MANAGERIAL COGNITION: A MISSING LINK IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT RESEARCH

Abstract

This article explores the linkages between cognitive science and strategic management research. It begins by noting that Schendel and Hofer, in their classic workStrategic Management: A New View of Business Policy and Planning, implicitly assumed a cognitive basis for much of the strategy-making process but did little to systematize a cognitive approach. Next, the article examines the foundations of modern cognitive science. Several areas of recent research that are particularly relevant to strategic thinking are reviewed. The article concludes with a call for a more explicit cognitive emphasis in strategic management.