Abstractness, concreteness, and strategic surprises

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Strategic Management
• Decision Sciences

Background:

• Traditional models attribute strategic surprises to information processing errors like inattention or misinterpretation.
• Existing theories focus on deficits in information acquisition and utilization as primary causes.
• These models often overlook the role of cognitive representations in strategic interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel explanation for strategic surprises centered on mental representations.
• To introduce Construal Level Theory (CLT) as a framework for understanding strategic surprise.
• To demonstrate the wide applicability of this CLT-based account across diverse domains.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical development integrating Construal Level Theory with strategic interaction.
• Conceptual analysis and synthesis of existing literature on strategic surprise.
• Illustration of the proposed framework across various real-world contexts.

Main Results:

• Strategic surprises emerge when mental representations are either too abstract or too concrete.
• Thinking at inappropriate levels of abstraction can lead to unexpected outcomes in strategic settings.
• The theory offers a parsimonious explanation applicable to interpersonal, organizational, and international relations.

Conclusions:

• The level of mental abstraction is a critical factor in the emergence of strategic surprises.
• Future research should explore the nuances of construal levels in strategic decision-making.
• Actionable strategies can be developed to manage mental representations and reduce vulnerability to surprises.