Strategic Marketing: Planning and Control, Third Edition

Primarily, the concern is with the level of change associated with the
implementation. The greater the change, the greater the management chal-
lenge and the perceived benefit of the change needs to be. Hence there is a
need to consider the potential pay-off and the amount of change required
to achieve this. Figure 13.5 illustrates the relationship between change and
importance.

Strategic implementation 263

HRM aspects

• Shared values


• Style


• Staff


• Skills

Process aspects

• Strategy


• Structure


• Systems

Implementation

Figure 13.4

The seven S’s

Level of change in

current operations

High Low

High

Importance

of change

Low

Overhaul Synergy

Overkill Limitedimpact

Figure 13.5

Strategic fit

● Overhaul: Here implementation will have a significant impact and face
significant challenges. Given that a high degree of change is likely, one
must expect increasing levels of resistance and risk as the strategy has
only a limited fit with current activity. There needs to be compelling
strategic reasons and significant support for this strategy’s implemen-
tation. Such activities are likely to involve factors such as restructur-
ing, downsizing, mergers and overhauling business culture.