What’s the issue here? In the fast-paced world of today, we are urged to undertake ‘business at the speed of thought’ and become increasingly action orientated. Intuitively it makes sense to increase our speed of response in this rapidly changing environment. But, as we move to action, have our organisations become more effective at understanding […]
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If You Don’t Think Strategic Thinking Counts, Think Again
Leaders easily handle routine decisions and events by relying on past practices and habit. However, today leaders face complex decisions and unprecedented conditions requiring thoughtful analysis instead of conditioned reactions. Instead of being “safe,” conventional thinking is dangerous. The fast pace of changes requires sound strategic thinking practices. If leaders fail to consider all aspects, […]
Putting the Balanced Scorecard to Work: 11 Great Tips
Putting the Balanced Scorecard to work can be quite a challenge. Yes, the Balanced Scorecard has been around for a long time. Yes, there are many Balanced Scorecard example out there. But that doesn’t change the fact that most organizations struggle to put the Balanced Scorecard to work and get all the promised benefits. This […]
Nab the Best of Both Worlds by Forming a Marketing Partnership
You’ve no doubt heard about using partnerships to further your business, but perhaps you dismissed it as something only the big brands can do. That’s not the case — in fact, businesses of all sizes are in an ideal position to engage in strategic partnerships and reap big rewards. Consider a union like the one […]
An Introduction to Market and Customer Segmentation
Segmentation. Everyone’s doing it, but are you doing it right? Although segmentation should help target the right customers, it does not always bring the intended value. Inappropriately or incorrectly defined segments may lead management to make bad strategic decisions. Market and Customer Segmentation defines a number of different groups of people or organizations, which […]
How Compelling Is Your Value Proposition?
First, let’s define Value Proposition. Here’s what Wikipedia has to say: A value proposition is a promise of value to be delivered and acknowledged. Creating a value proposition is a part of business strategy. Kaplan and Norton say “Strategy is based on a differentiated customer value proposition. Satisfying customers is the source of sustainable value creation.” […]
How Do We Create Leadership Pull for Operational Excellence?
Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from the full How to Create Leadership Pull for Operational Excellence whitepaper, available for free download from Flevy here. * * * * Several times a year, over the last decade, in multiple Operational Excellence (OpEx) focused conference workshops, we have asked the same question. What’s the #1 obstacle to successful […]
How to Build a World Class Strategy Execution
Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from the full Integrated Strategy Execution (ISE) Executive Briefing report, available for free download from Flevy here. * * * * Is poor execution inevitable? The short answer is no, but let’s explore this further. A recent Harvard Business Review article highlighted that over 70% of organisations admit […]
What Is Digital Transformation?
Organizations across all industries are undertaking “digital transformation” projects. But, what exactly is it? And, are they doing it right? At it’s core, Digital Transformation is driven by the tangible shift in the role of the technology within an organization. No longer as purely a support function that enables business processes, technology is now capable […]
Brand Strategy 101. How Can You Make Your Brand Stronger?
Based on research with almost 200,000 consumers across 40 countries, the ad agency Young & Rubicam developed a Brand Value framework called the Brand Asset Valuator (BAV). BAV is based on one of the most extensive research programs on branding ever conducted. Here is the essence of BAV. Brand Value can be measured by applying understanding and […]
5 Misconceptions about Business Strategy
We all like to talk about strategy. It’s cool to do so. But in order to craft a great strategy, it’s crucial to understand the underlying business strategy principles. All too often, people who talk about strategy don’t really know what strategy is all about. This article wants to change that! First, let’s take a […]
7 Steps to Produce a Strategy-on-a-Page (SoaP)
Every year you are asked to assess the previous year’s business performance and update your strategies to meet the needs of a changing environment, including new opportunities and emerging opposition to your business’ efforts. You have to schedule a brainstorming session with your business leaders, review your company’s vision and mission statements, measure current state […]
