1. What is Strategy and Why is it Important?

2. The reasons why firms succeed and fail is perhaps the central question in strategy Answers the fundamental question of the firm Where we are now? Where we going? How are we going to get there?

3.  decisions and actions that determine long-term performance  formulation and implementation of plans designed to achieve objectives  unifying theme that gives coherence and direction to organizational/individual decisions  game plan management has for positioning the company in its chosen market, competing successfully, satisfying customers, and achieving good business performance  integrated and coordinated set of commitments and actions designed to exploit core competencies and gain a competitive advantage What is a competitive advantage?

4.  When a firm implements a strategy that rivals can’t duplicate, or find it too expensive to do try to imitate

5. Global Economy Knowledge Intensity Information Technology Change & Diffusion Hypercompetition Strategic Flexibility Intelligence Management Global Perspective Speed, Innovation & Integration New Managerial Mindset

6. Strategy is not doing similar activities better than your rivals – that’s operational effectiveness  continual improvement not a sustainable advantage  industry-wide cost reductions do not lead to increased profitability  examples: PCs, automobiles, airlines

7. 1) Strategy is performing different activities or performing similar activities in a different way Strategy is about positioning a) Variety-based positioning  offering a unique choice of goods/services - Chic-fil-a, GameStop b) Needs-based positioning  serving most/all of a particular group of customers’ needs - Babies R Us c) Access-based positioning  serving a set of customers that require unique access – Kinkos, Movie Gallery, Superette

8. 2) Strategy is about choosing a position which requires tradeoffs, choosing what not to do  without tradeoffs, all firms would imitate Tradeoffs arise from  inconsistent image/reputation  different activities, products, equipment, employees, skills, systems, machines  priorities, internal coordination, and control

9. 3) Strategy is about combining activities as advantages come from fit and reinforcing Operational effectiveness is about excellence in individual activities Fit/integration increases sustainability by reducing imitability

10. 4) The desire to grow is most threatening to an effective strategy  Blurs uniqueness  Creates compromises  Reduces fit  Erodes original advantages

11. 1) Choose an attractive industry in which to compete - Where we compete? Corporate level strategy 2) Attain a competitive advantage within an industry - How we compete? Business level strategy

12. I/O Model (Industrial/Organizational Economics Model) Resource Based Model

13.  Three Key Assumptions   Therefore, firms must find an attractive industry or segment within the industry to gain above average profitability

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15.  Three Key Assumptions   Therefore, firms must find an attractive industry or segment within the industry to gain above average profitability

18.  A strategic vision concerns “where we are going” or ”what do we want to be.”  Markets to be pursued  Future product/ market/ customer/ technology focus  Kind of company management is trying to create  The mission statement focuses on its “who we are and what we do”  Current product and service offerings  Customer needs being served  Technological and business capabilities

19.  Boundaries of the current business  Fundamental purpose that sets it apart from other firms of its type  Conveys  Who we are,  What we do, and  Why we are here

20.  Turns mission into performance outcomes  Organizations produce what is measured  Long and Short term

21. Outcomes focused on improving financial performance Outcomes focused on improving competitive vitality and future business position Financial Objectives Strategic Objectives $

22.  U SMART  Understandable  Stretching  Measurable  Agreeable  Realistic  Timebound

23.  Current financial results are “lagging indicators” reflecting results of past decisions and actions—good profitability now does not translate into stronger capability for delivering better financial results later  However, meeting or beating strategic performance targets signals growing competitiveness & strength in the marketplace, thus developing the capability for better financial performance in the years ahead  Good strategic performance is thus a “leading indicator” of a company’s capability to deliver improved future financial performance Leading versus Lagging Indicators

24.  Individual or groups who  Affect mission/vision of the firm  Are affected by strategic outcomes of the firm  Have enforceable claims on the performance of the firm  Capital Market Stakeholders  Shareholders and capital suppliers  Product Market Stakeholders  Customers, suppliers, communities, unions  Organizational Stakeholders  Employees  Today’s firms must affectively balance the demands and expectations of all stakeholders.

26. Enterprise Storage & Servers HP Services SoftwarePersonal Systems Imagining and Printing Financial Services