The general purpose of this research is to develop an understanding and subsequently to explain the work of strategists (strategic actors) during the strategy formulating process by examining the process from a practice perspective. This involves identifying and describing actions and practices undertaken and used by strategists during the process. Thus, this research aims to answer the following research question: What categories of actions and practices do strategists associate with the strategy formulating process?

The ontological assumption of this study is according to the Giddens’ structuration theory that strategists (social actors) produce the social reality. The theoretical framework of the research was constructed by linking the strategy-as-practice perspective on strategy to the more traditional strategic management research fields referred to as process and content research. The strategy-as practice perspective is concerned with the everyday processes, practices and activities involved in the making of strategy i.e. the strategy process and content. Thus, the strategy-as-practice perspective is neither intended to compete with nor to replace the content and process traditions. The practice perspective is rather intended to engage reciprocally with the content and process research. The empirical research material was collected from several Finnish and Swedish organisations selected from both within the public and the private sector. The study is a qualitative research based on interviews conducted with in total nine strategic actors at seven organisations. The empirical research material has then been analysed by applying a grounded theory approach.

The main results of the paper are identification of actions and practices that strategists reported to have taken place in the organisations they represent. The study identifies seven different types of actions in the strategy process. The categories are communicating, controlling, planning, interacting with the external environment, organising, realizing and revising the strategy. The study gives also insight that not only do the formal actions undertaken by the strategists that are explicitly and consciously related to the strategy work but also informal actions outside the official strategy work do contribute to the strategy process. The study provides the basis for the further research, proposing the research focus how the actions are developed and transformed into institutionalised practices.

Keywords: strategy as practice, actions, strategy process, structuration theory