Role Of Thinking In Strategic Planning

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Henry Mintzberg (1994) submits that strategic planning is concerned with the analysis of the strategy, such as the breaking down the longer term vision into smaller workable intermediate and short term steps, designing the implementation of those steps, and establishing the probable consequences of each step. Mintzberg maintains that strategic plan is part of the strategic thinking that synthesizes the creative aspects to formulate a fully rounded perspective, a vision, of the direction of the company. As to the question of the importance of analysis, according to Kenichi Ohmae, its paramount in the process of strategy, falling under the title of strategic planning. Analysis is at the core to formulating any strategy and therefore the fuel that will power the strategy. Without analysis there is no strategy, as the strategy is based on a calculated measurement of certain criteria as well as the calculated action list to move it forward. In fact it is through the analysis of the company, the industry, and the environment that the strategy becomes clear. As the analysis portion of the strategic thinking process is a painstaking and detailed effort that, at a minimum, gather data relating to: 1. Industry’s dominant economic traits 2. competitive forces at work in industry 3. Drivers of industry change 4. Strongest/Weakest competitive positions 5. Key factors determining success or failure in industry. Due to the enormous effort involved with the analysis part of strategic thinking, there is much interference that comes into play that may delay our ability to start the process, such as interruptions, the inability to put aside to do the analysis, lack of focus, lack of cohesion and agreement between the planners as to the underlying vision or overall strategy. More often than not, strategy materializes as they were envisioned due to lack of analysis,
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