Strategizing
| Strategizing |
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Strategizing includes all practical actions performed by people to devise long-term goals (mission, vision), plans (strategies), course of action (processes, structures). Strategizing is very common in industry, business, military, politics and government. Strategizing is strongly connected to strategic thinking. Managers should think strategically of all important areas of company development to achieve long term objectives and success.
Strategizing as a planning process
Strategic planning processes is first in a sequence of strategic management whose goal is to introduce and implement the best strategy for the company. Diagram of this process is shown in the figure below. The starting point of for mangers during strategize session involves preparing company mission and vision. Vision consist of short saying (few words) describing future of the company (image created in heads of managers), which should contain the following elements:.
- description of the perceived environment of business,
- strategic domain (industry in which managers wants to perform business),
- description of the key competences now and in the future,
- course of action to the place described in vision.
Strategizing and decision-making and strategic thinking
Strategizing remains in close connection with the decision making process. This connection occurs already at the stage of formulation of the objectives of the company, acceptance of different strategies and, finally, in monitoring of their implementation.
Role of strategizing
Strategizing should be an integral part of the management of the company and, must take into account the limitations imposed by: conflicting interests, financial barriers, resource constraints, lack of information, strategic potential, lack of competence, the expected change in an environment, competition, etc.
Manager thinking strategically underscores practical perspective of strategic planning and organizational design. It is usually done by managerial elites having expertise and interests that strongly influence the nature of business strategy and organization. It should be noted, that strategizing is also performed by middle managers, management consultants, corporate planners, OD professionals, etc. Among those disparate classes of actors involved in strategic planning several strategic conversations takes place, which lead to common understanding and creation of unique corporate strategy. Because of this, high level of communication skill is needed during strategize session in every complex group of people.
References
- Jarzabkowski, P., Balogun, J., & Seidl, D. (2007). Strategizing: The challenges of a practice perspective. Human relations, 60(1), 5-27.
- Johnson, G., Melin, L., & Whittington, R. (2003). Micro strategy and strategizing: towards an activity‐based view. Journal of management studies, 40(1), 3-22.
- Williamson, O. E. (1991). Strategizing, economizing, and economic organization. Strategic management journal, 12(S2), 75-94.
- Whittington, R. (2003). The work of strategizing and organizing: for a practice perspective. Strategic organization, 1(1), 117-126.
Author: Krzysztof Wozniak
