THE  STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PROCESS

“Without a strategy the organization is like a ship without a rudder, going around in circles.”

Joel Ross and Michael Kami

Chapter  Outline

uFive Tasks of Strategic Management

èDeveloping a Strategic Vision and Mission

èSetting Objectives

èCrafting a Strategy

èImplementing and Executing the Strategy

èEvaluating Performance and Initiating    Corrective Adjustments

uWhy Strategic Management Is a Process

uWho Performs the Tasks of Strategy?

uBenefits of “Thinking and Managing        Strategically”

Thinking  Strategically:
The  Three  Big  Strategic  Questions

1. Where are we now?

2. Where do we want to go?

èBusiness(es) to be in and market positions to stake out?

èBuyer needs and groups to               serve?

èOutcomes to achieve?

3. How do we get there?

What  is  Strategy?

uA company’s strategy consists of the set of competitive moves and business approaches that management is employing to run the company

uStrategy is management’s “game plan” to

èAttract and please customers

èStake out a market position

èConduct operations

èCompete successfully

èAchieve organizational objectives

What  is  a  Business  Model?

uA company’s business model addresses “How do we make money in this business?”

èIs the strategy that management is pursuing capable of delivering good bottom-line results?

uDo the revenue-cost-profit economics of the company’s strategy make good business sense?

èLook at the revenue streams the
strategy is expected to produce

èLook at the associated cost structure
and potential profit margins

èDo the resulting earnings streams and
ROI indicate the strategy makes sense and that the company has a viable business model?

Strategy  vs.  Business  Model :
What  is  the  Difference?

Strategy -- Deals with a company’s competitive initiatives and business approaches

Business Model -- Concerns whether the revenues and costs flowing from  the strategy demonstrate that the  business can be amply profitable and viable

Microsoft’s  Business  Model

Redhat  Linux’s  Business  Model

Why  Are  Strategies  Needed?

To proactively shape how a company’s business will        be conducted

To mold the independent actions and decisions of managers and employees into a coordinated, company-wide game plan

Strategic  Management  Concept

Figure  1-1:  The  Five  Tasks
of  Strategic  Management

Developing  a  Strategic  Vision

uInvolves thinking strategically about

èFirm’s future business plans

èWhere to “go”

uTasks include

èCreating a roadmap of the future

èDeciding future business position to stake out

èProviding long-term direction

èGiving firm a strong identity

Characteristics  of  a  Strategic  Vision

uA roadmap of a company’s future

èFuture technology-product-customer focus

èGeographic and product markets to pursue

èCapabilities to be developed

èKind of company  management is trying to create

Missions  vs.  Strategic  Visions

uA mission statement focuses on current business activities -- “who we are and what we do”

èCurrent product and service offerings

èCustomer needs being served

èTechnological and business capabilities

 

 

uA strategic vision concerns a firm’s future business path -- “where we are going”

èMarkets to be pursued

èFuture technology-product-customer focus

èKind of company that management is
trying to create

Why  is  a  Strategic  Vision  Important?

uA managerial imperative exists to look beyond today and think strategically about

èImpact of new technologies

èHow customer needs and                expectations are changing

èWhat it will take to outrun competitors

èWhich promising market opportunities ought to be aggressively pursued

èExternal and internal factors driving what a company needs to do to prepare for the future

Examples:   Mission  and  Vision  Statements

Examples:   Mission  and  Vision  Statements

Examples:   Mission  and  Vision  Statements

Examples:   Mission  and  Vision  Statements

Examples:   Mission  and  Vision  Statements

Examples:   Mission  and  Vision  Statements

Examples:   Mission  and  Vision  Statements

Examples:   Mission  and  Vision  Statements

Examples:   Mission  and  Vision  Statements

Setting  Objectives

uConverts strategic vision and mission into specific  performance targets

uCreates yardsticks to track performance

uPushes firm to be inventive and focused on results

uHelps prevent complacency and coasting

Types  of  Objectives  Required

Outcomes focused on improving financial performance

Outcomes focused on improving long-term, competitive business position

Examples  of  Financial  Objectives

uGrow earnings per share 15% annually

uBoost annual return on investment (or EVA) from 15% to 20% within three years

uIncrease annual dividends per share
to stockholders by 5% each year

uStrive for stock price appreciation
equal to or above the S&P 500 average

uMaintain a positive cash flow every year

uAchieve and maintain a AA bond rating

Examples  of  Strategic  Objectives

uIncrease firm’s market share

uOvertake key rivals on quality or           customer service or product performance

uAttain lower overall costs than rivals

uBoost firm’s reputation with customers

uAttain stronger foothold in international markets

uAchieve technological superiority

uBecome leader in new product introductions

uCapture attractive growth opportunities

Examples:  Strategic  Objectives

Example:  Strategic  Objectives

Examples:  Strategic  and
Financial  Objectives

Example:  Strategic  Objective

Example:  Financial  and
Strategic  Objectives

Crafting  a  Strategy

uStrategy involves determining whether to

èConcentrate on a single business or several businesses (diversification)

èCater to a broad range of customers or focus on a particular niche

èDevelop a wide or narrow product line

èPursue a competitive advantage based on

lLow cost or

lProduct superiority or

lUnique organizational capabilities

Crafting  a  Strategy

uInvolves deciding how to

èRespond to changing buyer preferences

èRespond to new market conditions

èGrow the business over the long-term

èAchieve performance targets

èOutcompete rivals

Figure  1-2:  A  Company’s  Strategy  is  Partly  Planned  and  Partly  Reactive

The  Hows  That
Define  a  Firm's  Strategy 

uHow to grow the business

uHow to please customers

uHow to outcompete rivals

uHow to respond to changing
market conditions

uHow to manage each functional piece of the business and develop needed organizational capabilities

uHow to achieve strategic and financial objectives

Figure  1-3:  Understanding  a  Company’s Strategy -- What  to  Look  For

Strategic  Priorities  of  McDonald’s

uContinued growth

uProviding exceptional customer care

uRemaining an efficient and quality producer

uDeveloping people at every organizational level

uSharing best practices among all units

uReinventing the fast food concept by     fostering innovation in the menu, facilities, marketing, operation, and technology

Core  Elements  of
McDonald’s  Strategy

uAdd 1750 restaurants annually

uPromote frequent customer visits via attractive menu items, low-price specials, and Extra Value Meals

uBe highly selective in granting franchises

uLocate on sites offering convenience to customers and profitable growth potential

uFocus on limited menu and consistent quality

uCareful attention to store efficiency

uExtensive advertising and use of Mc prefix

uHire courteous personnel; pay an equitable wage; provide good training

Crafting  Strategy  is  an
Exercise  in  Entrepreneurship

uStrategy-making is a market-driven and customer-driven activity that involves

èKeen eye for spotting emerging market opportunities

èKeen observation of customer needs

èInnovation and creativity

èPrudent risk-taking

èStrong sense of how to grow       and strengthen business

Characteristics  of  Managers  with
Good  Entrepreneurial  Skills

uBoldly pursue new strategic opportunities

uEmphasize out-innovating the competition

uLead the way to improve firm performance

uWilling to be a first-mover and take risks

uRespond quickly and opportunistically      to new developments

uDevise trail blazing strategies

Why  Do  Strategies  Evolve?

uThere is always an ongoing need to react to

èShifting market conditions

èFresh moves of competitors

èNew technologies

èEvolving customer preferences

èPolitical and regulatory changes

èNew windows of opportunity

èCrisis situations

Figure  1-4:  Strategic  Approaches  to Preparing  for  Future  Market  Conditions

What  is  a  Strategic  Plan?

Implementing  and  Executing  Strategy

uTaking actions to put a freshly-chosen strategy into place

uSupervising the ongoing
pursuit of strategy

uImproving the competence
and efficiency with which the strategy is being executed

uShowing measurable progress in achieving the targeted results and objectives

Strategy  Implementation  and  Execution

What  Does  Strategy  Implementation 
and  Execution  Include?

uBuilding a capable organization

uAllocating resources to strategy-critical activities

uEstablishing strategy-supportive policies

uMotivating people to pursue the target objectives

uTying rewards to achievement of results

uCreating a strategy-supportive corporate culture

uInstalling needed information, communication, and operating systems

uInstituting best practices and programs for continuous improvement

uExerting the leadership necessary to drive the process forward and keep improving

Monitoring,  Evaluating,  and  Taking Corrective  Actions  as  Needed

uThe tasks of crafting, implementing, and executing a strategy are not a one-time exercise

èCustomer needs and competitive
conditions change

èNew opportunities appear; technology
advances; any number of other
outside developments occur

èOne or more aspects of executing the
strategy may not be going well

èNew managers with different
ideas take over

èOrganizational learning occurs

uAll these trigger the need for corrective actions and adjustments

Characteristics  of  the
  Strategic  Management  Process

uNeed to do the five tasks never goes away

uBoundaries among the five tasks are blurry

uStrategizing is not isolated from other managerial activities

uTime required comes in lumps and spurts

uThe big challenge:  To get the best strategy-supportive performance from employees, perfect current strategy, and improve strategy execution

Who  Performs  the  Five
Strategic  Management  Tasks?

uSenior Corporate Executives

uManagers of Subsidiary
Business Units

uFunctional Area Managers

uOperating
Managers

Approaches  to  Performing
the  Strategy-Making  Task

Chief  Architect

Manager personally functions as chief strategist

Delegate-It-to-Down-the-Line Managers

Manager delegates some strategy-making responsibility to subordinates in charge of key organizational units

Collaborative/Team

Manager enlists assistance and advice of key subordinates in hammering out a consensus strategy

Corporate Intrapreneur

Manager encourages subordinates to develop  and champion proposals for new ventures

Strategic  Role  of  a  Board  of  Directors

uCritically appraise and ultimately approve strategic action plans

uEvaluate strategic leadership skills of the CEO and candidates to succeed the CEO

Strategic  Management  Principle

A board of director’s role in the strategic management process is to critically appraise and ultimately approve strategic action plans and to evaluate the strategic leadership skills of the CEO and others in line to succeed the incumbent CEO.

Benefits  of  “Strategic Thinking” and  a “Strategic  Approach”  to  Managing

uGuides entire firm regarding “what it is we are trying to do and to achieve”

uMakes managers more alert to
“winds of change, new opportunities,
and threatening developments

uUnifies numerous strategy-related
decisions and organizational efforts

uCreates a proactive atmosphere

uPromotes development of an evolving business model focused on bottom-line success

uProvides basis for evaluating competing 
budget requests

HELPS A COMPANY PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE!