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Aalto University School of Business Master's Theses are now in the Aaltodoc publication archive (Aalto University institutional repository)
School of Business | Department of Management and International Business | Organization and Management | 2011
Thesis number: 12514
Collective intelligence in strategic leadership
Author: Laine, Sebastian
Title: Collective intelligence in strategic leadership
Year: 2011  Language: eng
Department: Department of Management and International Business
Academic subject: Organization and Management
Index terms: johtaminen; management; strategia; strategy; päätöksenteko; decision making; crowd sourcing; crowd sourcing
Pages: 89
Key terms: collective intelligence, strategic leadership, strategy, leadership, decision- making
Abstract:
Collective intelligence is forecasted to transform businesses and the way companies make decisions. However, many senior business managers have a poor understanding of collective intelligence and thus they face challenges in utilizing it. The main objective of this study was to provide understanding of collective intelligence and examine how it can benefit strategic leadership.

The research was conducted by using the methods of a qualitative case study. The study combines literature review with empirical research. The research method used in the empirical data collection was semi-structured thematic interviews. The interview material was examined by using the methods of inductive content analysis.

The findings of the study suggest that collective intelligence can benefit strategic leadership in several ways. When harnessed and applied collective intelligence can provide valuable insight from broad audiences and hence improve decision-making. Collective intelligence can increase companies’ strategic agility and the process of harnessing collective intelligence can also have a positive effect on employee engagement.
Master's theses are stored at Learning Centre in Otaniemi.