The Nature of Strategic Management: Chapter One

The Nature of Strategic Management
Chapter One
Chapter Objectives
1. 2. 3. 4.
Describe the strategic-management process. Explain the need for integrating analysis and intuition in strategic management. Define and give examples of key terms in strategic management. Discuss the nature of strategy formulation, implementation, and evaluation activities.
1-2 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education
Chapter Objectives (cont.)

5. 6.
Describe the benefits of good strategic management. Discuss the relevance of Sun Tzus The Art of War to strategic management. Discuss how a firm may achieve sustained competitive advantage.
7.
Defining Strategic Management

Strategic management
the art and science of formulating, implementing, and evaluating crossfunctional decisions that enable an organization to achieve its objectives

Strategic management is used
synonymously with the term strategic planning. Sometimes the term strategic management is used to refer to strategy formulation, implementation, and evaluation, with strategic planning referring only to strategy formulation.

A strategic plan is a companys game
plan. A strategic plan results from tough managerial choices among numerous good alternatives, and it signals commitment to specific markets, policies, procedures, and operations.
Stages of Strategic Management
Strategy formulation
Strategy
implementation
Strategy evaluation

Strategy formulation
includes developing a vision and mission, identifying an organizations external opportunities and threats, determining internal strengths and weaknesses, establishing long-term objectives, generating alternative strategies, and choosing particular strategies to pursue
Strategy Formulation
Deciding what new businesses to enter, What businesses to abandon, How to allocate resources, Whether to expand operations or
diversify, Whether to enter international markets, Whether to merge or form a joint venture, How to avoid a hostile takeover.

Strategy implementation
requires a firm to establish annual objectives, devise policies, motivate employees, and allocate resources so that formulated strategies can be executed often called the action stage

Strategy evaluation
reviewing external and internal factors that are the bases for current strategies, measuring performance, and taking corrective actions

Strategy formulation, implementation, and
evaluation activities occur at three hierarchical levels in a large organization: corporate, divisional or strategic business unit, and functional Strategic management helps a firm function as a competitive team
Integrating Intuition and Analysis

Most organizations can benefit from
strategic management, which is based upon integrating intuition and analysis in decision making Intuition is particularly useful for making decisions in situations of great uncertainty or little precedent
Adapting to Change
The second-largest bookstore chain in the
United States, Borders Group, declared bankruptcy in 2011 as the firm had not adapted well to changes in book retailing from traditional bookstore shopping to customers buying online, preferring digital books to hard copies Borders was on the brink of financial collapse before being acquired in July 2011 by Direct Brands
Key Terms in Strategic Management
Competitive
advantage
anything that a firm does especially well compared to rival firms
Strategists
the individuals who are most responsible for the success or failure of an organization
Vision statement
answers the question What do we want to become? often considered the first step in strategic planning
Mission statements
enduring statements of purpose that distinguish one business from other similar firms identifies the scope of a firms operations in product and market terms addresses the basic question that faces all strategists: What is our business?
External opportunities and external

threats
refer to economic, social, cultural, demographic, environmental, political, legal, governmental, technological, and competitive trends and events that could significantly benefit or harm an organization in the future
Some Opportunities and Threats

Computer hacker problems are increasing. Intense price competition is plaguing most
firms. Unemployment and underemployment rates remain high. Interest rates are rising. Product life cycles are becoming shorter. State and local governments are financially weak.
Internal strengths and internal

weaknesses
an organizations controllable activities that are performed especially well or poorly determined relative to competitors
Objectives
specific results that an organization seeks to achieve in pursuing its basic mission long-term means more than one year should be challenging, measurable, consistent, reasonable, and clear
Strategies
the means by which long-term objectives will be achieved may include geographic expansion, diversification, acquisition, product development, market penetration, retrenchment, divestiture, liquidation, and joint ventures
Annual objectives
short-term milestones that organizations must achieve to reach long-term objectives should be measurable, quantitative, challenging, realistic, consistent, and prioritized should be established at the corporate, divisional, and functional levels in a large organization
Sample Strategies in Action in 2011
Policies
the means by which annual objectives will be achieved include guidelines, rules, and procedures established to support efforts to achieve stated objectives guides to decision making and address repetitive or recurring situations
The Strategic-Management Model
Where are we now?

Where do we want to go? How are we going to get there?
A Comprehensive StrategicManagement Model
Benefits of Strategic Management

Historically, the principal benefit of
strategic management has been to help organizations formulate better strategies through the use of a more systematic, logical, and rational approach to strategic choice
Benefits of Strategic Management

Communication is a key to successful
strategic management Through dialogue and participation, managers and employees become committed to supporting the organization
Benefits to a Firm That Does Strategic Planning
Financial Benefits
Businesses using strategic-management
concepts show significant improvement in sales, profitability, and productivity compared to firms without systematic planning activities High-performing firms seem to make more informed decisions with good anticipation of both short- and long-term consequences
Nonfinancial Benefits
It allows for identification, prioritization,
and exploitation of opportunities. It provides an objective view of management problems. It represents a framework for improved coordination and control of activities. It minimizes the effects of adverse conditions and changes.
Nonfinancial Benefits
It allows major decisions to better support
established objectives. It allows more effective allocation of time and resources to identified opportunities. It allows fewer resources and less time to be devoted to correcting erroneous or ad hoc decisions. It creates a framework for internal communication among personnel.
Why Some Firms Do No Strategic Planning

Lack of knowledge in strategic planning Poor reward structures Firefighting Waste of time Too expensive Laziness Content with success
Why Some Firms Do No Strategic Planning

Fear of failure Overconfidence Prior bad experience Self-interest Fear of the unknown Honest difference of opinion Suspicion
Pitfalls in Strategic Planning

Using strategic planning to gain control over
decisions and resources Doing strategic planning only to satisfy accreditation or regulatory requirements Too hastily moving from mission development to strategy formulation Failing to communicate the plan to employees, who continue working in the dark Top managers making many intuitive decisions that conflict with the formal plan
Pitfalls in Strategic Planning

Top managers not actively supporting the
strategic-planning process Failing to use plans as a standard for measuring performance Delegating planning to a planner rather than involving all managers Failing to involve key employees in all phases of planning Failing to create a collaborative climate supportive of change
Guidelines for Effective Strategic Management
Comparing Business and Military Strategy

A fundamental difference between military
and business strategy is that business strategy is formulated, implemented, and evaluated with an assumption of competition, whereas military strategy is based on an assumption of conflict Both business and military organizations must adapt to change and constantly improve to be successful
Excerpts from Sun Tzus The Art of War Writings

War is a matter of vital importance to the
state: a matter of life or death, the road either to survival or ruin. Hence, it is imperative that it be studied thoroughly Know your enemy and know yourself, and in a hundred battles you will never be defeated Skillful leaders do not let a strategy inhibit creative counter-movement

The Nature of Strategic Management: Chapter One

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Nature of Strategic Management: Chapter One

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Nature of Strategic Management: Chapter One

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Nature of Strategic Management

1-2 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Chapter Objectives (cont.)

1-3 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Defining Strategic Management

1-4 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Defining Strategic Management

Defining Strategic Management

1-6 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Stages of Strategic Management

1-7 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Stages of Strategic Management

1-8 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Stages of Strategic Management

1-10 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Stages of Strategic Management

1-11 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Stages of Strategic Management

1-12 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Integrating Intuition and Analysis

1-13 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Key Terms in Strategic Management

1-15 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Key Terms in Strategic Management

1-16 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Key Terms in Strategic Management

1-17 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Key Terms in Strategic Management

External opportunities and external

1-18 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Some Opportunities and Threats

Key Terms in Strategic Management

Internal strengths and internal

1-20 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Key Terms in Strategic Management

1-21 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Key Terms in Strategic Management

1-22 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Key Terms in Strategic Management

Sample Strategies in Action in 2011

1-24 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Key Terms in Strategic Management

1-25 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

The Strategic-Management Model

Where are we now?

A Comprehensive StrategicManagement Model

1-27 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Benefits of Strategic Management

1-28 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Benefits of Strategic Management

1-29 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Benefits to a Firm That Does Strategic Planning

1-30 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

1-31 Copyright 2013 Pearson Education

Why Some Firms Do No Strategic Planning

Why Some Firms Do No Strategic Planning

Pitfalls in Strategic Planning

Pitfalls in Strategic Planning

Guidelines for Effective Strategic Management