Essential Elements of Corporate Strategy |
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Back to Corporate Strategy Main Menu The major focus of corporate strategy is to present a method by which any business can adapt to a changing environment. The focus of corporate strategy is to enable a business to improve it's competitive advantage. Corporate strategy theory presents us with the following questions:
Let us now expand our corporate thinking. Corporate self analysis is about answering the first question, where are we now?. The logic is to examine the current status of the business. Areas to look at within corporate self analysis include:
Use the corporate self-analysis model we provide to develop your thinking. From the corporate self analysis we can then look at where the business would like to see itself positioned and develop a strategy to help it reach that position. When devising any business strategy, you need to consider:
The best model of corporate analysis in relation to strategy formulation has been developed by Johnson and Scholes during the 1980's. The logic of the model is shown below:
The basic premise of this model is that strategic analysis/choice/implementation all effect each other. These three main elements need their internal facets to be observed in any business strategy. DIFFERENT STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS When evaluating the different strategic directions a business can take there are several routes a business can explore:
The overriding logic of formulating strategy is that any strategy must be in line with the business objectives, ensuring stakeholder needs are maintained and that needs of the surrounding environment are adhered to. After developing several potential strategies, the next step in the process is to look at the different strategies to see which one will be the most suitable:
In terms of evaluating any potential strategy, two key elements need to be observed, the first is the financial viability of the strategy, how soon will the costs be recouped?, and will the benefits to the business be long-term?. The second element must be the effect of a strategy on the current facilities and resources, does the business require additional employees to both implement the strategy and maintain it? There is no clear cut advice that can be given on how to implement a strategy. The only advice we can give is to keep it simple, clear, precise. But above all make sure everyone understands what is expected of them. Studies of how to implement a strategy by Nutt showed that the success rate for strategies was greater when the strategic managers spent more time looking at how implementation issues, as opposed to merely forcing a strategy, questions raised by Nutt on implementing a strategy include:
When looking at the implementing strategy it is advisable that you keep the aim and text of the strategy as simple as possible. From the outline of the strategy, the next step is to define the processes and tasks which are needed to implement the strategy. From identifying the tasks for implementation the next phase will be identify who will be responsible to carry out the implementation stages, and finally to ensure the review of the strategy:
If a business is to remain competitive in an ever changing environment, then strategic reviews need to take place from the management of the business to assess the business in relation to it's environment, accordingly adjusting the strategic focus of the business. When developing a strategy for your business, never overlook what the core competencies of your business are, as it is these fundamental areas which have made your business successful and it is these areas which need to harnessed in future strategy Back to Corporate Strategy Main Menu |
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