UNIT 1 STRATEGIC PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

UNIT 1 STRATEGIC PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

Structure
1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Introduction Unit Objectives Characteristics of Strategic Decisions Difference between Operational Efficiency and Strategy Evolution of the Concept of Strategic Management Work done in the Field of Strategy
1.5.1 1.5.2 1.5.3 1.5.4 Ansoffs Strategic Success Paradigm Henry Mintzberg: Strategy as Craft Peter Druckers Contribution Michael Porter: Strategy and Competitive Advantage

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1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13

Dimensions of Strategic Decisions Levels of Strategic Decisions From Long-Range Planning to Strategic Planning and Strategic Management Summary Key Terms Answers to Check Your Progress Questions and Exercises Further Reading

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Budding businessmen often wonder why and how some businesses perform better than others. Most often, the answer is that successful businesses are built on strategies that result in long-term benefits. Strategy is the channel or direction adopted by an organization with a view to changing its resources with the changing environment and modifying markets and customers in a manner that will benefit the shareholders. Strategy also implies the path adopted to achieve organizational goals. Strategic management can therefore be defined as the management activity that involves making decisions based on various types of analyses and taking relevant action aimed at achieving long-term competitive advantages. The factors to be considered in strategic management are organizational goals, stakeholders, short-term and longterm perspectives and effectiveness vs efficiency.

1.1 UNIT OBJECTIVES

After going through this unit, you will be able to: Understand the concept of strategy Appreciate the characteristics of strategic decisions Differentiate between operational efficiency and strategy Get an idea of the evolution of strategic management
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Appreciate the contribution made by strategy gurus Understand the various levels of strategic management

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1.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF STRATEGIC DECISIONS

Strategic decisions are decisions that are critical to an organization in the long term. Therefore, they have the following essential characteristics: 1. They are concerned with the scope of an organization in the long term 2. They are aimed at achieving an edge over competition 3. They attempt to ensure that the organizational resources and activities are in harmony with the environment they confront. 4. They call for optimum utilization of resources and creation of opportunities. 5. They usually result in resource changes and are complicated in nature. 6. They often need to be made in uncertain situations 7. They involve a unified approach to managing the organization A set of critical decisions and actions that results in the creation and implementation of strategies aimed at the achievement of organizational goals can be called strategic management. The critical decisions that strategic management encompasses, are concerned with all the aspects of the organization affecting its performance and existence in the long run, for example, products, resources, organizational structure, etc. The end result of strategic management can be seen in the form of new products, new markets, adoption of the latest technologies and skills. Managers are expected to be strategists. They are expected to question the current establishment, structure and set-up and think with the future in mind.

1.3 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND STRATEGY

To a layman, a business achieves operational efficiency when it finds the best way to produce what they want and achieve what they desire. This can only happen when the right people (possessing the relevant skills), the right processes and the latest technology are put together to produce the desired product at minimal cost. Operational strategy on the other hand is concerned with making decisions that affect the longterm performance of the business. The difference between the two is that while the former is more concerned with the present, the latter is concerned with the future. Paying too much attention to the present and ignoring the future can spell disaster for an organization. The trick is to achieve a balance.

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1.4 EVOLUTION OF THE CONCEPT OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

The word strategy stems from the Greek word strategia, which means a general in the army or a military commander. Battles are fought based on well thought out strategies. Wars are always backed by strategies. Similarly, businesses can be referred to as battles fought with competition; battles that are based on business strategies. The success of a business or its victory over another in terms of capturing the market share is dependent on its strategy. In the 1960s, there was little competition for organizations to tackle. Opportunities existed in abundance and all that the companies had to do was concentrate on setting long-term goals and building their capabilities to meet those goals. In the 1970s, external influence such as the environment was given more importance while designing strategies. Opportunities and resources became limited and attention was shifted to organizational growth through progressive changes and diversification. In the 1980s, with emerging competition from the newly industrialized countries, the focus of strategic management and planning shifted to gaining a competitive edge. Businesses considered mergers and acquisitions in order to gain the advantage of size over competition. Organizations formed competitive strategies and attempted to provide more value to their customers in order to establish profitable and sustainable positions in their respective industries. In the 1990s, the markets as well as businesses became more complicated. This was mainly due to advancement in technology, increase in global competition, changing tastes of consumers and fluctuations in exchange rates. Tackling the everchanging business environment became the main focus of most organizations. Close and continuous monitoring of the external and internal environment became the essence of strategic management. In the dynamic business environment of the twenty-first century, continual transformation has become the mantra for success. With the progress in information technology and the advent of globalization, businesses need to be more flexible; they need to work on adaptable processes; they need to realize the importance of competitive advantage and select superior functional strategies that add value to the business, the customers and the stakeholders.

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Check Your Progress

1.5 WORK DONE IN THE FIELD OF STRATEGY

The concept of strategy was pioneered by Igor Ansoff and refined and developed by Henry Mintzberg and Michael Porter. Let us look at their versions of the concept.

1. When does a business achieve operational efficiency? 2. What is the mantra for success in the dynamic business environment of the twenty-first century?

1.5.1 Ansoffs Strategic Success Paradigm

Igor Ansof promoted the systematic study of strategic management. During extensive research, he discovered that American businesses that were acquired on the basis of a realistic and far-sighted strategy were more successful than acquisitions that were done on the basis of immediate or momentary benefits. His strategic success paradigm points out the conditions that lead to optimum profits. As per this paradigm:

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(a) There is no universal formula for success that can apply to all businesses. (b) Depending on the turbulence in the environment, the business can decide on the degree of aggressiveness of the strategy in order to achieve optimum success. (c) The success strategies for different firms depend on the level of changes, instability or agitation in the environment. (d) The success of a firm depends on the political, psychological, cognitive, anthropological as well as sociological variables. These variables, put together, form the internal capability variables. Following thorough empirical testing, spread over more than a decade, Ansoff translated his success paradigm into a diagnostic instrument. This instrument was named Strategic Readiness Diagnosis. Ansoffs contribution to the development of the concept of strategic management was also made in the form of the books Corporate Strategy and An Analytical Approach to Business Policy for Growth and Expectation. In the former book, published in 1965, he discussed strategic planning whereas in the latter book he introduced the concept of synergy and gap analysis.

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1.5.2 Henry Mintzberg: Strategy as Craft

Henry Mintzberg contributed to the development of strategic management by adding a new dimension to the field. His perceptive view of the field of strategic management involved the managers personal side. His view went against the views of the other rational thinkers of his time. He saw the task of formulating a strategy as a very calculated, critical and sensitive process. He propagated a more humane approach to the formulation and implementation of strategies, and came up with the term crafting strategy for the same. According to him, an ideal organizational structure would be one with (i) a simple organization structure, (ii) with machine and professional bureaucracy (iii) with adhocracy and (iv) divisionalized form.

1.5.3 Peter Druckers Contribution

The practice of using formal strategic thinking in making management decisions began after World War II. For a long time, markets were treated as impersonal forces beyond the control of individual entrepreneurs and organizations. However, in the age of multidivisional organizations, managing came to mean taking responsibility for attempting to shape the economic environment, for constantly pushing back the limitations of economic circumstances on the enterprises freedom of action. Peter Drucker argued that management translated into taking relevant action to achieve desired results. He opined that management was much more than mere passive, adaptive behaviour. The concept of management by objectives, popularly known as MBO was introduced by Drucker in 1954. Before MBO came into existence, managers were more involved with processes rather than goals. MBO caused them to shift their concern from processes to goals. Drucker described MBO as not just a management technique but a management philosophy. The basic assumptions of managing were shifted from exercising control to self control.

1.5.4 Michael Porter: Strategy and Competitive Advantage

Michael Porter recommended the use of his Five Forces Model to study the different elements that comprised strategic management, such as the environment in which

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the company operates. Generic strategies such as cost leadership, focus and cost differentiation were introduced by Michael Porter with an aim to reduce the uncertainties of the competitive environment. Porter authored the following books: (i) Competitive Strategy (1980) (ii) The Competitive Advantage of Nations (1990) In his books, Porter discussed the issue of sustaining competitive advantage and economic development and competitiveness. Porters Five Forces Model states that in any industry, competition is dependent on the following five forces: (i) The threat posed by new entrants (ii) The suppliers bargaining power (iii) The threat posed by substitute products (iv) The existing rivalry between the current players (v) The buyers or customers bargaining power In order to survive and succeed in this volatile business environment, it is very important for an organization to understand how the five forces work in the industry and influence the companies. These forces will be discussed in detail in unit 5.

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1.6 DIMENSIONS OF STRATEGIC DECISIONS

There are six typical dimensions that are identifiable in strategic issues. They: (a) Require decisions to be made by top management (b) Involve the allocation of a large amount of resources of the company (c) Have a significant impact on the prosperity of the firm in the long run (d) Are future-oriented (e) Have multifunctional or multi-business consequences (f) Make it necessary to consider the external environment factors

1.7 LEVELS OF STRATEGIC DECISIONS

The main hierarchical levels of strategy planning are: (a) Corporate level (b) Business level (c) Functional level The company gets its direction from the managers at the corporate level. They act as captains guiding the organization and helping it stand up to the challenges of the dynamic business environment. Managers at the business level are responsible for giving shape to the corporate managers vision. At the third level, that is, the functional level, are the managers who transform the vision into reality. The contribution made by the managers at all three levels is important.
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Corporate-level strategies are aimed at optimum utilization of the companys competencies in the long term. Decisions made by the managers at the corporate level keep in mind the interests of the stakeholders and the society. These strategies mainly concern the choice of operational areas for the companys business. At this level, strategies are designed with the objectives of the organization in mind. These strategies directly influence the way harmony is maintained in business and the way the business is managed on the whole. will be integrated and managed. It also impacts the way resources are managed and shared and also the manner in which financial resources are invested in the various units. Business-level strategies involve decisions about the competitive advantage of a single business unit. At this level, the managers form functional objectives and individual strategies for the business divisions on the basis of the general statements of corporate strategic planners. The business-level managers determine the basis of the companys competitive advantage in a particular product or market area. Their goal is to select the most profitable segment and enter it. They also aim to grow in the segment that has the highest potential for growth. In short, this strategy is concerned with using the cost-leadership, differentiation and focus strategies to ensure an edge over competition. Functional-level strategies consist of short-term strategies with fixed annual objectives in research and development; finance and accounting; marketing; and human resource. Functional-level managers are concerned with problems related to the efficiency and effectiveness of production, success of particular products and services in increasing their market share and quality of customer service. The functional objectives are operational and can be quantified. Depending on the requirements and functioning of the business, the functional objectives can be changed or modified. Risk involved in functional strategies is not very high as the cost of failure is small. The following table states the characteristics of management decisions at different levels:
Characteristic Type Measurability Corporate Conceptual Value adjustments dominate Periodic or sporadic low Innovative Level of strategy Business Mixed Semi quantifiable Periodic or sporadic Medium Mixed Functional Operational Usually quantifiable Periodic High supplementary

Frequency Adaptability Relation to present activities Risk Profit potential Cost Time horizon Flexibility Cooperation Required

Wide range large major Long range high Considerable

moderate Medium Medium Medium Medium moderate

Low Small Modest Short range Low Little

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1.8 FROM LONG-RANGE PLANNING TO STRATEGIC PLANNING AND STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

From the 1950s to the 1970s, the process of planning and implementation by using budgets and enforcing capital budgeting and MBOs through control systems was used for driving a company into the future. However, this was not adequate for highlighting the future goals and issues. This led to the birth of long-range planning. This too was replaced by strategic planning and again by strategic management. The term strategic management is nowadays used to describe the process of strategic decision making and is an integral part of the theoretical framework of business policy courses.

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1.9 SUMMARY
In this unit, you have learned that the long-term direction and scope of an organization is referred to as its strategy. A strategy is aimed at matching the firms resources to its changing environmentin particular, its markets, customers or clientsso as to meet shareholder expectations. You have also learnt that the systematic study of strategic management was pioneered by Ansoff. Mintzberg added a new dimension to strategic management by bringing the personal side of the manager into the picture. Peter Drucker introduced the concept of Management by Objectives (MBO). Later, Porter introduced the concept of generic strategies like focus, cost leadership and cost differentiation to reduce the uncertainties of competitive advantage. He also promoted the Five Forces Model. You have learned that strategic planners take into consideration different components of strategic management while finalizing their business strategy. A comprehensive understanding of these components helps in designing effective plans for the future of the organization. The unit also explained that corporate-level strategy deals with the challenges posed by the changing external environment and is aimed at making the organization proactive and capable of meeting challenges. Business-level strategy is formulated with the perspective of changes that might be necessary in the future in relation to strategic business units. Functional-level strategy addresses the need for short-term objectives concerned with various functional departments like production, operations, R&D, financial accounting, marketing and human relations.

1.10 KEY TERMS

Strategic management: A management activity involving decision making, based on various analyses, and taking relevant action aimed at achieving longterm competitive advantages. Strategy: A channel or direction that an organization adopts with a view to changing its resources with the changing environment and modifying markets and customers in a manner that will benefit the shareholders. Strategic decisions: Decisions critical to an organization in the long term.
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Check Your Progress

3. Who pioneered the concept of strategy? 4. List the levels of strategic planning.

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Strategists: People who question the current establishment, structure and set-up and think with the future in mind. Management by Objectives (MBO): A management philosophy where the focus is on goals rather than processes, self-control rather than exercising control.

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1.11 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

1. A business achieves operational efficiency when the right people (possessing the relevant skills), the right processes and the latest technology are put together to produce the desired product at minimal cost. 2. In the dynamic business environment of the twenty first century, continual transformation has become the mantra for success. 3. The concept of strategy was pioneered by Igor Ansoff. 4. The main hierarchical levels of strategy planning are as follows: Corporate level Business level Functional level

1.12 QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES

Short-Answer Questions 1. Define strategic management. 2. Who were the management thinkers who contributed to this field? 3. What has been the contribution in this field of renowned management thinkers? 4. What are the characteristics of a strategic management decision? Long-Answer Questions 1. Discuss the evolution of strategic management process. 2. Explain the different levels of strategy and illustrate with industry examples. 3. Write a note on Ansoffs strategic success paradigrm.

1.13 FURTHER READING

Johnson, Gerry and Kevan Scholes. 1994. Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases. New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India. Thomson and Strickland. 1997. Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases. Illinois: Irwin Professional Publishing. Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner. 2008. Strategic Management-Text and Cases. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Pearce, John A. and Richard B. Robinson. 1999. Strategic Management. New York: McGraw-Hill.
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Kazmi, Azhar. 2002. Business Policy and Strategic Management. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill.

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Author: Prof. Swarup Kumar Dutta Copyright Author, 2011

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