Strategic Thinking and Strategic Planning: A Conceptual Exposition through a Case Study of the Police Force in the UAE

Abstract

This research aims to explore how the Police Force in the UAE incorporate innovative strategic thinking into strategic planning, by which they guarantee the sustainable impact of their strategic orientation. This research has been designed as an authentic effort through addressing a general inquiry that emerged as a core concern of the research: ‘How can we understand the strategic thinking process and practice?’ This inquiry motivated the researcher towards two comprehensive aims: 1) What are the processes that formulate strategic thinking? 2) How can we apply strategic thinking in practice? These aims have been incorporated in developing a conceptual framework of strategic thinking through a triangulation of the literature review, data analysis and research orientation. Aligning with the national strategic agenda of the United Arab Emirates Government (2021), and in line with the Strategic Agenda of Abu Dhabi (2030), this research develops RoOTS (Road of Organisation Thinking Strategically) as an original conceptual framework of strategic thinking. RoOTS has been built to cover two paradigms of the organisation: the change paradigm (i.e. visible system) and the cultural paradigm (i.e. invisible system). Accordingly, this study deeply explores the dynamic roots of strategic thinking processes and practice in order to understand how a strategic thinking approach leads to effective managerial change and development in the public sector. Furthermore, this study captures multiple stakeholders’ perceptions in the public sector including top-down and bottom-up approaches. Such an inclusive approach helps us to draw a rich picture and implement a roadmap that shapes a comprehensive strategic thinking model in the public sphere. The main methods employed are semi-structured interviews with elite management within the Police Force in the UAE (i.e. Ministry of Interior, Abu Dhabi police, and Dubai Police), followed by a focus group with middle and operational level within the same organisation to understand strategic thinking processes and practice. RoOTS offers a comprehensive structure defining the features of organisational culture, making direct links between strategic thinking and strategic planning. In addition, particular references are given to the social constructions and associated cultural contexts in the UAE.

Date of Award	31 Dec 2018
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	A Wood-Harper (Supervisor) & Peter Kawalek (Supervisor)