MIT Sloan Management Review Article on Embracing a Strategic Paradox

The writer F. Scott Fitzgerald once observed, “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.”

But within a business, opposing ideas typically lead to conflict, and in the face of conflicting demands, managers will feel anxiety, stress, and frustration. However, our research at Aeon Co. Ltd., one of Japan’s largest retailers, suggests that a positive approach to handling conflicts between opposing ideas can create new value for a company.

About the Author

Toshiro Wakayama is a professor of innovation and strategy at the Graduate School of International Management of the International University of Japan in Minami-Uonuma, in the Niigata prefecture of Japan. Karen LaPierre is an associate leadership coach and research fellow at Leading Coach, a Tokyo coaching firm.

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