Designing Effective Management Offices: A Cross-Organizational Study of Structure, Culture, and Strategy Execution
Document Type
Event
Faculty Mentor
Elizabeth Goryunova
Abstract
Management offices, also known as strategy units or coordination teams, increasingly help close the gap between strategy and action. They achieve this by aligning culture, managing portfolios, encouraging flexibility, and utilizing tools such as dashboards, Lean methods, and artificial intelligence (AI). This research analyzes how organizations set up and use their management offices to support leadership and carry out strategy in challenging environments. I observe that even when organizations value strategy execution, they often struggle to establish internal offices that guide leaders, inform decision-making, and facilitate transformation. In this study, I used a qualitative approach and interviewed 10 professionals with experience in strategy, performance, or management office roles. I analyzed the interview data thematically to find shared structures, tools, and factors that contribute to success. This approach allowed me to explore the topic in detail while still keeping the project manageable and to provide practical recommendations for improving coordination and strategy. Through this research, I clarified how management offices operate across different sectors, including public and international settings. Keywords: strategic leadership, management office, portfolio management, artificial intelligence, organizational culture, organizational change, transformation
Designing Effective Management Offices: A Cross-Organizational Study of Structure, Culture, and Strategy Execution
Management offices, also known as strategy units or coordination teams, increasingly help close the gap between strategy and action. They achieve this by aligning culture, managing portfolios, encouraging flexibility, and utilizing tools such as dashboards, Lean methods, and artificial intelligence (AI). This research analyzes how organizations set up and use their management offices to support leadership and carry out strategy in challenging environments. I observe that even when organizations value strategy execution, they often struggle to establish internal offices that guide leaders, inform decision-making, and facilitate transformation. In this study, I used a qualitative approach and interviewed 10 professionals with experience in strategy, performance, or management office roles. I analyzed the interview data thematically to find shared structures, tools, and factors that contribute to success. This approach allowed me to explore the topic in detail while still keeping the project manageable and to provide practical recommendations for improving coordination and strategy. Through this research, I clarified how management offices operate across different sectors, including public and international settings. Keywords: strategic leadership, management office, portfolio management, artificial intelligence, organizational culture, organizational change, transformation
