ambiguity, uncertainty, and complexity. The paper suggests that, in the face of these features, practitioners may not be able to rely on historical solutions however powerful these may be. Artistry is explained as an alternative capability that allows practitioners to work effectively with difficult problems.

Findings

Artistry is not an exclusive talent. Instead, it is a learned, emergent capability that allows practitioners to integrate mastery and originality as the work. This integration is made possible through the development of a sophisticated knowledge system.

Originality/value

By revealing what artistic practice is and how it can be achieved, this paper gives practitioners a route to a creative and effective approach to practice.

Citation

Austen Johnson, H. (2007), "Artistry for the strategist", Journal of Business Strategy, Vol. 28 No. 4, pp. 13-21. https://doi.org/10.1108/02756660710760908