The formation of high strategic thinking ability: a study of Chinese grassroots cadres

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of the research is to identify the factors contributing to the formation of high-level strategic thinking ability (STA) of Chinese grassroots cadres.Design/methodology/approachThrough in-depth interviews with 20 Chinese grassroots cadres with high-level STA and grounded theory method, this research explores the contributive factors for the formation of the grassroots cadres' STA from a dynamic and long-term perspective.FindingsThe formation of STA is an accumulative process based on the interaction between external factors, including wide space for activities, adequate supporting resources, demonstration of role model, and inflection point and internal drivers, including strong sense of self-actualization, high sense of responsibility, thinking enhancement skills, diverse knowledge and high openness. Moreover, the external factors play a more important role in shaping STA in the early growth stage of the grassroots cadres, while in the late stage the internal factors tend to dominate.Practical implicationsThe study advises to offer more professional training on STA and take STA as an important factor for Chinese grassroots cadres to compete in a complex socio-political environment in the long term.Originality/value(1) This paper investigates into the STA of Chinese grassroots cadres, which are largely ignored in current literature; (2) different from the extant studies which studies the static influencing factors of STA, such as demographic variables, personal traits and organizational characteristics, this paper focuses on the dynamic and long-term factors during the growth of the cadres.

Book review: Sergey O Shokhin and Ekaterina V Kudryashova, The Legal Framework for Strategic Planning in Contemporary Russia: Monograph

“…This edition focused on the legal framework of strategic planning in Russia will be of great interest to academics and practitioners in China as well. The exchange of experience in the public management field is even more fruitful once the researchers come from the countries which have comparable political system and life (Xu et al, 2022). The academic discourse is facilitated by the international political or economic integration process if the academics come from the countries involved in it (Verlaine et al, 2020).…”