Emergent strategy-making in private higher education institutions by managers: a micro-foundational perspective

Abstract

EMERGENT STRATEGY-MAKING IN PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS BY MANAGERS: A MICRO-FOUNDATIONAL PERSPECTIVE The current study aimed to explore how strategy emerges in South African Private Higher Education Institution (PHEI) through the everyday micro-foundational practices of managers operating at various organisational levels. Existing strategy literature has largely prioritised deliberate, top-down processes, often overlooking how strategy is enacted informally, iteratively and contextually within complex institutional environments. This research departed from a linear, plan-based ontology and instead adopted a practice-process perspective grounded in Strategy-as-Practice (S-as-P), micro-foundational theory, and Bourdieu’s theory of practice. From this viewpoint, strategy is regarded not as a fixed outcome but as a dynamic phenomenon shaped by situated cognition, social interaction, power and individual routines. The study employed a qualitative, intrinsic single-case design, purposively sampling managers at operational, middle and executive levels within a South African PHEI. A constructivist-interpretivist paradigm guided the research, enabling a rich interpretation of how managers enacted strategy through daily micro-foundational-practices. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, written narratives and document analysis. The data were thematically analysed to produce a grounded model of emergent strategising informed by real-world managerial practices. Key findings revealed that strategy emerged through socially embedded micro-doings, such as strategic adaptation and flexibility, institutional purpose and vision, communication and collaboration in decision-making, and the influence of leadership and power dynamics. Central to these findings was the role of “phronesis” (practical wisdom) and “metis” (practical intelligence), which enabled managers to navigate flux, uncertainty, the institution and operating environment. Significantly, the study advanced a multi-level understanding of strategic agency, highlighting that managers at various hierarchical levels contributed meaningfully to emergent strategising, despite differing levels of formal iii authority. This contribution adds a contextual and empirical extension to S-as-P by recognising that strategising is not merely concentrated at the top but is distributed through layers of practice across the organisation. The main theoretical contribution of the study lies in its integration of micro-foundations with a practice-based view of strategy within a context from the Global South. The findings challenge essentialist views of strategy as formal design and instead position strategy-making as a pluralistic, emergent process shaped by practice, power and place. The final conceptual framework connects micro-practices to organisational outcomes, offering an alternative perspective on how strategy is enacted under real-world institutional conditions. The study concludes that strategising is not merely the result of deliberate planning but also arises from responsive, embodied and socially constructed actions. These insights enhance our understanding of the lived dynamics of strategy work and provide a valuable foundation for future research and leadership development in higher education contexts experiencing change. The findings may inform the design of more adaptive, inclusive and practice-oriented strategic processes within PHEIs and similar organisations

UKWENZIWA KWAMASU EZIKHUNGWENI EZIZIMELE ZEMFUNDO EPHAKEME OKWENZIWA NGABAPHATHI: NGOKWEZIMO ZANGALESO SIKHATHI EZENZAKALAYO Inhloso yocwaningo lwamanje ukuphenya mayelana nokuthi amasu avela kanjani ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme ezimele eNingizimu Afrika (HPEIs) kusetshenziswa imisebenzi yansuku eyenziwa abaphathi abasemazingeni ehlukene esikhungweni. Incwadi yamasu esetshenziswayo ibeka eqhulwini izinqubo ezihleliwe ukusuka phezulu, ezivame ukuthi zikushaye indiva okwamasu angahleliwe, okuphindaphindiwe, futhi ngokuhambisana nokwenzeka endaweni yesikhungo eziyinkimbinkimbi. Lolu cwaningo luyasuka ohlelweni olulandelwayo/oluqondile okuwucwaningo ngokukhona, kunalokho lusebenzisa umbono wenqubo yalokho kwangaleso sikhathi okusekelwe yi-Strategy-as-Practice (S-as-P), ithiyori yezenzo zabantu/yokwenzakalayo, kanye nethiyori yenqubo ka-Bourdieu. Ngokwalo mbono, isu aliwona umphumela ongaguquki kodwa liyaguquka ngokwezimo ezikhona, ukuxhumana kwabantu, nangezinqubo zansuku zonke zomuntu ngamunye, izimo zenhlangano nezingaphandle kanye nobudlelwano bamandla. Ucwaningo lusebenzise ikhwalithethivu, olusezingeni eliphezulu olugxile ohlangothini olulodwa esikhungweni semfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrika, ukuhlola ukuthi abaphathi balisebenzisa kanjani isu ngokwezinto/izinqubo zansuku zonke. Ngemposamibuzo eyenziwe kubaphathi abehlukene kuwo wonke amazinga kanye nokuhlaziywa kwemiqulu, kusungulwe indlela ekhombisa ukuthi isu lakhiwa ukuziphatha kwabaphathi kwansuku zonke. Iziphumo ezisemqoka ukuthi isu livela ngokwenzeka nsuku zonke, izenzo zomphakathi, ngokuhambisana nezimo. Okubalulekile kulokhu okutholakele yindima ye-“phronesis” (ukusebenzisa ubuhlakani) kanye ne-“metis” (ukusebenzisa amaqhinga), okwenze abaphathi bakwazi ukubhekana nokungabikho kozinzo, ukungaqiniseki, kanye nokungezwani esikhungweni. Ucwaningo luhlonze izizinda ezine ezixhumene ezibe nomthelela ekuveleni kwamasu: indlela abantu abahlobana ngayo, indlela ababecabanga/abenza ngayo, izinqubo abazisebenzisayo, kanye nesikhundla sabo v enhlanganweni. Abaphathi badale isu ngezenzo ezincane, eziguquguqukayo, nezingekho emthethweni/ezingahleliwe. Ngokuphawulekayo, ucwaningo luveza ukuthi amasu awagcini ngokuvela kubaphathi abaphezulu, kodwa kuwo wonke amazinga okuphatha. Lokhu kuvumelana nethiyori yeS-as-P ngokubonisa abaphathi kunoma yiliphi izinga banesandla ekwakhiweni kwamasu, kungakhathaliseki igunya labo elisemthethweni. Lolu cwaningo luhlanganisa izenzo zomuntu ngamunye nezinqubo zansuku zonke ukuze kuqondwe isu ngokweGlobal South. Kubonisa ukuthi isu akulona nje uhlelo oluqala phezulu lwehlele ezansi, kodwa wuhlelo oluguquguqukayo olubunjwa ukwenza, amandla, nendawo. Uhlaka lokugcina luxhumanisa lezi zenzo zansuku zonke nemiphumela yesikhungo, lunikeza umbono omusha wokuthi isu lenzeka kanjani ngempela ngokwezimo zezikhungo Ucwaningo luphetha ngelokuthi isu akuyona nje into ehlelwayo ngaphakathi kodwa liphinde livele ngezenzo zesikhathi sangempela nezenhlalo, njall. Le miphumela isiza ukuthuthukisa indlela abaholi bemfundo ephakeme abaphatha ngayo izinguquko, ikhuthaze ukuhlela okuhambisana nezimo nokubandakanya wonke umuntu.