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What is strategy, anyway?

Canadian Management Centre

Two definitions illustrate the confusion that surrounds this vital, yet vague business concept.

From Dr. Al Coke, a senior course leader at Canadian management Centre "Strategies are big picture techniques for how you accomplish your plan"

From Sullivan and Harper "Strategy is an intellectual construct linking where you are today with where you want to be tomorrow in a substantive concrete manner"

From AMA course "Strategic planning" - Strategy is an elusive term with many nuances. For the purposes of this course we will adopt a fairly simple definition. Strategy will be regarded as the means for achieving objectives."

What, then, differentiates a strategy defined as above from a tactic or a plan? All are means for achieving objectives. The same definitions apply to three concepts. Herein lies the confusion. No agreement can be reached among the various players involved in carrying out a business plan unless all are crystal clear on what their common strategy, whatever that is, really is. How many meetings have you been in where the group assembled are still debating the strategy after it has been adopted?

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