System Thinking

According to Jarratt and Stiles a research of 30 leaders in different broad sectors, the managers that were chosen had a ‘strong strategy orientation and were major initiatives or businesses and worn many operating hats before taking on the role’ (Breene, Nunes and Shill, 2007, p. 86), Managers differed in their use of strategic tools by the methods or approach taken from either discussion groups, self-reporting techniques or research. For some the strategizing methodologies were employed directly or adjusted to address perceived issues surrounding their use, while others used Competitive strategy.

From the study managers who used the competitive strategies where design and positioning methodologies were in effect mainly used traditional methods such as SWOT, PEST, A SWOT analysis guides in identifying the organization’s strengths and weaknesses (S-W), as well as broader opportunities and threats (O-T). Developing a fuller awareness of the situation helps with both strategic planning and decision-making. While the PEST which is an acronym for Political, Economic, Social Technological is an analysis of external macro-environment that affects all firms, where the external factors present themselves as threats are mostly beyond the organizations control. Another model used was Porter’s five forces model as the was the basis of strategy decision-making and post-strategy rationalization by identifying where power lies by knowing the competitive position of the organization, the position they wish to move into. 1) Threat of new entrants, 2) threat of the substitute, 3) bargaining power of buyers 4) bargaining power of the suppliers and 5) the rivalry among competitors

the differences where influenced by the managers perspective, the strategy practices used either

1. Routinized practice which is used in a predictable environment and the strategy is aligning or reconfiguring resources

2. Reflective practice used in a complex or dynamic environment with the strategy as a lived experience

3. Imposed practice used is stable environment and incremental strategy used

http://www.isc.hbs.edu/strategy/business-strategy/pages/the-five-forces.aspx

http://www.netmba.com/strategy/pest/