Organizational Psychology

Purpose. To refine the conceptual understanding of “strategic thinking” in light of the changes that have taken place in the research field over the past few decades. Methodology and study design. A bibliometric analysis of publications from 1962 to 2024, retrieved from the Scopus database and related to strategic thinking. The study utilized a frequency-based approach with a minimum co-occurrence threshold set at 3, allowing for the identification of even rare but relevant connections among terms. Aqualitative analysis of the theoretical and applied dimensions of strategic thinking as a meta-skill was conducted. Findings. Eight major thematic trends were revealed, including linkages to strategic learning, leadership, change management, and both group-level and individual-level psychological factors. Th study underscores the synthetic nature of strategic thinking and highlights new challenges that have influenced a reevaluation of its conceptual scope. Conclusions and implications for practice. The findings indicate that in contemporary settings, meta-skills — particularly the core meta-skill of strategic thinking — are no longer viewed solely as the prerogative of top executives. In platform economies and digital ecosystems, every employee can act as an independent agent — like an entrepreneur — seekingto maximize personal earnings and career prospects. A new definition of strategic thinking is proposed.This reconstruction advances both strategic management and organizational psychology, pointing to the need for encompassing both technological and psychological factors in the conceptual framework. Strategic thinking, understood as a meta-skill, facilitates the formulation of coherent strategic decisions by fostering an organization-wide, shared understanding of the firm’s developmental trajectory. Achieving such strategic coherence requires the active participation of not only the top management team but also managers at every organizational tier — particularly units delivering corporate learning.