Meta-rationality and strategy

The question of conflicting strategy prescriptions is viewed from the perspective of recent developments in the theory of rational decisions. A conceptual framework is proposed involving multiple rationalities and meta-rational relationships. Conflicting prescriptions are recast as conflicts between alternative forms of rationality. The framework is operationalised, producing (i) a structured set of diagnostic questions and (ii) a means to identify situations where there is only limited scope for further technical decision analysis. Some implications for strategic decision-support-systems are outlined, and comparable theories and techniques are discussed.