Strategy vs.Tactics
Marjorie G. Pudin
MPM LU-2
Strategy Vs.Tactics
“One must change one’s tactics every ten years if one wishes to maintain one’s superiority “
–Napoleon Bonaparte
We’ve been asked what comes first, Strategy or mission/vision?-a question rather bit confusing. Every company or an LGU for that matter has its own mission/vision for its entity. It is where the tip of the iceberg begins, it is where the head or main point that branches down to different types of planning and more so with strategic or courses of action to fulfill its goals flow. It is always associated with planning - now, would this strategy be successful if no result is achieved? Obviously, it will only and merely be planning. With a fix goal/mission/vision, the SWOT follows and targets the basic questions that spreads into analysis (internal or external) and subsequent formulation of strategies. There are of course the intended strategies wherein a planning team tries to foresee eventualities that may arise in the future. It would be nice if these planners can craft a strategy but it would be fulfilling if they achieve the goal with what they strategized. Along these areas of different strategies may come an emergent strategy- not included in the planning process but emerged from what is at hand at that time. The case of Honda, a Japanese company with an intended strategy of selling big bikes in the US hit big when their small motor bikes was seen by Americans being used by Japanese executives doing errands, coupled with problems with machine imperfection of Honda big bikes, the Honda small bikes entered an untouched market of Americans who never owned motorbikes. The intended strategy was a near disaster for Honda but the emergent strategy was a huge hit. It can only show that some strategies can emerged without prior planning-sometimes in response to unforeseen circumstances. Strategy therefore can be said that, is more than what the organization intends or plans to do, it is
MPM LU-2
Strategy Vs.Tactics
“One must change one’s tactics every ten years if one wishes to maintain one’s superiority “
–Napoleon Bonaparte
We’ve been asked what comes first, Strategy or mission/vision?-a question rather bit confusing. Every company or an LGU for that matter has its own mission/vision for its entity. It is where the tip of the iceberg begins, it is where the head or main point that branches down to different types of planning and more so with strategic or courses of action to fulfill its goals flow. It is always associated with planning - now, would this strategy be successful if no result is achieved? Obviously, it will only and merely be planning. With a fix goal/mission/vision, the SWOT follows and targets the basic questions that spreads into analysis (internal or external) and subsequent formulation of strategies. There are of course the intended strategies wherein a planning team tries to foresee eventualities that may arise in the future. It would be nice if these planners can craft a strategy but it would be fulfilling if they achieve the goal with what they strategized. Along these areas of different strategies may come an emergent strategy- not included in the planning process but emerged from what is at hand at that time. The case of Honda, a Japanese company with an intended strategy of selling big bikes in the US hit big when their small motor bikes was seen by Americans being used by Japanese executives doing errands, coupled with problems with machine imperfection of Honda big bikes, the Honda small bikes entered an untouched market of Americans who never owned motorbikes. The intended strategy was a near disaster for Honda but the emergent strategy was a huge hit. It can only show that some strategies can emerged without prior planning-sometimes in response to unforeseen circumstances. Strategy therefore can be said that, is more than what the organization intends or plans to do, it is