Develop business strategies

Typically, when you start talking about strategy, there is almost irresistible temptation to rely on the classics and to arrange for a tour of the reader into the depths of the different strategic schools. Some of the most zealous manage to get to the Chinese general Sun Tzu. I do not want to do it. Very often, the results of superficial acquaintance with the deepest well of wisdom, a sense that corporate strategy - a thing very dark and difficult, though, probably, and useful. And it no doubt is left that on their own to develop a really useful and working for the company's strategy is impossible. I want to show that it is not that the strategy of the company - a convenient and intuitive tool that does not contain any deep secrets and it is available for use. I want to travel with you at all stages of policy development, to show how various companies with whom I come across, find effective approaches to strategic issues. Another expected result should be seeing the emergence of a "strategy as a whole" - where does it come, as both developed and implemented.

Entry

While working for almost ten years in the field of strategic management, I am convinced that most problems occur during conversion of general theoretical knowledge in a real and effective strategy. It seems, from the standpoint of methodology, everything is quite clear: there are several well-publicized strategic management tools, such as the Boston matrix (BCG) - one where the "stars", "cow", "difficult children", etc., is SWOT-analysis , the matrix of the competitive strategies of Porter and Methods "objectives tree". These tools are really useful, effective, and facilitate the work of the strategist, but like any other, they should be able to use, you must clearly see when they really need, and when simply to do without them.

As a rule, any beginner an expert in the field of strategy goes a few steps. Incidentally, I was no exception. I remember the first impression was very close to the shock - struck by the magnitude of the task and responsibility, non-obviousness approach to it and thought about what is "the great guru strategies" that can easily handle it, but I have to go to their stratospheric levels . As the accumulation of practical experience and knowledge of luggage came another sense: it is simple! We must follow the instructions, and the result will certainly be achieved. This, in my opinion, the most dangerous stage. Very high risk of hang on it and start to give a simple, rapid and irregular solutions. Examples of these formal strategies darkness, and I'm not going to specifically dwell on them in the introduction.

The next important step in the development - understanding that the standard recipes over and over again and really sum up effective strategies are usually beyond them.

From this point begins again the search for effective approaches to developing a strategy, but on another level of quality awareness. The main problem here may be a trivial lack of practice. Typically, the strategic kitchen is hidden from prying eyes, and companies often have to learn from their mistakes.

The position of consultant offers significant advantages: allows you to take part in the development strategies of different companies from a wide range of industries, to work directly with top managers and owners of these companies, which are usually unique personalities, summarize and compare the experience. The results of this generalization, I would like to present in this book.

In my opinion, to develop a really good strategy can be divided into two main components: the expert, which determines the quality of the studies, the depth of developed alternatives and selection of the correct path of development, and process. Under a process component, and I understand the organization of the process of strategic research, and involvement of specialists in the company's strategy, and motivate top management to achieve strategic development objectives. If we neglect the part of a process development strategy, the result is likely to be a voluminous document, which for many years will decorate a shelf in the office of Director General, because hardly anyone will use this "labor" and, therefore, its safety not in danger.

The alternative is also found: the company formulates a strategy encouraging managers and decisively moves ... in an unknown direction. Well, if it does not lead to substantial losses. But as a rule, if it happens with small companies, they simply no one else hears. The share of multinational corporations (and this error is not alien and they) are more enviable. These stories are decorated books on management. What I mean more specifically? For example, the story of the satellite communications system Iridium, which I discuss in this book.

I would like to review the result with the book was to build a bridge from the theoretical knowledge to actual working strategy. I tried to tell as much as possible about each step along the way, show the main challenges to be faced, and how to deal with them by other companies.

Contact Information

Corfus Ayiou Alley,
POBox 63 652,
CY-3840 Limassol, Cyprus.
Phone: 357 354 63 220
mnfme@big.com