Operation Strategy Essay

Operations strategy

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Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Aspects of strategy
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Approaches to determining operations strategy

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The influence of the product life cycle on operational performance objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 The strategic service concept and consideration of the service delivery system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Linking strategic and operational change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Summary
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Operations strategy

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Introduction

The term strategy, given in the Collins English Dictionary is, ‘the art or science of the planning and conduct of a war; generalship; a long term plan for success, especially in business and politics’. Therefore strategy is all about the decisions and actions necessary to obtain long term success. Although by success we generally mean competitiveness or survival. Andrews (1971) refers to strategy as, ‘rivalry among peers, for prizes in a defined and shared game’. An apocryphal story tells of a body of soldiers, completely surrounded by the enemy, and far from its base. The Brigadier sits at the entrance to his tent for some considerable time, staring into the blue sky. Eventually, he summons the Colonel and orders him to get all of the troops safely back to base. ‘Can you suggest how I might do that, sir?’ the Colonel pleads, to which the Brigadier replies ‘That’s your responsibility. I decide strategy – you implement it’. This story nicely parallels a situation commonly found in business management, where the business strategy is decided without due