Sunday, May 13, 2007
STRATEGY SAFARI - HENRY MINTZBERG
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Strategy is a pattern, that is , cnsistent in behaviour over time. A company that perpetually markets the most expensive products in its industry pursues what is commonly called a high end strategy, just as a person who always accepts the most challenging of jobs may be described as pursuing a high risk strategy.
Organisationas develop plans for their future and they also evolve patterns out of their past. We call one, intended strategy and the other , realised strategy .........
To some people, strategy is a position, namely, the locating a particular products in particular markets. To others, strategy is a perspective, namely an organisation's fundamental way of doing things. As position, strategy looks down - to the " x" that marks the spot where, the product meets the customer, as well as out - to the external marketplace.
As perspective, in contrast, strategy looks in inside the organisation , indeed, inside the heads of the strategiss, but it also looks up - o the grand vision of the enterprise.
The problems is that, eventually, situations change - enviromments destabilise, niches disappear, opportunities open up. Then all that is constructive about an established strategy becomes a liability !! That is ,why, even though the concept of strategy is rooted in stability, so much of the study of strategy focuses on change. But, while formulas for strategic change may come easily, the management of that change, especially when it involves shifting perspective, comes hard !! ------------------------------------------------------
Strategy is a pattern, that is , cnsistent in behaviour over time. A company that perpetually markets the most expensive products in its industry pursues what is commonly called a high end strategy, just as a person who always accepts the most challenging of jobs may be described as pursuing a high risk strategy.
Organisationas develop plans for their future and they also evolve patterns out of their past. We call one, intended strategy and the other , realised strategy .........
To some people, strategy is a position, namely, the locating a particular products in particular markets. To others, strategy is a perspective, namely an organisation's fundamental way of doing things. As position, strategy looks down - to the " x" that marks the spot where, the product meets the customer, as well as out - to the external marketplace.
As perspective, in contrast, strategy looks in inside the organisation , indeed, inside the heads of the strategiss, but it also looks up - o the grand vision of the enterprise.
The problems is that, eventually, situations change - enviromments destabilise, niches disappear, opportunities open up. Then all that is constructive about an established strategy becomes a liability !! That is ,why, even though the concept of strategy is rooted in stability, so much of the study of strategy focuses on change. But, while formulas for strategic change may come easily, the management of that change, especially when it involves shifting perspective, comes hard !! ------------------------------------------------------
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