Analyzing Strategic Thoughts of Corporations Based on Cognitive Map

In this paper, a cognitive map-based methodology is suggested as a tool to analyze different strategic thoughts in a corporation. In order to test its validity, the proposed framework is applied to a private company. The methodology provides a framework for the identification of all the ideas relevant for the future of the company, the categorization of the ideas, the specification of their relative priorities, the construction of the related cognitive map and the detailed analyses of the map in order to specify the goals, the key issues, the options etc. to focus in the future. The case study shows that the proposed methodology will be an important guide to the senior managers in building a shared framework for strategic thinking. It will help the senior managers to understand and learn each other’s perspective and to improve their own mental models.