Strategy concepts in the view of management students

Abstract

Strategy concept has several framings, which can cause asymmetry between how strategy is defined and how it has been practiced. Thus, this study aimed to identify, from the twelve concepts proposed by Mainardes et al. (2014) to present, which concept of strategy is the most perceived by undergraduate management students as being the one that best defines strategy. In order to achieve this objective, a quantitative, descriptive and crosssectional research was performed with a sample of 134 respondents (students) in three units of a school system located in the large region of Vitória - Espírito Santo. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire based on studies by Mainarde et al. (2014). We learnt that among the addressed concepts of strategy a consensus among students was not identified. That can lead each one of the students to use the concept of strategy according to their own interpretation and perception. The results indicate that out of the twelve concepts proposed by Mainardes et al. (2014), the concepts “strategy involves the entire company” and “strategy is the development of plans, policies and practices to achieve the objectives of the company” were the mostly frequently lines identified by students as being the meaning to the term strategy. Possibly the students will take these concepts to their professional practice.