Strategy formulation in U.S. federal agencies: Insights from the Miles and Snow typology applied to three United States federal agencies

Development of strategic management in U.S. federal agencies began in the late 1970s (Alford, 2001; Poister & Streib, 2005). A review of the literature indicates that strategic management practices developed for the private sector have had limited success in public organizations (Boyne & Walker, 2004). This study examines this literature through the exploration of the proposition that applying the Miles and Snow strategic typology to examine strategy formulation in three U.S. Federal agencies provides preliminary insight into range of behavioral strategies in the Federal sector.;The Miles and Snow (1978) strategic typology is based on organizations in a particular industry displaying behavioral patterns that can be categorized into four archetypes. The four archetypes are 1) the prospector, 2) the defender, 3) the analyzer, and 4) the reactor. Miles and Snow argue that the organization's behavioral patterns can be observed by product line changes, or an organization's entrances and exits from markets. Defenders have a narrow product-market sphere; prospectors continually seek new markets; analyzers are a mixture of both the defender and prospector types; and reactors simply respond to their environments.;Using evidence-based research synthesis (EBRS) methods, this study critiques existing analyses to examine strategy in three public sector agencies over a 33-year period, from 1978 through 2011. The findings are: 1) different archetypes indicate different behavioral strategies for public sector agencies as hypothesized by Miles and Snow; 2) behavioral responses to their environments typically lead public organizations to pursue defender strategies, which is also true at the federal level; and 3) there are differences in public and private sector strategy formulation. For example, in the public sector strategy is influenced more by key stakeholders, e.g., congressional mandates, than in the private sector. Additionally, regulation may afford the public sector organizations a protected environment that may mitigate the market influence.;Drawing upon these findings, the strategies of the Department of Education (ED), Energy (DOE), and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) over a 10-year period, from 2000 through 2010 are examined, implications are provided, and avenues for further research are suggested. ED, DOE, and HUD pursue strategies and these strategies that can be identified through specific patterns that can be characterized and classified. In these three federal agencies, pursuit of strategies (i.e., analyzer, prospector, defender and reactor) typically fit their environments. ED and HUD appear to pursue defender strategies and DOE appear to pursue analyzer strategies. The research indicates that the Miles and Snow strategic typology is applicable in the public sector environment. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on strategic management in the public sector by helping managers discover how strategy is implemented in public sector organizations.