This study presents the results of a vertical analysis of articles published in the Strategic Management Journal, from its first issue in 1980 through to its September 2006 issue, with the aim of mapping the growth and evolution of the themes of strategy and strategic planning. The results obtained form part of a wider study currently in progress, aimed at mapping the development of these themes among the main international journals of similar standing to the Strategic Management Journal. The information gathered will enable a deeper understanding of the main international journals which focus on strategy. In the selection process, which was carried out in three stages, 922 articles were identified on strategy and 112 articles on strategic planning, from among the 1500 articles published during the period. Using methods similar to those of studies carried out with similar objectives, the most frequently published authors were identified. A decrease was observed in the number of articles on the two themes studied, while at the same time, there was an increase in the number of pages and authors per article.