STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT:

CONCEPTS & PROCESS

Strategic management plays a dynamic role in achieving successes in

todays business world. Since it is relatively a new discipline, you need to
understand the terms and concepts as well the process of strategic
management. The purpose of this unit is to help you understand the
meaning of strategic management, its benefits in the business world, the
relationship between strategy and policy, the alignment of strategy with
strategic plan, and other important issues.

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Lesson-1: Strategic Management: Concepts and

Process
Learning Objectives:
After you have studied this lesson, you should be able to:
Define strategic management.
Discuss the benefits of strategic approach to managing.
Clarify the concept of strategy
Distinguish between strategy and policy,
Understand the relationship between strategy and strategic plan.
Introduction
Business organizations are now facing great challenges due to
uncertainty in the business-environment. Most changes are
unpredictable. And so uncertainty creeps up. In the face of changes,
many excellent new ideas may become obsolete. Changes are continually
occurring in demographics, economic conditions of the country where
business is located, trade practices due to deregulation/ liberalization,
diversity of workers such as entering more and more female workers in
the workplace, technology, and globalization trends. Not only in these
external issues, changes are taking place. Changes are also occurring in
the internal affairs of the business organizations in terms of high turnover
of employees, loss of highly trained and skilled technical people, etc. All
these threatening changes cause several internal problems for an
organization. These changes lead to uncertainty and complexity in the
business functioning. Strategy provides a way to deal with changes and
their accompanying uncertainty both inside and outside the organization.
Managers develop and implement strategy to conquer the market and
survive. Thus, mangers involve themselves in strategic management
process. Organizations of any size can adopt strategic management
process, and the process is applicable to private, public, not-for-profit
(NGO) and religious organizations. Since managers have to be involved
in strategic management, they need to understand the concepts, issues
and process related to strategic management.
Strategic management is not a very old phenomenon in the corporate
world. The concepts and techniques have evolved over the years
beginning in the 1970s in lukewarm way. Initially the concept of longrange planning was used in a few large companies in the USA. The two
most admired companies that began using long-range planning are
General Electric Company and Boston Consulting Group (a consulting
firm). General Electric Company led the transition from strategic
planning to strategic management during the 1980s. The concept of
strategic management got worldwide attention in 1990s. it may be
pertinent to mention here that strategic planning seeks increased
responsiveness to markets and competition by trying to think
strategically. On the other hand, strategic management seeks competitive
advantage and sustainable market growth by effectively managing all
resources of the organization.
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Strategy provides a
way to deal with
changes and their
accompanying
uncertainty both
inside and outside the
organization.

School of Business

Strategic management process entails several pertinent issues that need

clarification for better understanding. This chapter presents a framework
for analysis of the strategic management process as well as attempts to
clarify the relevant concepts and issues.
What is Strategic Management?
Strategic Management
can be defined as the
set of decisions and
actions in the formulation and implementation of plans to
achieve companys
objectives.

Strategy formulation
entails making
decisions with regard
to selecting the
strategy to achieve the
long-range objectives.

Strategy implementation is concerned with

sutting the formulated
strategy into action.

Strategic management is a stream of decisions and actions, which leads

to the development of effective strategy to help achieve organizational
objectives. Strategic management is construed as a process. In this
process the strategists determine objectives and make strategic decisions.
Our operational definition is as follows:
Strategic management is the process of strategic analysis of an
organization, strategy-focused objective-setting, strategy formulation,
strategy implementation, and strategic evaluation and control.
Strategic analysis is involved with making an analysis of the industry in
which the organization is operating its business and analysis of both the
external and internal environmental factors. Strategy-focused objectivesetting is concerned with establishing long-range objectives for the
organization to achieve the vision and mission. Strategy formulation
entails making decisions with regard to selecting the strategy to achieve
the long-range objectives. Strategy implementation is concerned with
putting the formulated-strategy into action. It is materialization or
execution of strategy through deployment of necessary resources and
aligning the organizational structure, systems (e.g., reward systems,
support systems) and processes with the selected strategy. This element
is also involves with making decisions regarding setting short-range
objectives, developing budgets and formulating functional/supporting
strategies to achieve the main strategy. The last element of strategic
management process strategic evaluation and control aims at
establishing standards of performance, monitoring progress in the
implementation of strategy, and initiating corrective adjustments in the
strategy (if anything goes wrong).
Benefits of Strategic Approach to Managing
Todays world is a globalized world. Competition has become very
fierce in most of the industries. Because of liberalization of trade and
financial services, companies are becoming more and more globalized.
This has further enhanced competition. Competition, thus, makes it
obligatory for managers to think strategically about companys position.
They must also think strategically about the impact of changing
conditions. They need to monitor the external situations closely to
determine when to initiate changes in the existing strategy of the
organization. The advantages of strategic management in an
organization, especially in business organization, include:
a) Providing better guidance to the entire organization.
b) Making managers more alert to the winds of change, new
opportunities and threatening developments in the organizations
external environment.

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c) Providing managers with a rationale for evaluating competing

budget requests for investment capital and new employees.
d) Helping to unify the numerous strategy-related decisions by
managers across the organization.
e) Creating a more proactive management posture.
Concept of Strategy
A strategy is considered as a long-term plan that relates the strategic
advantages of an organization to the challenges of the environment. It
involves determination of long-term objectives of the organization and
adoption of courses of action. It also involves allocation of resources
necessary to achieve the objectives. When defined this way, objectives
are considered as part of strategy formulation. According to the
definition provided by Thompson and Strickland, strategy is the means
used to achieve the ends. Here means refer to ways or actions and
ends refer to objectives. Strategy expresses the intention of
management about the way to achieve objectives of the organization.

Strategy expresses the

intention of
management about the
way to achieve
objectives of the
organization.

Strategy versus Policy

We should not confuse strategy with policy. Policies are general
statements or understandings that guide managers' thinking in decision
making. Policy guides a manager's thinking in decision making; strategy
implies the commitment of resources in a given direction. Two may,
however, be essentially same. One company may have a policy of
growth through acquisition of other firms while another company may
have a policy of growing only by expanding present markets and
products. While these are policies, they are also essential elements of
major strategies.

Policies are general

statements or
understandings that
guide managers'
thinking in decision
making.

Strategy implies the

commitment of
resources in a given
direction.

Strategy and Strategic Plan

A strategic plan is prepared to cope with a number of issues, such as the
industry and competitive conditions, expected actions of the key actors in
the industry, and any obstacles to the success of the organization. It
incorporates the industry conditions, competitive situations as well as the
vision, mission, objectives, and strategy. Strategic plans aim at achieving
strategic goals. These plans are set by the senior-most managers
(directors in the companys board and the CEO plus other senior-level
people). Most successful companies have been found to have strategic
plan in the form of written document. This document contains a
description of industrys economic aspects, key success factors, drivers
of change, and strategic plan that describes companys internal and
external environment. Some companies have the policy of not disclosing
strategic plan to all but selective managers, while some others make only
vague general statements for the reasons of competitive sensitivity.
Traditionally, strategic plan covers a time period of more than one year.
But now-a-days, because of the high speed of change in many industries,
strategic plans are made even for quarterly use. The time-span of
strategic plan needs to be shorter, sometimes measured in months, in the
organizations involved in e-business (especially in e-retailing).

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Strategic plans aim at

achieving strategic
goals.

School of Business

Review Questions
1. Briefly define and explain the process of strategic management.
2. What is strategy and how is it different from policy?
3. What is a strategic plan and why does an organization prepare a
strategic plan?
4. How does an organizational philosophy establish a relationship
between the organization and its stakeholders?
5. Explain the concept of policy with a few examples.

Application Discussion Questions

1. Choose a few business companies in your locality with which you
are familiar, and then examine their strategic management process.
2. Identify two policies of your college or university where you are
studying. Do the policies provide support for the implementation of
strategy?

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Lesson-2: Issues in Strategic Management: An

Overview
Learning Objectives:
After you have studied this lesson, you should be able to:
Explain the concepts of organizational philosophy,
organizational policy, competitive strategy, functional strategy,
environmental scanning, core competency, and code of ethics.
Identify the levels of strategy making in an organization.
Understand the concept of value chain of a company.

Elucidate the concept of competitive advantage and identify the

various sources of competitive advantage.

Introduction
Every manager must have a clear understanding of the relevant concepts
as well as the basic issues of strategic management. This lesson has been
designed in such a way that the students can fully comprehend some
basic concepts and issues such as organizational philosophy,
organizational policy, functional strategy, competitive strategy,
environmental scanning, core competency, code of ethics, levels of
strategy-making, value chain, and competitive advantage.
1. Organizational Philosophy
Organizational philosophy establishes the relationship between the
organization and its stakeholdes.1 it establishes the values and beliefs of
the organization about what is important in both life and business, how
business should be conducted, its view of humanity, its role in society,
the way the world works, and what is to be held inviolate.2 In most
organizations, the guiding philosophy is formulated by the owner or
founder or the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Their beliefs about, for
example, the importance of employees as individuals, of formality in
communication, and belief in superior quality and service are reflected in
the philosophy.

Organizational philosophy establishes the

relationship between
the organization and
its stakeholders.

2. Organizational Policy:
A policy is a broad guideline for decision making. A policy is a standing
plan in the sense that it lasts relatively for a longer period of time. It
specifies the organizations response to a designated problem or
situation.3 It is a general guide for action and that is why, it is the most
general form of standing plan. Some examples of policy are given below:
i)

To answer all written complaints of consumers in writing. (policy of

a manufacturing company)

ii) To require a minimum down payment of 10% of the purchase price

(policy of real estate company).

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A policy is a broad
guidelines that lasts
relatively for a longer
period of time.

School of Business

iii) To appoint those firms as dealers for selling accounting software

who do not carry software of other software companies (policy of a
software development company).
iv) Not to grant a franchise to an individual who already owns another
fast-food restaurant (policy of an international fast-food chain).
v) Admission will be granted only to students who secure a minimum
of 60% marks in the admission test (admission policy of a
university).
Organizations use policies to provide uniform guidelines to all
employees regarding certain issues/activities so that they can make
decisions and take actions uniformly on those issues. Policies are
formulated to ensure clear guidance to managers and other employees
throughout the organization.
3. Competitive Strategy and Functional Strategy
Competitive strategy
refers to a strategy
that incorporates the
impact of external
environment along
with the integrative
concerns of internal
environment of an
organization.
Examples of
competitive strategy
include differentiation
strategy, low-cost
strategy and focus or
market-niche strategy.

Refers to a strategy
that emphasizes on a
particular functional
area of an
organization.
Examples of
functional strategy
include production
strategy, marketing
strategy, human
resource strategy and
financial strategy.

Strategic management primarily deals with competitive strategy,

although functional strategy is not ignored. Competitive strategy refers to
a strategy that incorporates the impact of external environment along
with the integrative concerns of internal environment of an organization.
Competitive strategy aims at gaining competitive advantage in the
marketplace against the competitors. And competitive advantage comes
from strategies that lead to some uniqueness in the marketplace and high
perceived value in the eyes of customers. Winning competitive strategies
are grounded in sustainable competitive advantage. Examples of
competitive strategy include differentiation strategy, low-cost strategy
and focus or market-niche strategy.
On the other hand, functional strategy refers to a strategy that emphasizes
on a particular functional area of an organization. It is formulated to
achieve some objectives of a business unit by maximizing resource
productivity. Sometimes functional strategy is called departmental
strategy, since each business-function is usually vested with a
department. Examples of functional strategy include production strategy,
marketing strategy, human resource strategy and financial strategy.
Functional strategy is concerned with developing distinctive competence
to provide a business unit with a competitive advantage. 4 Each business
unit or company has its own set of departments, and every department
has its own functional strategy. Functional strategies are adopted to
support the competitive strategy. For example, a company following a
low-cost competitive strategy needs a production strategy that
emphasizes on reducing cost of operations and also a human resource
strategy that emphasizes on retaining lowest possible number of
employees who are highly qualified to work for the organization. Other
functional strategies such as marketing strategy, advertising strategy and
financial strategies are also to be formulated appropriately to support the
business-level competitive strategy.
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4. Levels of Strategy-Making
In a diversified company (a company having different single-line of
businesses under one umbrella), strategies are initiated at four levels. The
strategies at each level of the organization are known by the name of the
level:
#

Levels of Organization

Names of Strategy

Corporate level

Corporate strategy

Business level

Business strategy

Functional level

Functional strategy

Operating level

Operating strategy

In a single-business enterprise, three-level strategies are formulated:

#

Levels of Organization

Names of Strategy

Business level

Business strategy

Functional level

Functional strategy

Operating level

Operating strategy

Corporate strategy is formulated at the top level of a diversified

company (in our country, a diversified company is popularly known as
group of companies or group of industries. For example, Bashundhara
Group, Partex Group, Beximco Group, Square Group and 5M Group).
Such strategy describes the companys overall direction in terms of its
various businesses and product lines.5 Corporate strategy generally
affects all the business-units under its umbrella. A corporate strategy, for
example, of Bashundhara may be acquiring the major tissue paper
companies in Bangladesh in order to become the unquestionable market
leader. Business strategy is formulated at the business-unit level or
product level. This strategy emphasizes on the strengthening of
companys competitive position of products or services. Business
strategies are composed of competitive and cooperative strategies.6
Functional strategy has already been discussed and therefore we avoid
repetition here. Operating strategy is formulated at the operating units of
an organization. A company may develop operating strategy for its sales
territories.
5. Environmental Scanning
Environmental scanning is often used interchangeably with strategic
analysis which is the first element of strategic management. Hunger and
Wheelen define environmental scanning as monitoring, evaluating, and
disseminating of information from the external and internal environments
to key people within the corporation.

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Corporate strategy
describes companys
overall direction in
terms of its various
business and product
lines.

Business strategy is
formulated at the
business-unit level or
product level.

School of Business

6. Core Competency
Core competency of
on organization is a
central value creating
capability of the
organization.

Core competency also

called distinctive
competences are
activities of the
company where its
position is superior to
its competitors.

Core competency of an organization is its core skill. It is a central valuecreating capability of the organization.7 Core competencies emerge from
a companys experience, learned skills, and focused efforts on
performing one or more related value chain components. Also called
distinctive competences, core competencies are activities of the company
where its position is superior to its competitors. For example, Toyota
Motor Company of Japan is believed to have core competencies in the
design and manufacturing of car using just-in-time philosophy. 5M
InfoTech Limited of Dhaka, a software company, has core competencies
in programming and systems analysis. A company can use its core
competencies to pursue business opportunities.
When we say that a company has a core competency in an area of
business activity, we mean that the company can do that activity
especially well in comparison to its competitors. Examples of core
competencies include:

Core competencies
are valuable competitive assets which
enhance a firms
competitiveness.

Manufacturing excellence
Exceptional quality control
Ability to provide better service
Superior design capability
Innovativeness in developing new products
Mastery of an important technology
A strong understanding of customer needs and tastes
Companys ability to create and commercialize new product.

It is easier to build competitive advantage when a firm has a core

competence in an area important to market success. It becomes much
easier when competitors do not have offsetting competences. Core
competencies are thus valuable competitive assets. They enhance a
firms competitiveness.
7. Code of Ethics

Ethics refer to
principles of conduct
that govern decision
making and behavior
of people.

Ethics refer to principles of conduct that govern decision making and

behavior of people. Ethics play an important role in developing
organizational philosophies. Ethics of people in the organization either as
individuals or groups who are involved in developing future direction of
the organization has important implications for the stakeholders.
Managers need to understand clearly why ethics are important in their
organizations.
The following are some of the ethical questions in business:
b. Is sale of cigarettes by a company ethical?
c. Is giving advertising for promotion of cigarettes or wine or
spurious drugs ethical?

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d. Is export of a product banned in home country ethical practice

for a multinational company?
e. What are the ethical implications of forbidding a companys
purchasing agents from accepting gifts from vendors while
encouraging sales agents to give gifts to prospective buyers?
Now-a-days it is widely believed that organizations should develop
written code of ethics to guide the employees in taking care of ethics in
their activities. Code of ethics is a written document that contains
principles of conduct to be used in decision making. A code of ethics
heightens an organizations reputation in the society. Organizations
should therefore build ethics into their cultures. Existence of a code of
ethics or code of conduct make an environment in organizations where
all people try to make ethical conduct a way of life. Thompson and
Strickland have prepared a list of topics that organizations usually cover
in codes of ethics:8

Code of ethics is a
written document that
contains principles of
conduct to be used in
decision making.

Honesty and observance of law

Conflicts of interest
Acquiring and using information about others
Political activities
Use of company assets, resources, and property
Protection of proprietary information
Pricing, contracting, and billing.
Fairness in selling and marketing practices
Using inside information and securities trading
Suppliers relationships and procurement practices
Payments to obtain business

Organizations should develop procedures for enforcing ethical standards.

They need to ensure that all employees comply with the code of ethics in
every unit of the organization and at every level. Employees should be
given training about how to comply with ethical standards. Managers
must inform the employees how ethical standards apply in various areas
in which employees are working. They can show by examples they
themselves must practice ethical standards. Practicing ethical standards
must be a continuous exercise. Ethical standards must be integrated into
organizational policies, and all actions of the organization.

Ethical standards
must be integrated
into organizational
policies, and all
actions of the
organization.

8. Value Chain of Company

The value chain of a company consists of the companys primary and
support activities. The primary activities are involved with the physical
creation of a product, its distribution and marketing, and the after-sales
service related to the product. Specifically, we can say that the primary
activities of a manufacturing company include inbound logistics,
operations/production, outbound logistics, marketing, and service. The
support activities are necessary for supporting the primary activities to
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The value chain

consists of a
companys primary
and support activities.

School of Business

take place. They include companys infrastructure, human resource

management, technological development, procurement, finance,
inventory, etc. Collectively, all these primary and support activities
constitute the value chain. It shows how a product moves from the stage
of raw materials to the final customers. Figure-1.1 depicts the basic
value chain of a manufacturing company.
SUPPORT
ACTIVITIES

PRIMARY
ACTIVITIES
Raw Materials &
Inbound Logistics
Operations
Marketing
Outbound Logistics
Service

Infrastructure
Human resource mgt
Technological
development
Procurement
Finance
Inventory

PROFIT MARGIN
Figure-1.1: The basic value chain of a manufacturing company

9. Competitive Advantage
Competitive advantage indicates a
companys competitive position that
allows it to achieve
higher profitability
than the industrys
average.

Competitive advantage is the special edge that allows an organization to

deal with market and environmental forces better than its competitors. It
comes from strategies that lead to some uniqueness in the market place.
It indicates a companys competitive position that allows it to achieve
higher profitability than the industrys average. To develop competitive
advantage, a company should develop distinctive competences and then
use them to creatively competes in its markets.
A company has competitive advantage whenever it has an edge over the
competitors in attracting customers and defending against competitive
forces. There are many sources of competitive advantages:

Having the best-made product on the market.

Delivering superior customer service.
Achieving lower cost than competitors.
Being in a more convenient geographical location.
Proprietary technology.
Providing buyers more value for money,
Features and styling with more buyer appeal.
Shorter lead times in developing and testing new products.
A well-known brand name and reputation.

Managers need to recognize that winning business strategies are

grounded in sustainable competitive advantage.
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Review Questions
1. What is core competency? Explain with examples.
2. What do you mean by Code of Ethics? Mention some of the ethical
questions in business.
3. Prepare a list of topics that organizations usually include in their
code of ethics.
4. What is value chain of a company? Discuss in the context of a
manufacturing organization.
5. Define and explain the concept of competitive advantage. What are
the sources of competitive advantages of a business organization?
6. Is there any distinction between competitive strategy and functional
strategy? Explain.
7. Identify the various levels of strategy-making in an organization and
then briefly discuss about their formulation.

Application Discussion Questions

1. Suppose that your company (a pharmaceutical company) has adopted
a policy of offering duplex flats located at the posh urban areas to the
physicians to motivate them to prescribe your companys newlyproduced pharmaceutical product. Do you think it ethical for the
company? Why or why not?

NOTES
1. L.L.Byars, L.W. Rue and S.A. Zahra, Strategic Management
(Chicago: Irwin, 1996, p. 7.)
2. J.C. Collins and J.I. Porras, Organizational Vision and Visionary
Organizations, Research Paper No. 1159, Graduate School of
Business, Stanford University, September 1991, p.11.
3. R.W Griffin, General Management (Delhi: AITBS publishers and
Distributors, 1998, p. 184.).
4. For details, see J.D. Hunger and T.L. Wheelen, Essentials of
Strategic Management (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2001, pp. 112113).
5. Hunger and Wheelen, Ibid.
6. Ibid., p. 7.
7. G. Hamel and C.K. Prahalad, Competing for the Future (Mass:
Harvard Business School Press, 1994).
8. A. A.Thompson and A.J. Strickland, Strategic Management (Burr
Ridge, Illinois: Irwin, 2001), p. 422.

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Lesson-3: Establishing Companys Vision and

Mission
Learning Objectives:
After you have studied this lesson, you should be able to:
Clarify the concept and importance of vision of an organization.
Define mission and describe the ideal contents of a mission
statement.
Explain why and how to communicate the organizations vision
and mission to the stakeholders.
Discuss the concept of objective and to understand how the
objectives can be made SMART.
Discuss why strategic management is an ongoing process.
Know who are the strategy managers.
Introduction
Strategic management requires a well-thought out vision and a clear
mission for an organization. Subsequently, the mission needs to be
translated into organizational objectives for facilitating its achievement.
Vision and mission are important as they provide long-term direction to
the organization. And, objectives both long-range and short-range
provide targets for achievement. This lesson looks at the first two issues
for in-depth analysis. First, we discuss about the meaning of vision,
importance of vision, and the factors to be considered while developing a
vision. Next, we examine the relevant issues of mission meaning, ideal
contents/components, mission for departments, linkage of business
definition to mission statement, and communicating mission along with
vision to stakeholders. In Lesson-4, we provide an in-depth look at the
setting of objectives, to be followed by formulation of strategy.
Developing a Vision
Meaning of Vision
A vision is a mental
image of a possible
and desirable future
state of the
organization.

Effective strategy making begins with a vision. Vision is a futureoriented concept of the business. Forming a strategic vision is an exercise
in thinking about where a company needs to head to be successful. A
vision is a mental image of a possible and desirable future state of the
organization. A vision describes aspirations for the future - a destination
for the organization. We can say that a vision is a dream a distant,
long-term dream.

Vision statement
refers to an understanding of why the
organization exists.

An organizations vision, which is often called purpose of the

organization, is designed to express the fundamental reason for the
organizations existence.1 Usually most organizations describe their
vision or purpose in one or two sentences in the form of a statement
called vision statement. Vision statement is used to refer to an
understanding of why the organization exists. It provides direction for
the organization.

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Examples of Vision
a. Vision statement of the World Vision of Bangladesh:
Working for a world that no longer tolerates poverty.
b. Vision statement of Walt Disney Company:
To make people happy
Importance of Vision in an Organization
A vision statement is important to a company for a variety of reasons.
First, it provides a clear direction about where the company is heading.
Secondly, it has a strategy-making value in the sense that it indicates the
type of strategy the company should follow to reach the dreamed
destination. Thirdly, it helps managers to think strategically about such
issues as advent of new technology, changes in the customer
expectations and needs, available marketing opportunities and other
environmental factors. Fourthly, managers get insight about drawing
reasoned conclusions concerning winds of change and then selecting
appropriate paths to deal with the change.
Developing a Mission
Meaning of Mission
An organizations mission is formulated in the form of a statement. It is,
therefore, often called mission statement. A mission is an overall goal of
the organization that provides a sense of direction and a guide to decision
making for all levels of management.2 A mission can also be defined as a
broad goal of an organization which justifies an organizations existence.
It is a statement of an organizations reason to exist. It states what the
company is providing to society. For example, a company may provide a
service such as legal services, housecleaning, or software development.
Or, it may provide a product such as cosmetics, or toiletry. An
organizations mission does not indicate the details and measurable
targets. It rather contains a statement of attitude, outlook and orientation.
A mission statement reveals who the company is and what it does. It
clarifies the nature of existing products, markets, and functions the firm
presently provides.3
Mission should define the organizations line/lines of business, identify
its products and services, and specify the markets it serves at present and
within a time frame of three to five years. It should be achievable, in
writing, and have a time frame for achievement.4 Since a mission is a
relatively permanent part of an organizations identity, it should be
broad-based but customer-focused.
The mission is not to make a profit. It is to give the organization its own
special identity, business emphasis, and path for development. It must set
a company apart from other similarly situated companies. If profit is
made the focus of mission, it will be impossible to differentiate one
company from another.

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A mission is a broad
goal of an organization which justifies an
organizations
existence.

A mission is a relatively permanent part of

an organizations
identity, it should be
broad-based but
customer-focused.

School of Business

Ideal Contents of a Mission Statement

There does not exist any hard and fast rule for formulating a mission
statement. An analysis of various mission statements of different
companies (especially business-oriented firms) indicates that a mission
statement needs to include some common issues, such as:
(a) Customer needs (i.e., what is being satisfied)
(b) Customer groups (i.e., who is being satisfied)
(c) Companys activities, technologies, and competencies (i.e., how the
company goes about creating value to customers and satisfying their
needs)
Pearce and David identified eight basic components of a typical
corporate mission statement as follows:5
1. Target customers and markets (e.g., students, engineers, doctors,
nurses, patients)
2. Products or services (e.g., toothpaste, perfume, computer)
3. Geographical domain (e.g., national level, worldwide)
4. Technology (e.g., cellular communication technology; information
technology)
5. Concern for survival (e.g., to conduct business prudently to provide
profits and growth)
6. Philosophy (e.g., a spirit of sharing and caring where people give
cheerfully of their time, knowledge and experience)
7. Companys self-concept (e.g., a diversified, multi-industry company)
and
8. Concern for public image (e.g., to share the worlds obligation for
the protection of the environment).
Examples of Mission Statements
(1) Mission Statement of Hewlett-Packard Company
Hewlett Packard is a major designer and manufacturer of electronic
products and systems for measurement and computation. Its basic
business purpose is to provide the competitive capabilities and services
needed to help customers worldwide improve their personal and business
effectiveness.
(2)

Mission Statement of Apple Computer

To bring the best personal computing products and support to students,

educators, designers, scientists, engineers, business persons and
consumers in over 140 countries around the world.
(3) Mission Statement of Intel (world-famous producer of
motherboard and microprocessor)
To be the preeminent building block supplier to the new computing
industry worldwide.

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(3)

Mission Statement of IFIC Bank

IFIC Banks mission is to provide service to its clients with the help of a
skilled and dedicated workforce whose creative talents, innovative
actions and competitive edge make its position unique in giving quality
service to all institutions and individuals for which the Bank cares for.
Can there be a mission for functional departments?
There can be separate mission statements for the departments like
Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Research and Development (R &
D), etc. For example, the mission of the Human Resources Department
can be to contribute to organizational success by developing effective
leaders, creating high-performance teams, and maximizing the potential
of individuals. The mission of the marketing department may be
providing excellent customer service all the time round the year to
exceed the customers expectations.
Why is business definition considered essential for mission
statement?
Before a mission statement is prepared, mangers must clearly define
what business the company is presently in. This is essential because the
mission statement must convey who we are, what we do, and where we
are now.
The complexity of defining a business has been very articulately
presented by Thompson and Strickland:
a) Is Coca-Cola in the soft-drink business?
b) Is Coca-Cola in the beverage business?
Taking a soft-drink perspective means that managements strategic
attention needs to be concentrated on outcompeting Pepsi, 7-up, Dr.
Pepper etc. On the other hand, taking beverage perspective means that
management also needs to think strategically about positioning CocaCola products to compete against fruit juices, iced tea, bottled water,
milk and coffee.
Some companies are found to have provided a broad definition of
mission, while some other companies prefer a narrow definition. Broad
definition makes a mission statement too abstract to be well-understood.
Take this example: Bengal Furnishing Company is in the furniture
business. The company is in fact involved in wooden furniture business.
If it claims in its mission statement that it is in furniture business, then
it implies that the company is also engaged in wrought-iron furniture,
steel furniture and plastic furniture businesses. If a company states that it
is in soft-drink business, not in beverage business, then it implies that the
company follows a narrow definition of business.
In general, three dimensions can be used to define a business of a
company. Abell has suggested these dimensions for defining business.6
These dimensions are:
(a) Who is being satisfied?

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(b) What is being satisfied?

(c) How are customers needs being satisfied?
These three dimensions indicate that business definition needs
incorporate the customer groups targeted by the company, the needs
the customers that the company wants to satisfy, and the skills
competencies that the company has to use for satisfying the needs
targeted customer groups (see Figure 1.2).

CUSTOMER
GROUPS

DEFINITION OF BUSINESS

to
of
or
of

CUSTOMER
NEEDS

SKILL/COMPETENCIES

Figure 1.2: Definition of business as suggested by Abell.

Can mission be changed or revised?

In this world of continuous changes in the environment, it is common to
periodically redefine the mission of companies. Sometimes, the original
mission formulated long ago does not work due to some reasons it may
become unacceptable to the stakeholders. In that case, mission should be
modified or altogether created anew.
Communicating the Vision and Mission

The language of
vision and mission
should be so succinct
and specific that it can
pin down the organizations real business
arena.

Effective mission
statements are those
which can inspire all
stakeholders.

To enlist employee commitment, the vision needs to be communicated to

all employees. People need to believe that the companys management
knows where it is trying to take the company. Management should
present the vision and mission in language that creates a vivid image in
the employees heads and provokes emotion. For example, building a
mosque or temple (mandir) or church is more inspiring than laying
foundation stone. The language of vision and mission should be so
succinct and specific that it can pin down the organizations real business
arena.
Effective mission statements are those which can inspire all stakeholders.
An inspiring and challenging mission statement can serve as a powerful
motivational tool. Company should communicate their mission in words
that convey a sense of organizations purpose. A well-communicated
mission statement pays off in several ways: (1) it motivates all key
stakeholders to develop firm commitment in themselves for the
realization of the organizations purpose; (2) it facilitates focused
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decision making; (3) it helps departmental managers develop missions

for departments, set departmental objectives and formulate departmental
strategies; and (4) it creates a sense of pride in the employees.
Integration of Vision and Mission: To Be or Not to Be?
Because of the closeness of the essence of both vision and mission, some
people raise the question: should vision and mission be integrated and
formulated together without any separation? The question is simple but
the answer is difficult. Generally, we can say that some organizations are
found to have integrated these two into one. They have formulated vision
and mission together with no demarcation line between the two. Hill and
Jones did not make any distinction between vision and mission. They are
in favor of using these two terms interchangeably.

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Review Questions
1. What do you mean by vision? A vision of a company describes the
aspiration for the future a destination for the organization. Do you
support this view? Why?
2. Why is the vision important for an organization?
3. What is mission? What does a mission statement reveal?
4. Point out the ideal contents of a mission statement.
5. Can there be a mission for a functional department?
6. Why is business definition considered essential for mission
statement?
7. Can the mission of an organization changed or revised?
8. What is the importance of communicating vision and mission to the
organizations stakeholders?
9. Should there be an integration of vision with the mission?

Application Discussion Questions

1. Visit a company or an NGO situated in your locality. Obtain its
vision and mission statements. Find out the contents of these
statements and then make comments whether they have incorporated
the necessary issues in these statements.

NOTES
1. James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras, Organizational Vision and
Visionary Organizations, Research Paper No. 1159, Graduate
School of Business, Stanford University, September, 1991, p.11.
2. Lloyd L. Byars, Leslie W. Rue and Shaker A. Zahra, Strategic
Management (Chicago: IRWIN, 1996, p. 13.)
3. Byars et el., op.cit.
4. L R Jauch and W F Glueck, Business Policy and Strategic
Management (NY: McGraw-Hill, 1988, p. 77).

5. J. A. Pearce II and F. R. David, Corporate Mission Statements: The

Bottom Line, Academy of Management Executive, May 1992, pp.
109-16.

6. Derek F. Abell, Defining the Business: The Starting Point of

Strategic Planning (New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1980).

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Lesson-4: Setting Objectives and Formulating

Strategies
Learning Objectives:
After you have studied this lesson, you should be able to:
Clarify the concept of objective.
Understand how the objectives can be made SMART.
Provide examples of SMART objectives.
Set examples of strategic and financial objectives.
Understand long-term and annual objectives.
Discuss why strategic management is an ongoing process.
Know who are the strategy managers?
Introduction
Establishing objective is a direction-setting task. Mission statement
provides an overall goal for the organization but does not enable
managers to go for action. Managers therefore need to convert the
mission into specific performance objectives. Establishing objectives
converts vision and mission into specific performance outcomes.
Objectives must be set for financial performance and strategic
performance for success. Top managers set broader objectives with
longer time horizons than do successively lower levels of managers.
Lower level managers set objectives based on the middle-level
objectives. In effect, lower-level objectives provide the means for
achieving middle-level objectives and, in turn, middle-level objectives
provide the means for achieving top-level objectives.1
A simple question is: What is an objective? An objective is the means to
achieve the ends. Objectives are basically targets the anticipated end
results of any endeavor. An objective is a specific commitment to
achieve a measurable result within a given time frame. An objective
needs to be written in quantitative, measurable and concrete terms. A
well-formulated objective must be SMART. Here, S=Specific,
M=Measurable, A=Achievable (some view that A should stand for
Appropriate appropriate to resources, environment and technology of
the organization), R=Realistic, and T=Time-bound. An objective must
clearly show what the company wants to achieve and when it wants to
achieve it.
Examples of SMART Objectives:
i) To increase the sales of all products of the company by 5% during
the year 2006.
ii) To reduce overhead costs of the company by Tk. 100,000.00 during
the next six months.
iii) To achieve 20% increase in the sales of brand-X by December 31,
2007.
iv) To increase unit sales of 5M Family Software-APANJON in
Chittagong area by 5000 units by June 30, 2006.
Some writers are of the view that there should be a distinction between
goal and objective. However, managers generally prefer to use both the

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An objective is a
specific commitment
to achieve a measurable result within a
given time frame. An
objective needs to be
written in quantitative, measurable and
concrete terms.

School of Business

Strategic performance
objectives are concerned with sustaining
and improving
companys long-term
market position and
competitiveness.

Financial performance objectives are

related to achieving
financial gains for
having a strong
financial standing.

terms interchangeably. The above are the examples of operating

objectives, used by operational mangers and mid-level mangers for
implementing their plans with specific targets in mind.
Strategic and Financial Performance Objectives
In strategic management, we are more concerned with strategic
performance objectives and financial performance objectives. Strategic
performance objectives are concerned with sustaining and improving
companys long-term market position and competitiveness. On the other
hand, financial performance objectives are related to achieving financial
gains for having a strong financial standing. Below are some examples of
strategic performance objectives and financial performance objectives.
Examples of Strategic Objectives
1. A longer market share
2. Higher product quality
3. Lower costs relative to key competitors
4. Superior customer service
5. Increased ability to compete in international markets
Examples of Financial Objectives

Faster revenue

Higher dividends

Stable earnings during recessionary periods

Higher returns on invested capital.
In addition to the above types of objectives, strategic managers also need
to be concerned with the long-term and annual objectives.

Long-term objectives
typically involve such
issues as return on
investment, staff
development, profitability and the like.

Annual objectives is
the end rusult than an
organization seeks to
achieve within a year.

Long-Term Objectives
Long-term objectives are the end results that an organization
contemplates to achieve over a long period of time, usually five-year
period. However, five-year period is absolutely arbitrary. An
organization that experiences a turbulent situation in the industry may
choose to consider a period less than five year as long-term. If, on the
other hand, a company operates in a stable industry where there is no or
less environmental turbulence, a period over five year may be the norm
for long-term objective. So, it is better to define long-term as a multiyear
period. Long-term objectives typically involve such issues as return on
investment, staff development, profitability and the like.
Annual Objectives
Annual objectives are viewed as short-term objectives (although in
certain situations short-term objectives may be for even a day). We can
define annual objectives as the end results that an organization seeks to
achieve within a year. For example, a company may set an annual
objective of achieving two (2%) percent growth in profitability. Annual
objectives are to be set in relation to the long-term objectives of the
company. As an instance, the marketing department can set the objective
of increasing sales volume at the rate of five (5%) percent every year for
the next five years. This has been set keeping in view the companys
long-term objective of achieving twenty-five (25%) percent growth in
sales volume during the next five years.
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Formulating Strategy
Once the organization has set the relevant objectives, it is then ready to
formulate strategy. A strategy is crafted in relation to an objective.
Objective is, in fact, the main building block of strategy-making. An
organizations strategy consists of the combined actions of managers for
achieving strategic and financial objectives of the company. Strategy is
action-oriented what to do and when to do it. Strategy-making is
involved with the identification and deciding on the ways that an
organization can undertake to achieve the performance targets, weaken
the competitors, achieve and maintain competitive advantage, and ensure
long-term survival of the organization. All managers need to be involved
in strategy-making in their own areas of activities. The top-level mangers
formulate corporate strategy (in the diversified companies) that is meant
for the entire organization as a whole. The unit-level managers (singlebusiness enterprise) formulate business strategy, and the mid-level
managers formulate functional strategy for each specific functional unit
within the enterprise (such as production strategy for production
function, marketing strategy for marketing function, etc.). If an
organization (single-business enterprise) has one or more basic operating
units such as factory/plant, or sales territory or small sections within a
department, there can be operating strategy for those operating units.
The operating level managers formulate the operating strategies, usually
in cooperation with the mid-level managers.

Strategy is actionoriented what to do

and when to do it.

Strategic Management is an Ongoing Process, Not a One-Time Shot

Managers are responsible for detecting when new developments within
or outside the company require a strategic response and when they dont.
Their job is to tract progress, spot problems and issues clearly, monitor
the winds of market and customer change, and initiate adjustments as
needed. This is why, the task of evaluating performance and initiating
corrective adjustments is both the end and the beginning of the strategic
management cycle.
Who Perform the Tasks of Strategic Management?
There is a wrong notion among some people that strategy-making and
strategy implementation are the sole prerogatives of senior managers
only. In reality, all managers at all levels need to participate in the
process of strategic management. Also, the relevant employees need to
be involved for effective formulation and implementation of strategy.
Thus, we can say that the following personnel are involved in performing
the tasks of strategic management:
 The CEO (most important strategy manager)
 Other senior managers (usually involved in proposing key
elements of the overall company strategy)
 Divisional and departmental managers (play supporting role/do
some or most of the strategy making for the units).
 Other lower-level managers (strategy markers and implementers
for the areas they supervise).

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All managers at all

levels need to
participate in the
process of strategic
management.

School of Business

Review Questions
1. What is an objective? Why should objectives be SMART?
2. Distinguish between long-term and annual objectives.
3. Give five examples each of strategic and financial objectives.
4. Why is it said that strategic management is an ongoing process, not a
one-time shot?
5. Who perform the tasks of strategic management?

Application Discussion Questions

1. Collect some business objectives of a company and using the
knowledge that you have gained from this lesson, say if the
objectives are really SMART.
NOTES
1. In this book, we use the term goal and objective interchangeably
to mean the same thing, although some authors make a distinction
between goal and objective. Ricky Griffin in his book on
management suggests that the term objective can be used to
indicate the operational level goal of an organization. He prefers the
term goal for strategic level and middle level of the organization. He
further suggests that the operating objectives must be SMART.
However, top-level strategic goals and mid-level tactical goals are
descriptive and therefore not measurable.

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