How to manage
strategically
It is often said that managers must be strategic if they want to get
on. But what is the process of ‘being strategic’? To answer this
question it is necessary to understand what is meant by strategy
and strategic management and, in the light of this under-
standing, to describe what managers do when they are being
strategic.
WHAT IS STRATEGY?
Strategy can be defined as the continuous process of defining a
sense of purpose and direction. It aims to match the organiza-
tion’s capabilities and resources to the opportunities available in
the external environment in the most advantageous way and to
ensure that different aspects of the strategy cohere and are mutu-
ally supportive.
Strategy has often been defined as a logical, step-by-step affair,
the outcome of which is a formal written statement that provides
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