Business leaders by using chess as an analogical modelcan enhance their cognitive skills and develop a more strategic, proactive approach to decision-making.

Take a look at the papers below that have some level of references to help you explore strategic thinking and innovation in management. I have used some of the references in my research as well.

Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon and Enric Ricart, Joan, Company Strategy: Business Model Reconfiguration for Innovation and Internationalization (July 10, 2009). IESE Business School Working Paper No. 807, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1550782 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1550782

Berisha Qehaja, Albana and Kutllovci, Enver, Strategy Tools in Use: New Empirical Insights From the Strategy-As-Practice Perspective (2020). Management, Vol. 25, 2020, No.1, pp. 145-169, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3728983

Analogical models like chess significantly improve decision-making in business management by developing strategic foresight, pattern recognition, and adaptive responses under uncertainty. Chess demands evaluating future consequences and anticipating competitors’ moves, reflecting real-world managerial challenges. Gavetti and Rivkin (2005) highlight how analogical reasoning helps managers transfer insights from familiar domains to novel strategic problems. Mintzberg (1994) emphasizes strategy as both analysis and intuition skills honed through chess. Gary Klein’s (1998) Sources of Power also supports analogical decision-making, showing how experts draw from past experiences in high-stakes situations. Moreover, studies by Calabretta et al. (2017) show that design thinking and analogical tools promote innovation and clarity in uncertain business environments. Hodgkinson et al. (2009) illustrate that cognitive frameworks, like those in chess, enhance executives' strategic agility. Finally, Reiter-Palmon and Illies (2004) note that analogical thinking strengthens creative problem-solving, making chess an effective metaphor and training model for complex managerial tasks.

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