The development of strategy is an on-going activity. During and
after the implementation phase, management should review and
adapt policy as required. While the overall objectives remain intact –
there may be changes in how we set about achieving such targets
(Figure 13.3).
● Systems
Several systems are important in the implementation process and fall
into two general groups: reporting and forecasting. It is necessary to
have systems which aid management decision making. Note: These are
aids to decision making and not replacements for decision making.
Such systems will cover areas such as finance and budgeting, project
evaluation/refinement and market research. The key factor is often the
interpretation of information rather than the system itself.262 Strategic Marketing: Planning and ControlFeedbackStrategyreview Strategy PerformanceRefine/AdjustFigure 13.3
Reviewing strategy
The seven S’s
The McKinsey and Company’s ‘Seven-S’ model provides a useful summa-
tion of these ideas. The model can be adapted as seen in Figure 13.4 and
split into: (i) HRM – dealing with the people-based aspects of implemen-
tation and (ii) process – the policy, procedures, reporting and systems
aspects of implementation.■ Assessing ease of implementation
It is now possible to test and evaluate the likely ease of implementation.
Firstly, strategic fit – how easily will the strategy fit into current activities?
Unsurprisingly, the easier the fit the less likely implementation problems
are to occur. Note: It must be recognised that an ‘easy fit’ does not guaran-
tee success. The strategy must be right for the business environment.