Corporate Strategists

This chapter examines corporate strategists—in-house strategy staffs—as a major part of the Strategy profession. It examines their growth since the beginning of the twentieth century, and especially since the 1960s. It demonstrates that corporate strategists remain a significant professional group, long after Mintzberg’s (1994) description of a ‘fall’ of strategic planning. The chapter identifies important continuities in the nature of corporate strategists’ work, including analysis and support for senior management, especially the chief executive officer. Further continuities for corporate strategists include the permeable and precarious nature of their profession. At the same time, the chapter identifies attractive features of the corporate strategy role, such as intellectual stimulus, broad perspectives, career progression, and closeness to top management decision-making.