Adaptive approach to strategy (Mintzberg) is best described as

• A. Large Strategic Shifts
• B. Complete Strategic Overhauls
• C. Inevitable Fixed Plan
• D. Small Incremental Steps to Adapt to Fit Environment

Answer: (D)

Adaptive strategy is about learning and adjusting as you go. Mintzberg emphasizes that in uncertain, changing environments, successful strategy comes from making small, deliberate steps, testing them, and adapting based on feedback. It’s not a single fixed plan or a one-off overhaul; it’s a series of incremental moves that help the organization fit the real world as conditions evolve. That’s why describing it as small incremental steps to adapt to fit the environment best captures the idea. Large shifts or complete overhauls imply more drastic, top-down changes, while a fixed inevitable plan contradicts the need to respond to new information and circumstances. For example, a company may gradually tweak product features and timing in response to customer feedback and competitive moves, rather than launching a radical, all-at-once redefinition.