STRATEGIC AFICIONADOS

Strategy

"Nobody really knows what strategy is."

Strategy as a 'Plan'

Consciously intended, purposeful course of action in advance to deal with a situation

Plan is bounded by time, a objective or goal which is to be achieved in future

Example: 12th Five Year Plan of Indian Government
Definite Period: 5 years (2012-2017)
Objective: Final growth target of 9% (GDP)
Focus: On Poverty reduction by 10%

Strategy as a 'Ploy'

As a specific plan strategy can be a ploy too; i.e. a specific maneuver intended to outwit an opponent

A fake show to discourage the competitor

Example: A company may give a market signal indicating that it would expand plant capacity to discourage a competitor from building a new plant

Strategy as 'Pattern'

Consistency in behaviour, whether or not intended resulting into a pattern

Past actions ==> Implicit Strategy

Intended: Henry Ford selling model-T only in black
Unintended: a large corporation acquiring start-ups

"Strategies are both plans for the future and patterns from the past"

Planning & Realization

Strategies as plans are not always "realized"

Realized strategies are not always the result of a plan

Strategy as "Position"

It is mediating force/match between organization and its environment.

Ecological Terms: 'Niche'

Economical Terms: Generates rent in a unique place

Management Terms: Product - market domain, where resources are concentrated

Strategy as 'Perspective'

Strategy is a perspective shared by the member of an organization, through their intentions and/or by their actions.

Perspective is an ingrained way of perceiving the world

Other conceptual perceptions

Psychologists
Anthropologists
Sociologists

Military Theorists
Management Theorists
Behavioural Scientists

Perspective is all about how we (a person) see things around us (him).

Interrelating The 5ps

Perspective

Position

Position A

Position B

PLAN: Virtually every firm created strategic plan to guide its future. Plans are important to individuals too. if you are reading this, probably you have a career plan that requires college degree.

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Limitations of Mintzberg's 5Ps

Quantum Leaps or Strategic Re-orientation as observed is not covered by these 5Ps

Failure to mention the importance of the various levels of strategic management

It fails to bring out the complexity of the specific dimensions:
Comprehensive analysis of organisation resources
Analysis of a firm’s environment

THANK YOU

Submitted to:

Prof. Tawfiq Elahi

Copy of deck

By Chirag Sharma