Meta-Synthesis of Soft-Systems Methodology in Strategic Management Analysis

One of the methodologies helps strategic management solve complex problems is soft systems methodology. Strategic management issues are emerging in the real world. Today's organizational environment is complex and dynamic. Hard operations research methods are not responsive to strategic issues. To this end, a greater focus on research techniques in soft operations can help further solve complex strategic management issues in shorter time and with greater accuracy. In strategic planning for organizations within Iran, there are difficulties such as the lack of optimal response to environmental change when using common techniques. As well, there is lack of enough attention to the methodological studies of soft systems compared to conventional studies in strategic management process. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to identify the applications of soft systems in strategic management process. Accordingly, through Meta-synthesis, methodological studies of soft systems in strategic formulation, implementation, and control are identified and introduced. In this study, out of 808 identified soft systems methodology articles, 73 articles related to strategic management area were identified. After eliminating duplicates, it was found that soft systems methodology has been used in the conventional literature of 67 strategic management topics. These topics are categorized, according to the strategic management process, under the stages of strategic formulation, implementation, and control.