What If? How to Create a Great Strategy

Bad strategy decisions lead to layoffs, budget cuts, ruined careers, personal stress, and the pain of the saddest words in the English language: “What could have been.” The best antidote is the words “what if?” – if they’re spoken before the decision gets made.

This article will provide a framework to assist managers in creating a great strategy efficiently and effectively. It will discuss:
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Assessing Your External Environment: STEEP Analysis

External environment factors such as down turns in the economy, and a lack of investment in innovation can have a significant impact on a firm’s strategic options. To obtain a better glance of how these factors will affect the planning process, analysts can utilize the STEEP analysis tool. When used correctly, the tool will furnish decision makers with information which should be used to improve … [ Read more ]

From Strategic Planning to Competitive Planning

This article offers three suggestions for improving the strategic planning process. Especially noteworthy is the third suggestion, which includes a description of McKinsey’s Nine-cell Business Portfolio framework.

How Big 5 consulting firms use Intranets and what they can teach us

Article tracks some of the features and lessons learned from Intranet strategies to manage employee and expert knowledge at Booz-Allen, Arthur Andersen, E&Y and KPMG.