A strategy-as-practice model on executive succession: group dynamics, objectification, and trust-Part II

The aim of this article was to analyse the complexity of successions and, counteracting destructive group dynamics, to present a strategy model. An in-depth case study of several successions within the same organisation was used. Several chair of board and CEO successions would restore and develop the trust of employees and stakeholders. By executing effective succession processes, a governance structure creates legitimacy and trust. The research identified different "doings", called praxes, that objectified (Bollas, 1999) the succession dynamics. The more active and less habitual, the more effective was the execution of the strategy praxes. A longitudinal action research project included participative bottom-up processes, facilitative processes, coaching, observations of the board, interviews, and archive data.