BUSINESS POLICY AND STRATEGIC ANALYSIS

Paper code: 2.31/5.91/3.31

Unit-I
Business policy as a field of study; nature and objectives of business policy;
strategic management process-vision, mission, establishment of organisational
direction, corporate strategy, strategic activation.

Qu. 1 Is there any distinction between business policy and Strategic

Management? Discuss the comprehensive model of strategic management
process.

Ans A distinction between policy and strategic management is made on following basis
:
(a) Guidelines Vs Direction : Policy is a guide line to the thinking and action of those
whose finally take decision. While the strategic concerns with the direction in which
human and physical resources are deployed and applied in order to maximize the
chances of achieving organizational objectives in the face of environmental variables.
(b) Directions and Rules for taking Decisions ; Ausff makes differences between policy
and strategy by arguing that policy is contingent decision whereas strategy is a rule for
taking decisions. A contingent event is repetitive but at the time of its stipulated
occurrence cannot be specified. It is not worthwhile to decide every time what to do
when such contingencies arises. It is better to decide in advance what will be done in
such contingent events.
(c) Delegation Vs Implementations : Another distinction between policy and strategy is
made on basis of delegation and implementation. Since the policy provides guidelines
for decision, it can be delegated downwards in the organisation. In fact, the policy id
prescribed for the people what they are expected to do in certain cases. Thus its
implementation is through subordinate managers. Strategy can not be delegated
downwards since it may require last minute executive decision.
Comprehensive model of Strategic Management : The process of strategic
management is depicted through model, which consist of different phases, each having
a number of elements. Our purpose in giving a working model, devoid of complexity
observed in the comprehensive model is to assist you in remembering and recalling it
with ease. Various elements in strategic management process are as under:
(a) The Hierarchy Of Strategic Intent: It lays foundation for the strategic management of
any organisation. In this hierarchy, the vision business definition, mission and
objectives are established. The strategic intent makes clear what an organisation stand
for. The element of vision in hierarchy of strategic serves the purpose of stating what
an organisation wishes to achieve in the long run. The objectives of an organisation
state what is to be achieved in a given time period. These objectives serve as
yardsticks and benchmark for measuring oranisational performance
(b) Environmental and Organisational appraisal: It helps to find out the opportunities
and threats operating in the environment and the strength and weaknesses of an
organisation in order to create a match between them. In such a manner opportunities
could be availed of and the impact of threats neturalised to capitalize on the
organisation strength and minimise the weaknesses.
(c) Strategic Alternatives and Choice: These are required for evolving alternative
strategies out of many possible options and choosing the most appropriate strategy or
strategies in the light of environmental opportunities, threats, corporate strength and
weaknesses. Strategies are chosen at corporate and business level.
(d) Strategic Plan : For implementation of a strategy, the strategic plan is put into
action through six sub process such as:
(i) Project Implementation: It deals with setting up the organisation.
(ii) Procedural Implementation: It deals with different aspects of regulatory
framework within which Indian organisations have to operate.
(iii) Resources Allocation: It relates to the procurement and commitment of
resources for implementation.
(iv) Structural Implementation: It deals with the designing of appropriate
organizational structures and systems and reorganizing to match the structure to
the needs of the strategy.
(v) Behavioral: It is considered as the leadership style for implementation strategies
and other issues like corporate culture, politics and use of power impersonal values,
business ethics and social responsibilities.
(vi) Functional and Operational: This aspect relates to the policies to be formulated
in different functional areas. The operational aspect deals with the productivity,
process, people and ace of implementing the strategies.
(e) Strategic Evaluation: It appraises the implementation of strategies and
measures organizational performance. The feedback from strategic
management evaluation is meant to exercise strategic control over the strategic
management process.

Qu. 2 Why do firms have objectives? Elaborate how mission and objectives are
formulated?

Ans. Objectives : The objectives of a business firm are as under:

(a) Business Concepts: The learners of business policies have to understand the
various concepts involved. Many of these concepts, like strategy, policies, plans and
programmes are encountered in the functional are courses too. It is imperative to
understand these concepts especially in the context of business policy.
(b) Environmental Knowledge: A knowledge of external and internal environment and
how it affects functioning of business is vital. Through the tools of analysis and
diagnosis a lerner can understand the environment in which a firm operates.
(c) Implementation of Strategy: It is a complex issue and is invariably the most difficult
part of strategic management. Through the knowledge gained from business policy, the
lerner would able to visualize how the implementation of strategic management can
take place.
(d) Generalised Approach: The problem in real business life is unique and so are the
solution is an enlightened experience. The knowledge component of such experience
stress the general approach to adapt in problem solving and decision making.
(e) Information: The information about environment helps in determination of the
mission, objectives and strategies of a firm.
(f) Research: To learn about the research taking place in the field of business policy is
also an important knowledge objective.
Mission and Objectives Formulation: The mission and objectives are formulated by
the corporate level strategists. But these executives do not make choices in vacuum.
Their choices are affected by several factors such as;
(a) External Environment and Power Relationship: The realities, and past strategy and
development of the enterprise. The stockholder with whom the organisation has an
exchange relationship will present demand or claims.
Suppose a manager want to choose sales maximization as an objective. He may
have to modified these objectives because of governmental regulations regarding
excess profit, consumer labeling and so on. Trade union may require higher wages
than market, which leads to higher costs. Competitors may sell their products at low
price and spend excessive amount on advertisements. Suppliers may become
monopolized and charge outrageous prices. If the organisation is more dependent on
suppliers than any other stakeholder the operational objectives may be limited by the
availability and cost of supplies.
(b) Enterprise Resources and Internal Power Relationship: The second factor affecting
the formulation of mission and objectives is the realities of the enterprise resources and
internal power relationship. Larger and more profitable firms have more resources with
which to respond to forces in environment than do smaller or poorer firms. Mission and
objectives are also affected by the power relationship among strategies either as
individual or representations of units within the organisation. Thus if there is a difference
of opinion on which objectives to seek or the trade offs among them power relationship
may help settle the difference.
(c) Goal of the Top Executives: The value system of top executives affects the
formulation of mission and objectives. Enterprises with strong value system or
ideologies will attract and regain managers whose values are similar. These values are
essentially a set of attitudes about what is good or bad, desirable or undesirable.

Qu 3. Define objectives of business policy?

Ans The objectives of business policy have been stated by various authors in terms of
knowledge, skill and attitudes. These objectives could be derived from purpose of
business policy:
Knowledge:
• Knowledge of external and internal environment is vital to understanding of
business policy.
• The information about environment helps in determination of the mission,
objectives and strategies of a firm.
• The implementation of strategy is a complex issue and is invariably the most
difficult part of strategic management
• To survey the literature and learn about the research taking place in the field of
business policy is also an important knowledge objective.
Skills:
• The study of business policy should enable a student to develop analytical ability
and use it to
understand the situation in a given case or incident.
• The study of business policy should lead to the skill of identifying the factors
relevant in decision making. The analysis of strengths and weakness of an
organisation, the threats and opportunities present in the environment.
• The above objectives in terms of skill increase the mental ability of the lerners
and enable them to link theory with practice.
 • As a part of business policy study case analysis leads to the development of oral
as well as written communication skills.
Attitudes:
• The attainment of the knowledge and skill objectives should lead to the
inculcation of an appropriate attitude among the learners.
• By acting in an comprehensive manner, a generalist is able to function under
conditions of partial ignorance by using his or her judgment and intuition.
• For a general manager information and suggestions are important to pose a
liberal attitude and be receptive to new ideas.
• It is important to have the attitudes to go beyond and think when faced with a
problematic situation. Developing a creative attitude is the hallmark of general
manager who refuses to be board by precedents and stereo typed decision.
Characteristics of business policy: The following are the main features of business
policies:
(a) Policies are always in writing: The policies in general are written procedures which
specify limits or guidelines for perfection of work to be undertaken in future.
(b) Directions towards goal achievements: A policy is formulated in context of
organisational objectives. Therefore, the policy tries to contribute towards the
achievements of organisational achievements by specifying limits.
(c) Persuasive Function: Formulation of policy is a function of all managers whether
manager of marketing, personnel, finance department etc.
(d) Policy Differs from Strategy: A layman may think, there is no difference between
policy and strategy, so at times people use these words interchangeably. Policies are
identified as guides to thinking in decision making while strategies devote a general
program of action and a commitment of emphasis and resources towards the attainment
of comprehensive objectives.
(e) Expressed in Qualitative and General Way: Policies are generally expressed in a
qualitative, conditional and general way. The verbs most often used in setting up
policies are to maintain to continue, to follow, to adhere, to provide, to assist, to assure,
to employ etc.
(f) It Involves Choice of Purpose: Policies involves a choice of purpose and defining
what needs to be done in order to mould the character and identify of organisation.
(g) Policies Must be Long Range: In general a policy is a written decision by top
management for achieving certain results.
(h) Clarity of Thought: A policy should be clear and self explanatory thus there will be
no change for wrongdoing.
(j) Policies are reflection of management philosophy: a policy is a written and effective
expression of management thought and action.
Unit-II

Top management : Constituents- board of directors, sub-committee, chief

executive officer; task, responsibilities and skills of top management.

Qu. 3 Explain the various level at which strategy is formulated?

Ans. The definition of strategy varied in nature, depth and coverage, offers us a
glimpses of the complexity involved in understanding this daunting yet interesting and
challenging concept. The different levels at which strategy can be formulated are as
under:
(a) Corporate Level strategy: Strategy at corporate level is designated as corporate
strategy. It is the top management plan to direct and run the enterprises as a whole.
Corporate level strategy represents the pattern of interest in different business,
divisions, product-lines, customer groups and technology etc. Corporate strategy
emphasizes upon the fact that how one should manage the scope, mix and emphasis of
various activities and how the resources should be allocated over the different priorities
of the corporation.
(b) Business Level Strategy: For many companies that are dealing in number of
product mix, dealing with different types of buyers and types of markets, for them a
single strategy is not only inadequate but also inappropriate. The need is for multiple
strategies at different levels. In order to segregate different units or segments each
performing a separate function, a seprate strategy is required.

Unit-III

Formation of strategy : Nature of company’s environment and its analysis; SWOT

analysis; evaluating multinational environment; identifying corporate competence
and resources; principles and rules of corporate strategy : strategic excellence
positions

Qu. 4 What do you understand by SWOT analysis? How this technique is used in
the formation of corporate strategies?

Ans. A scan of the internal and external environment is an important part of the
strategic planning process. Environmental factors internal to the firm usually can be
classified as strength (S) or weakness (W), and those external to the firm can be
classified as opportunities (O) or threats (T). Such an analysis of the strategic
environment is referred to as a SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis provides
information that is helpful in matching the firm’s resources and capabilities to the
competitive environmental in strategy formulation and selection. The following shows
how SWOT analysis fits into environmental scan:
Strengths (S): A firm’s strength are its resources and capabilities that can be used
as a basis for developing its competitive advantage profile.
 • Patents
• Strong brand names
• Good reputation among customer
• Cost advantages from proprietary know how
• Exclusive access to high grade natural resources
• Favourable access to distribution network
Weaknesses (W): The absence of certain strengths may be viewed as a weakness.
For example, each of the following may be considered weaknesses:
• Lack of patent protection
• A weak brand name
• Poor reputation among customers
• High cost structure
• Lack of access to best natural resources
• Lack of access to key distribution channels in some cases, a weakness may be
the flip side of the strength. Take the case in which a firm has a large amount of
manufacturing capacity. While this capacity may be considered a strength that
competitors do not share, it may be also considered as a weakness if the large
investment in manufacturing capacity prevents the firm from reacting quickly to
change in the strategic environment.
Opportunities(O): The external environmental analysis may revel certain new
opportunities for profit and growth. Some examples of such opportunities includes:
• An unfulfilled customer need
• Arrival of new technologies
• Loosening of regulations
• Removal of international trade barriers
Threats (T): Changes in external environment also may present threats to the firm.
Some examples of such threats are:
• Shift in consumer tastes away from firm’s products
• Emergence of substitutes products
• New regulations
• Increased trade barriers
The basic objectives of SWOT analysis is to provide a frame work to reflect on the firm’s
ability to overcome barriers and avail of opportunities emerging in the environment,
indeed the dimension of internal capabilities have relevance in so far they relate to the
environmental conditions. Hence the analysis of comparative strengths and
weaknesses require linking competencies with characteristic of external environment.
An organisation that had pioneered computer education and training in India in the early
80s, found its position threatened in the mid 90s by competitors. Analysis of changing
environment and its own weakness led to the outlining of organization’s SWOT as
follows:
Strengths:
• Value for money programmes
• Pool of trained faculty
• Wide choice of courses offering
• Nationals network of well-equipped training centuries
Weaknesses:
• Not aggressive in selling
 • Course differentials not sharp
• Counselors enthusiasm inadequate
• Customer services not focused enough
Opportunities:
• Growing demand for computer education
• Computer library becoming necessity
• Growth of niche training needs
• Needs for customisied training modules
Threats:
• Rise in competitors
• High rate of technological obsolescence
• Commodities of training
• Undercutting of fees
Matching strengths and weakness with opportunities and threats requires that a firm
should direct its strength towards exploiting opportunities and blocking threats while
minimizing exposure of its weaknesses at the same time. Thus strategies which are
based on the matching of strengths and weaknesses may be regarded as exploitative or
developmental strategy. If strengths are used to repair weaknesses, one may call it
remedial strategy. SWOT analysis may provide the basis of a comprehensive approach
to strategy.
Uses of SWOT Analysis: It can be used formulation of corporate strategy in many ways:
(a) To provide a logical framework to be used for systematic discussion of various
issue bearing on the business situation alternatives strategies and finally the choice of
strategy. Differences in managerial perceptions of threats and opportunities, weakness
and strength lead to different assessment reflecting intra organisational power relations
and differing factual perspectives.
(b) Another uses of SWOT analysis is the structured approach where key external
threats and opportunities may be systematically compared with internal strengths and
weakness. Thus the firm internal and external situations can be matched so as to form
distinct pattern and the strategy chosen on the basis of the situation reflected in pattern.
(c) A business may have several opportunities but also face some serious threats in
the environment. It may have likewise several weaknesses along with one or two major
strengths. In such situations the SWOT analysis guides the strategist to visualize the
overall position of firm and helps to identify the major

UNIT I

BUSINESS POLICY
Christensen and others, it is the study of the function and responsibilities of senior management,
the crucial problems that affect success in the total enterprise, and the decision that determine the
direction of the organization and shape its future. The problem of policy in business, like those of
policy in public affairs, have to do with the choice of purposes, the moulding of organizational
identity and character, the continuous definition of what needs to be done, and the mobilization
of resources for the attainment of goals in the face of competition or adverse circumstances.
This comprehensive definition covers many aspects:
• it considered as the study of the functions and responsibilities of the senior management related
to those organizational problems which affects the success of the enterprise
• it deals with the determination of future course of action that an organization has to adopt
• it involves a choosing the purpose and defining what needs to be done in order to mould the
character and identity of an organization
• lastly, it is also concerned with the mobilization of resources, which will help the organization
to achieve its goals

BUSINESS POLICY AS A FIELD OF STUDY/ IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS POLICY

Business Policy is important as a course in the management curriculum and as a component of
executive development programmes for middle-level managers who are preparing to move up to
the senior management level. A study of business policy fulfills the needs of management
students as well as those of middle-level managers. To highlight the importance of business
policy, we shall consider four areas where this course proves to be beneficial.
Learning the course
It seeks to integrate the knowledge and experience gained in various functional areas of
management. It enables the learner to understand and make sense of the complex interaction that
takes place between different functional areas.
It deals with the constraints and complexities of real-life businesses.
In contrast, the functional area courses are based on a structured, specialized and well-developed
body of knowledge, resulting from a simplification of the complex overall tasks and
responsibilities of the management.
business policy cuts across the narrow functional boundaries and draws upon a variety of
sources-other courses in the management curriculum and a wide variety of disciplines, like
economics, sociology, psychology, political science, and so on. In so doing, business policy
offers a very broad perspective to its students.
It makes the study and practice of management more meaningful as one can view business
decision-making in its proper perspective.
For Understanding the Business Environment
Regardless of the level of management a person belongs to, business policy helps to create an
understanding of how policies are formulated. This helps in creating an appr6ciation of the
complexities of the environment that the senior management faces in policy formulation.
By gaining an understanding of the business environment, managers become more receptive to
the ideas and suggestions of the senior management. Such an attitude on the part of the
management makes the task of policy implementation simpler.
When they become capable of relating environmental changes to policy changes within an
organization managers feel themselves to be a part of a greater design.
For Understanding the Organization
Business policy presents a basic framework for understanding strategic decision making while a
person is at the middle level of management. Such a framework, combined with the experience
gained while working in a specialized functional area, enables a person to make preparations for
handling general management responsibilities.
Business policy, like most other areas of management, brings the benefit of years of distilled
experience in strategic decision-making to the organization and also to its managers. Case study-
which is the most common pedagogical tool in business policy-provides illustrations of real-life
business strategy formulation and implementation.
An understanding of business policy may also lead to an improvement in job performance. As a
middle-level manager, a person is enabled to understand the linkage between the different
subunits of an organization and how a particular subunit fits into the overall picture. This has far-
reaching implications for managerial functions like coordination and communication, and also
for the avoidance of inter-departmental conflicts.
For Personal Development
Business policy offers a unique perspective to executives to understand the senior management's
viewpoint. With such an understanding the chances that a proposal made by or an action taken by
an executive will be appreciated by senior managers is decidedly better.
An interesting by-product of the business policy course is the theoretical framework provided in
the form of the strategic management model. The applicability of this model is not limited to
businesses alone. It can be applied to organizations like, services, educational institutions,
family, government, public administration, and too many other areas. In fact, the model provides
powerful insights for dealing with policy-making at the macro level as well as at an individual
level through self analysis.
The importance of business policy stems from the fact that it offers advantages to an executive
from multiple sources. Apart from the intangible benefits, an executive gains an understanding of
the business environment and the organization he or she works in. Such an understanding can
help considerably in career planning and development.

NATURE AND OBJECTIVE OF BUSINESS POLICY

These objectives could be derived from the purpose of business policy.
In Terms of Knowledge
1. The learners of business policy have to understand the various concepts involved. Many of
these concepts, like, strategy, policies, plans, and programmes are encountered in the
functional area courses too. It is imperative to understand these concepts specifically in the
context of business policy.
2. Knowledge of the external and internal environment and how it affects the functioning of an
organization is vital to an understanding of business policy. Through the tools of analysis and
diagnosis a learner can understand the environment in which a firm operates.
3. Information about the environment helps in the determination of the mission, objectives and
strategies of a firm. The learner appreciates the manner in which strategy is formulated.
4. The implementation of strategy is a complex issue and is invariably the most difficult part of
strategic management. Through the knowledge gained from business policy, the learner will be
able to visualize how the implementation of strategic management can take place.
5. To learn that the problems in real-life business are unique and so are the solutions is an
enlightening experience for the learners. The knowledge component of such an experience
stresses the general approach to be adopted in problem solving and decision-making. With a
generalized approach, it is possible to deal with a wide variety of situations. The development
of this approach is an important objective to be achieved in terms of knowledge.
6. To survey the literature and learn about the research taking place in the field of business
policy is also an important knowledge objective
In Terms of Skills
7. The attainment of knowledge should lead to the development of skills so as to be able to
apply that which has been learnt. Such an application can take place by an analysis of case
studies and their interpretation, and by an analysis of the business events taking place around
us.
8. The study of business policy should enable a student to develop analytical ability and use it
to understand the situation in a given case or incident.
9. Further, the study of business policy should lead to the skill of identifying the factors relevant
in decision-making. The analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of an organization, the
 threats and opportunities present in the environment, and the suggestion of appropriate
strategies and policies form the core content of general management decision-making.
10. The above objectives, in terms of skills, increase the mental ability of the learners and enable
them to link theory with practice. Such ability is important in managerial decision-making
where a large number of factors have to be considered at once to suggest appropriate action.
11. As a part of business policy study, case analysis leads to the development of oral as well as
written communication skills.
In Terms of Attitude
12. The attainment of the knowledge and skill objectives should lead to the inculcation of an
appropriate attitude among the learners. The most important attitude developed through this
course is that of a generalist. The generalist attitude enables the learners to approach and assess
a situation from all possible angles.
13. By acting in a comprehensive manner, a generalist is able to function under conditions partial
ignorance by using his or her judgment and intuition.
14. For a general manager information and suggestions are important to possess a liberal attitude
and be receptive to new ideas. Dogmatism with regard to techniques should to be replaced with
a practical approach to decision-making for problem-solving. In this way, a general manager
can act like a professional manager.
15. It is important to have the attitude to 'go beyond and think' when faced with a problematic
situation. Developing a creative and innovative attitude is the hallmark of a general manager
who refuses to be bound by precedents and stereotyped decisions.

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PROCESS-VISION, MISSION

Accd to Lamb, 1984 “Strategic management is an ongoing process that assesses the business and
the industries in which the company is involved; assesses its competitors and sets goals and
strategies to meet all existing and potential competitors; and then reassesses each strategy
annually or quarterly [i.e. regularly] to determine how it has been implemented and whether it
has succeeded or needs replacement by a new strategy to meet changed circumstances, new
technology, new competitors, a new economic environment., or a new social, financial, or
political environment.”
Gluekc “it is a stream of decisions and actions which leads to the development of an effective
strategy or strategies to help achieve corporate objectives. The strategies management determines
strategic objectives and makes strategic decisions.”
SM is that set of managerial decisions and actions that determine the long run performance of a
corporation. SM is defined as the set of decisions and actions resulting in formulation and
implementation of strategic designer to achieve the objectives of an organization. Strategic
management is the process of specifying an organization's objectives, developing policies and
plans to achieve these objectives, and allocating resources to implement the policies and plans to
achieve the organization's objectives. It is the highest level of managerial activity, usually
performed by an organization's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and executive team. Strategic
management provides overall direction to the enterprise.
It focuses on the following critical areas:
• Determining the mission of the company, including broad statements about its purpose,
philosophy and goals
• External environment analysis of the company in terms of both competitive and contextual
factors
• Corporate appraisal and developing a company profile that reflects internal conditions and
capabilities
• Analysis of possible strategic options available in light of company mission
• Evaluation of possible strategic alternatives and exercising strategic choice of a particular set
of long term objectives and grand strategies needed to achieve the desired options
• Determining the strategic objectives of the organization on the basis of mission formulated by
the corporation and compatible with grand strategy
• Implementing strategic choice decision based on budgeted resource allocation and
emphasizing the matching of tasks, people, structure, technologies and reward system
• Review and evaluation of the success of the strategic process to serve as a basic for control and
as an input for future decision making.

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Establishment of Strategic Intent: it refers to the purpose of the organization and ends it
pursues. Peter F Ducker in mid 90’s: what is our business, what will our business be, what
should out business be. Answer to these questions require and careful consideration of vision,
mission and objectives of the organization. These questions help in defining the nature of the
business, frame work for analysis, choice, and implementation and evaluation process.
• Vision: see things which are invisible to others – SM, Vision refers to the category of
intention, that are broad, all inclusive and forward thinking –it is what the firm ultimately like
to become – aspiration of future without specifying the means to achieve those desire ends –
Mangers, they usually refers to mental image of some desired future state
• Mission: vision is more tangible than mission, it is the fundamental unique purpose that sets it
apart from other firms of its type and identifies the scope of its operations in product and
market terms – it is a genera enduring statement of company’s intent – it embodies the
business philosophy of strategic decision makers, implies the image of the company and seeks
to project and reflects the firms self concept, indicates the principal product or service area and
primary customer need the company will attempt to satisfy.
Imp elements of mission statement: customer & market, product & service, geographic
domain, technology, concern for survival, company’s philosophy, self concepts, concern for
public image.
A mission statement should be clear, feasible, precise, motivating, distinctive, and indicates
the major components of strategy in order to attain the established objectives.
Mission statement should answer the following questions: what is our reason for being? What
is our basic purpose? – What are the obligations to various stakeholders? – what is the relative
emphasis we will place on meeting the needs of different stakeholders – what is unique or
distinctive about our organization – what is likely to be difficult about our business 5 to 7
years in the future – who are, or who should be, our principal customers or key market
segments – what are the principal goods and services present and future – what are or should
have our principal economic concerns – what are the basic beliefs values aspiration, and
philosophical priorities of the firm
• Goals: as mission statement makes vision specific, goals attempt to improve organization
performance by making mission statement more concrete. Goals denote what an organization
hopes to accomplish in future period of time. A broad category of financial and non-financial
issues is addressed in goals.
• Objectives: objective are the end results of planned activity. goals describes in fairy general
terms what he organization hopes to accomplish, but objectives details in more precise terms
what need to be accomplished in order to reach goals. The achievement of corporate objectives
should result in the fulfillment of corporate mission.
Some of the areas in which the organization must establish goals and objectives are:
Profitability, efficiency, growth (sales and assets), employees (industrial relations, welfare and
development), market leadership (share), social responsibility (communication welfare & rural
development)
Strategy Formulation involves:
• Doing a situation analysis, self-evaluation and competitor analysis: both internal and external;
both micro-environmental and macro-environmental.
• Concurrent with this assessment, objectives are set. This involves crafting vision statements
(long term view of a possible future), mission statements (the role that the organization gives
itself in society), overall corporate objectives (both financial and strategic), strategic business
unit objectives (both financial and strategic), and tactical objectives.
• These objectives should, in the light of the situation analysis, suggest a strategic plan. The plan
provides the details of how to achieve these objectives.
This three-step strategy formulation process is sometimes referred to as determining where you
are now, determining where you want to go, and then determining how to get there. These three
questions are the essence of strategic planning.
Strategy implementation involves:
• Allocation of sufficient resources (financial, personnel, time, technology support)
• Establishing a chain of command or some alternative structure (such as cross functional teams)
• Assigning responsibility of specific tasks or processes to specific individuals or groups
• It also involves managing the process. This includes monitoring results, comparing to
benchmarks and best practices, evaluating the efficacy and efficiency of the process,
controlling for variances, and making adjustments to the process as necessary.
• When implementing specific programs, this involves acquiring the requisite resources,
developing the process, training, process testing, documentation, and integration with (and/or
conversion from) legacy processes.
Evaluation and Control: it is the process in which corporate activities and performance results
are monitored so that actual performance can be compared with the desired standards. Managers
at all levels use the resulting information to take corrective action and resolve processing. They
must provide monitoring and controlling methods to ensure that their strategic plan is followed.
Based on the final performance management was need to make adjustment in the strategy
formulation, in implementation or in both.

CORPORATE STRATEGY
Every business concern, as a general rule has its own aims and objectives and it is one of the
foremost duties of the management to fulfill them. Executives formulate different policies and
plans as guidelines not only for themselves but for their subordinates as well. How to implement
both policies and plans effectively, it is essential to have further overall planning.
Definition of Strategy:
Glueck defines a strategy as “unified comprehensive and integrated plan designed to assure that
the basic objectives of the enterprise are achieved”.
McNichols defines strategy as “the science and art of employing the skills and resources of an
enterprise to attain its basic objectives under the most advantageous conditions.”
Corporate strategy means strategy of corporate bodies. It means the strategy of any enterprise,
institution or organization. Generally strategy is inferred as external to the organization.
Need for Corporate Strategy
All corporate bodies have their corporation can survive without a strategy for itself. The need for
corporate strategy arises for the following reasons.
1. Vary fast change of business conditions.
 2. To anticipate future problems and opportunities.
3. To provide all employees with clear goals and directions to the future of the enterprise.
4. to make the business more effective
5. To improve employee morale.
6. To capture, retain and win markets.
Characteristics of Strategies
1. Strategies are deliberate attempts made by the management to win over its opponents.
They are calculated to counter act actions of opponents.
2. They are special plans that deal with opponents.
3. Strategies are overall plans that help management to implement general policies and
plans effectively.
4. Strategies are grown out of policies and plans and thus they direct the activities in the
most appropriate manner.
5. Strategies include related decisions and actions meant for implementation of company
objectives and plans.
6. Strategies are devices to reduce business risk and insecurity that are expected an account
of complexity of business operations and other social and political contingencies.
7. Strategies are determined sufficiently in advance having considered company’s policies
and objective so that tactful decisions and actions can be taken to accomplish them.
Types of Strategy:
Strategy may be classified based on the purpose or objective; on the nature or on time.
Strategy based on purpose or objective: Based on purpose or objective, strategy can be
classified into three types.
Defensive Strategies: Defensive strategies are followed by corporations as defense against
external forces. For e.g. the strategy followed may be for the purpose of retaining the market by
restricting the competitors from capturing the market.
Offensive Strategies: Steps taken by the corporation in launching a new venture, a new produce,
advertisement campaign etc. constitute offensive strategies. They mainly aim at expansion or
capturing new markets.
Strategy for Survival: Sometimes the corporation may find it desperate to win the competition.
During such times the measures undertaken for the very survival of the corporation constitute
survival strategies. Survival strategies not only aim at strengthening the competition to withstand
competition but are undertaken during periods of financial, production and other crisis.
Therefore, they are also called “Crisis Strategies”.
Strategy based on the nature: Based on nature, strategy can be classified into five types.
Root Strategy: Root strategy aims at providing basic guidelines in terms of nature and scope of
its business commitment and the context of its skill and resource development and allocation.
Operation Strategy: Operation strategy flows from the root strategy and guides the enterprise in
its action commitment in the market place. The blueprint for market penetration, coping with
environmental changes and directing day to day operations are part of a firms operating strategy.
Organization Strategy: At the implementation phase the management has a decision choice of
alternative organizational strategies to provide the guidelines, framework and communication
network to complete and put into effect the operating strategy.
Control Strategy: In order to determine the effectiveness of the organizations performance in
relation to the predetermined objectives developed in the formation and implementation phases.
Recovery Strategy: Recovery strategy is developed for reformulating and recycling the policy
making process with the help of the data obtained through the control strategy.
Strategy based on Time element: Based on the time, strategy may be classified into two types.
Short term Strategy: Short term strategy concerns itself with the immediate goals.
Long Term Strategy: Long term strategy generally involves foresight on the expansion and
development of the organization.

Levels of Strategies:
The levels of strategy offer you a glimpse of the complexity about different levels at which
strategy is formulated. The business strategy must contain well coordinated action programs
aimed at securing a long-term competitive edge and which the company should sustain. Lets take
an example of Hindustan Levers, a multinational subsidiary, is in several businesses such as
animal seeds, beverages, oils and dairy fat , soaps and detergents. Three types of level are
depicted in the exhibit. The first level is the corporate strategy which is an overarching plan of
action covering the various functions performed by different SBU’S
Corporate Level
Take an example of any organization, there are basically three levels. The top level of the
organization consists of chief executive office of the company, the board of directors, and
administrative officers. The responsibility of the top management is to keep the organization
healthy. Their responsibility is to achieve the planned financial performance of the company in
addition to meeting the non-financial goals viz. social responsibility and the organizational
image. The issues pertaining to business ethics, integrity, and social commitment are dealt with,
at this level of strategic decisions. The corporate level strategies translates the orientation of the
stakeholders and the society into the forms of strategies for functional or business levels.
Business strategy is a comprehensive plan providing objectives for SBU’S, allocation of
resources among functional areas, coordination between them for optimal contribution to the
achievement to the achievement of corporate level objectives. This is the level where vision
statement of the companies emerges. Exhibit shows typical levels of strategy making in an
organization. In the given exhibit you will see that various companies are organized on the basis
of operating divisions. These divisions are known as profit centers or strategic business units.
Generally SBUs are involved in a single line of business
Business Level
This level consists of primarily the business managers or managers of Strategic Business units.
Here strategies are about how to meet the competition in a particular product market and
strategies have to be related to a unit within an organization. The managers at this level translate
the general statements of direction and intent churned out at corporate level. The managers
identify the most profitable market segment, where they can excel, keeping in focus the vision of
the company. The corporate values, managerial capabilities, organizational responsibilities, and
administrative systems that link strategic and operational decision making level at all the levels
of hierarchy, encompassing all business and functional lines of authority in a company are dealt
with at this level of strategy formulation. The managerial style, beliefs, values, ethics, and
accepted forms of behaviour must be congruent with the organizational culture and at this level,
these aspects are diligently taken care of by strategic managers. Just think for a while how does
business strategy make the study and practice of management more meaningful?
Operational Level
Planning alone cannot create massive mobilization of resources and people and can never
generate high quality of strategic thinking required in complex organizational context. For this to
happen, the planning should be carefully dovetailed and integrated with significant
administrative systems viz. management control, communication, information management,
motivation, rewards etc. It is also vital that all these systems are supported by organizational
structure that defines various authority and responsibility relationships, among various members
of the company and specifically at operational level. The culture of the organization should be
accounted for, and these systems should find adaptability with the culture of the organization.
Further, put down at least five reasons how business strategy serves the need of Management
students, Middle-level executives.
The managers at this level of product, geographic, and functional areas develop annual objective
and shortterm strategies. The strategies are designed in each area of research and development,
finance and accounting, marketing and human relations etc. The responsibilities also include
integrating among administrative systems and organizational structure and strategic and
operational modes and seek for congruency between managerial infrastructure and the corporate
culture. Thus Exhibit shows the interaction of various functions for deciding strategies at the
operational level.
 UNIT II

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
In relation to a company, a director is an officer (that is, someone who works for the company)
charged with the conduct and management of its affairs. A director may be an inside director (a
director who is also an officer) or an outside, or independent, director. The directors collectively
are referred to as a board of directors. Sometimes the board will appoint one of its members to be
the chair of the board of directors.
The control of a company is divided between two bodies: the board of directors, and the
shareholders in general meeting. In practice, the amount of power exercised by the board varies
with the type of company. In small private companies, the directors and the shareholders will
normally be the same people, and thus there is no real division of power. In large public
companies, the board tends to exercise more of a supervisory role, and individual responsibility
and management tends to be delegated downward to individual professional executive directors
(such as a finance director or a marketing director) who deal with particular areas of the
company's affairs.
The Board of Directors is responsible for supervising the management of the Corporation’s
business and its affairs. It has the statutory authority and obligation to protect and enhance the
assets of the Corporation in the interest of all of its shareholders.
The Board operates by delegating certain of its responsibilities and authority, including spending
authorization, to management and reserving certain powers to itself. Its principal duties fall into
seven (7) categories.

MANAGEMENT SELECTION, RETENTION AND SUCCESSION

• Subject to the Articles and By-Laws of the Corporation, the Board manages its own affairs,
including planning its composition, selecting its Chairman, who shall not be the CEO,
nominating candidates for election to the Board, appointing the members of its committees,
establishing the terms of reference and duties of its committees, and determining Board
compensation.
• The Board has responsibility for the appointment and replacement of the CEO, for monitoring
CEO performance, and for determining CEO compensation. The Board has responsibility for
approving the appointment and remuneration of all corporate officers, acting upon the advice
of the CEO, and for ensuring that adequate provision has been made for management
succession.
• The Board shall provide an orientation and induction program for new Directors and shall
encourage and provide opportunities for all Directors to continually update their skills as well
as their knowledge of the Corporation, its business and its senior management.
STRATEGY DETERMINATION
• The Board has the responsibility to participate directly or through its committees, in
developing and approving the mission of the Corporation’s business, its objectives and goals,
and the strategy for their achievement. The Board shall, among other assessment processes,
evaluate management’s analysis of the strategies of the Corporation’s competitors or of
companies of a scale similar to that of the Corporation.
• The Board has responsibility to ensure congruence between shareholders’ expectations, the
Corporation’s plans and management performance.
• The Board has the responsibility to review the Corporation’s annual strategic plan with senior
management prior to the commencement of each year and approve the plan. The plan shall take
into account, among other things, the opportunities and risks of the Corporation’s business.
RISK EVALUATION
• The Board has the responsibility to identify the principal risks of the Corporation’s business
and ensure the implementation of appropriate systems to manage such risks.
MONITORING AND ACTING
• The Board has responsibility to monitor the Corporation’s progress towards its goals, and to
revise and alter its direction in light of changing circumstances. At every regularly scheduled
meeting, the Board shall review recent developments, if any, that impact upon the
Corporation’s growth strategy. The Board shall, as part of its annual strategic planning process,
conduct a review of human, technological and capital resources required to implement the
Corporation’s growth strategy and of the regulatory, cultural or governmental constraints on
the Corporation’s business.
• The Board has responsibility to provide advice and counsel to the CEO, and to take action
when performance falls short of its goals or other special circumstances warrant.
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
• The Board has responsibility to approve and monitor compliance with all significant policies
and procedures by which the Corporation is operated, including the Corporation’s
Environmental Policy and its Occupational Health and Safety Policy. In particular, the
Environmental Committee and the Occupational Health and Safety Committee, which have
been established by management, shall report to the Health, Safety and Environment
Committee of the Board of Directors on their respective activities once a year.
• The Board has particular responsibility to ensure that the Corporation operates at all times
within applicable laws and regulations, and ethical and moral standards.
• The Board has responsibility for monitoring compliance with the Corporation’s written Code
of Ethics, granting any waivers from compliance for Directors and officers and causing
disclosure of any such waivers to be made in the Corporation’s next quarterly report, including
the circumstances and rationale for granting the waiver.
DISCLOSURE TO SHAREHOLDERS AND OTHERS
• The Board has responsibility for ensuring that the performance of the Corporation is
adequately reported to its shareholders, its other security holders, the investment community,
the relevant regulators and the public on a timely and regular basis.
• The Board has responsibility for (i) reviewing and approving the Corporation’s un-audited
quarterly financial statements and accompanying notes and the related Management’s
Discussion and Analysis and press release (ii) ensuring that the Corporation’s audited annual
financial statements are presented fairly and in accordance with generally accepted accounting
standards and reviewing and approving such financial statements and accompanying notes and
the related
• Management’s Discussion and Analysis and press release (iii) reviewing and approving the
Corporation’s Management Proxy Circular and (iv) reviewing and approving the Corporation’s
Annual Information Forms.
The Board has responsibility for ensuring that timely disclosure is made by press release of any
development that results in, or may reasonably be expected to result in, a significant change in
the value or market price of the Corporation’s listed securities.
GENERAL LEGAL OBLIGATIONS
• To supervise the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation.
• To act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Corporation.
• To exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in
comparable circumstances.
• To act in accordance with the Canada Business Corporations Act, securities, environmental
and other relevant legislation and the Corporation’s Articles and By-Laws.
• To consider as the full Board and not delegate to a committee:
Any submission to the shareholders of a question or matter requiring the approval of the
shareholders; The filling of a vacancy among the Directors; The manner and the terms of the
issuance of securities; The declaration of dividends; The purchase, redemption or any other
form of acquisition of shares issued by the Corporation;
The approval of a management proxy circular; The approval of any take-over bid circular or
Directors’ circular; The approval of the annual financial statements of the Corporation; or The
adoption, amendment or repeal of By-Laws of the Corporation.

CEO RESPONSIBILITIES
The CEO is the singular organizational position that is primarily responsible to carry out the
strategic plans and policies as established by the board of directors. The chief executive officer
reports to the board of directors.
The Dictionary of Business Terms defines it as follows: “The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is
the officer who has ultimate management responsibility for an organization. The CEO reports
directly to the Board of Directors [and] appoints other managers…to assist in carrying out the
responsibilities of the organization.”
Much of the current writings around non-profit governance and board roles refer to the chief
staff officer as CEO, such as “The Board is responsible to hire or appoint the CEO”. That usage
can be attributed somewhat to consistency (gets beyond the variety of titles in use) and
expediency (quick and easy), however it also no doubt reflects current trends in practice and
governance models.
This is a great list for both taking on a new CEO position and getting up to speed, as well as to
develop a proactive development and learning program for any CEO or senior executive wishing
to improve their executive management skills. It lays out well all the thing you need to juggle
when you have both the privilege and responsibilities of the top spot in any organization.
General Operations
1. Establish primary goals of the Board -- maintenance of status quo, evaluation and
recommendations or take charge through implementation of new game plan.
2. Meet all first-reports, introduce game plan and initiate implementation of action items on
this list.
3. Have all first-reports complete the Agenda for the Future.
4. Discuss the dozen biggest problems and opportunities from perspective of all first-
reports.
5. If survival mode is required, cut costs immediately where necessary and prudent and in
accordance with the Board's short and intermediate term goals.
6. Identify and implement top six action items that could measurably increase short term
revenues.
7. In addition to this action list, formulate short-term game plan for company, get board
approval and communicate plan to key personnel, suppliers, lenders, etc.
8. Prioritize top ten action items for the whole company and begin implementation.
9. Identify top goals for the company for the current month, quarter and year.
Financial Issues
10. Within the first week, get current detailed financial statements, itemized payroll, payables
and receivables list.
 11. Review budgets of all departments or divisions for reasonableness of assumptions,
quality of projections and relevancy in light of recent corporate changes and goals.
12. Evaluate obvious, and not so obvious, problems and strengths revealed by the financial
statements.
13. Do realistic cash forecast for the next 90 and 180 day periods.
14. Evaluate asset utilization and re-deploy if appropriate and prudent in the short term.
Liabilities / Risks / Time Bombs
15. Deal with the six largest crises within the first three weeks.
16. Review banking and debt obligations for next 90, 180 and 365 day periods and ensure no
technical or major defaults, if possible. If in default, develop game plan and/or negotiate
workout.
17. Determine which critical suppliers have suspended support due to lack of payment, or
other problems.
18. Identify and take steps to immediately defuse all visible, or suspected, ticking time
bombs.
Regulatory / Legal / Litigation
19. Ensure all payroll taxes are paid and properly reported.
20. Determine what, if any, problems exist with the IRS and state agencies.
21. Ensure the company is in compliance with all required regulatory and licensing agencies,
etc. and if not, take action to resolve these issues.
22. Identity all outstanding legal issues and litigation risks along with probable, and possible,
associated costs.
23. Ensure no securities law violations have occurred -- and if they have, take immediate
steps to remedy them, or mitigate their impact.
24. Ensure any patents, trade secrets, trademarks and copyrights are properly filed and
appropriate protections are in place.
Product lines / Marketing / Sales / Distribution
25. Analyze product delivery schedules and takes steps to improve meeting commitment
dates.
26. Evaluate product development timetables, budget forecasts and quality of project
management systems, procedures and controls.
27. Evaluate sales, marketing, distribution, forecasts and trend lines for improvement
opportunities in all areas, so as to generate more cash in the short-term.
28. Identify both the best customers and the most unhappy customers, as well as the
company's image in the marketplace.
29. Complete competitive analysis for each product line.
30. Evaluate pricing models for each product line and adjust accordingly.
31. Identify product line strengths and weaknesses and develop short-term action plan to
solve the most glaring problems.
32. Identify potential products -- 6, 12 and 24 months into the future -- and their possible
impact on revenue and expenses.
33. Establish / update / expand web presence.
34. Evaluate expenditures and effectiveness of marketing and advertising for media, trade
shows, market research, focus groups and public relations and adjust accordingly.
35. Evaluate sales force, sales-related incentives, sales targets, sales personnel training,
special offers, dealerships, telemarketing and sales support.
36. Evaluate and optimize short-term inventory.
37. Evaluate customer / technical support, warranties, guarantees and after-sales service.
Personnel Issues
 38. Upon arrival, candidly communicate with all company personnel for introduction and
conveyance of immediate game plan.
39. Set up suggestion boxes, and invite anonymous email, to gain insight into less obvious
underlying problems.
40. Review major Human Resource department aspects of company for legal compliance,
competitiveness of benefits package, diversity, clarity of policies and potential costs savings.
41. Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of all first reports.
42. Develop 30/60/90 day performance plans for all first reports.
43. Evaluate organizational structure and effectiveness -- and reorganize if appropriate,
adjusting total payroll if necessary.
44. Identify best and worst five percent of employees in the company -- probably replacing
worst five percent and ensuring the best five percent are motivated enough to stay.
45. Analyze employee turnover rates to identify fundamental problem areas.
46. Identify key personnel and unfilled job functions, define criteria and initiate search,
within budget constraints.
47. Identify personality issues / company policies that may be creating negative impact on
company morale and productivity.
48. Review / modify written delegation of authority for all first reports.
49. Review all employment contracts or agreements, oral or written, including any severance
or termination compensation agreements with salaried, hourly, or collective bargaining
employees.
50. Review all bonus, deferred compensation, stock option, profit sharing, retirement
programs or plans covering salaried, hourly, or collective bargaining employees.
IPO / Merger / Acquisition / Disposition / Dissolution
51. Identify which mergers, acquisitions, dispositions and investments make the most sense
for the company.
52. Identify the growth issues regarding acquisitions, spin offs, expansion, downsizing,
establishing new, and/or closing existing branches and stores.
53. If decision is to sell the company, establish price and terms, subject to Board approval,
prepare sales summary and develop game plan and methodology for sale.
54. Complete three year pro forma, based on realistic assumptions, to determine future
valuation potential of company and likelihood of IPO or merger/acquisition potential.
55. If Board decision is to dissolve company, develop game plan for liquidation of assets
and/or follow up on bankruptcy filing.
General / Administrative
56. Evaluate and control travel, entertainment and all discretionary expenditures and
implement new written policies for these issues.
57. Review facilities and real estate issues, including a review of current lease requirements.
58. Review all equipment leases for cost cutting / improved technology opportunities.
59. Create / update business plan for current internal clarity and banking or capital formation
needs.
60. "Manage by roaming around" -- gaining insights into attitudes and problem areas from
within all levels of the organization.
61. Evaluate in-place systems and procedures and streamline where appropriate.
62. Evaluate technology implementation and optimize within budget constraints.
63. Visit all branch offices and evaluate their needs, performance, personnel and cost-
effectiveness.
Stockholder Status / Investor Relations
 64. Evaluate investor and stockholder relations and communication status and initiate
appropriate action.
65. Generate updated lists of all current shareholders and percentage ownership of each.
66. Review stock options or purchase plans and agreements, as well as lists of outstanding
warrants and options, including date of grant, exercise price, number of shares subject to
option, and date of exercise.
The Next Steps
67. Report to the Board: the objective status, evaluation, recommended modifications to the
short-term game plan and any cash needs.
68. Pick up sword again, and implement updated and approved game plan.
ENVIRONMENT:
Layman: Surrounding, influences, circumstances, forces and external objects which affects
someone under which something exists
Org: conditions, variables, factors, events, influences that surround and affect it.
Nature:
• As a source of resources: it views that every org depends on the environment for its resources
and these resources are scare and valued. There is a competing situation in the industry to
obtain and control their resources. It is crucial to mange and control effectively and efficiently
and also it is necessary to understand environment before making efforts to impact it.
• As a source of information: it views it as a source of information. Organization becomes
aware about the information and the level of uncertainness associated with the various
information. Environment uncertainty, degree of complexity and degree of change existing in
an organization external environment. Thus the more complex and dynamic the environment
the more uncertain it is. As the market becomes global the complexity and unpredictability
increases and number of factors a firm considers increases.
The following are the nature of environment
Influences the availability of resources, provides opportunities and holding threats, is complex, is
dynamic, is having a far reachable impact, is multi dimensional, is multi faceted.

COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENT
Multinational/ Mega Environment: is composed of elements in the border society that can be
indirectly influencing an industry and the companies within an industry. The constituents are:
Political and legal environment: the directions direction and stability of political factors is a
major consideration for managers in formulating company strategy. Political/legal forces that
allocate power and provide constraining and protecting laws and regulations. Political constraints
are places in each company through fair trade decision, programs, anti-trust laws, labour
legislation, environmental protection laws and many other actions aimed at protecting the
consumer and environment. The important factors which determine the political/legal
environment, are, political system, political structure, political processed, government
philosophy, role of the government in business and government attitude towards business and
foreign investment etc. Some of the important variables are given below:
Governing regulations or deregulations, Environmental Protection Laws Tax Laws, Foreign
Trade Regulations Intellectual Property Rights Anti trust legislations, Level of government
subsidies, Attitude towards foreign companies, Foreign Exchange Laws, Stability of the
government, Special Incentives, Level of defense expenditures, Location and severity of terrorist
activities, Size of government budget
taking an example of 1977 the Janta govt. has followed a strict poling with regard to
multinationals, As a result Coca-Cola and IBM were forced to move out of India causing a far-
reaching impact on the business environment of the country.
Economic Environment: it refers to the nature and direction f the economy in which a business
organization operates. Economic environment is by far the most important environmental factor
which the business organizations take into account. In fact, a business organization is an
economic unit of operation. Since the measurement of organizational performance is mostly in
the form of financial terms, often managers concentrate more on economic factors. The
economic environment is also important for non-business organizations too because such
organizations depend on the environment for their resource procurement which is greatly
determined by the economic factors. As such, the understanding of economic environment is of
crucial importance to strategic management. Economic environment covers those factors, which
give shape and form to the development of economic activities and may include factors like
nature of economic system, general economic conditions, various economic policies, and various
production factors. From analytical point of view, various economic factors can be divided into
two broad categories: general economic conditions and factor market. The discussion of these
factors will bring out the nature of total economic environment.
Key economic Variables: GDP trends, Interest rates, money supply, inflation rate, shift to
service economy, tax rate, unemployment level, wage/ price control, devaluation and
revaluation, money market rates, monetary fiscal policy, unemployment trends.
Technological Environment: it is key driver of the new competitive landscape technologies;
developments are fast and have far reaching impact on the firm’s strategy. The technology
segment includes institutions and activities involved with creating new knowledge and
translating the knowledge into new output, new product and process and materials. A firm must
be aware about the technological changes that might influence the industry. The strategic
implications of technological changes accd to Boris Petrov are three: -- it can change relative
competitive cost of position within a business – it can create new markets and new business
segments – it can collapse or merge previously independent business by reducing or eliminating
their segment cost barriers.
In fact technology has changed the way in which business in conducted. e.g. the growth of IT
sector has acted as a catalyst in this direction. Access to internet, enable large number of
employees to work from home, providing strategy with access to richer resources of information,
business to business transactions, on line shopping through internet and WWW.
Key technology factors: total govt spending for R&D, total industry spending for R&D, focus of
technological efforts, patent protection, new products, new development in technology transfer
from lab to market place, productivity improvement though automation, internet availability,
telecommunication infrastructure.
Socio-Cultural Environment: this segment involves beliefs, values, attitudes, opinions and life
styles of those in a firm’s external environment, as developed from their cultures, ecological,
demographic, religion, educational and ethnic conditioning. Socio cultural changes occur
gradually unlike technological changes. it is not easy to predict the timing of their changes.
Areas where socio cultural changes may have strong implication for organization are: --changes
in life style – work force composition – changes in attitudes about the quality of work life – rate
of family formation and growth of population – age distribution – ethical standards – shift in
product & service preferences.
In India, the most profound social changes in recent years is the emergence of middle class as a
major and important element of total population, increase in the number of women entering in
the labour market, changes in consumer and employees interest, quality of life issues etc. Key
social cultural variables:
Life style change, career expectations, consumer activism, rate of family formation, birth rate,
growth rate of population, age distribution of population, regional shift in population, life
expectancies, level of education
The Micro Environment: the micro environment has a substantial impact on the organization’s
current business. It constitutes the following:
Competitors: no. of competitor’s entry and exit barriers, nature of completion and relative
strategic position of major competitors
Suppliers: consists of factors related to cost and availability of the factors of production and
service that have an impact on business of an organization
Customers: factors such as the need and preference perceptions bargaining power buying
behavior and satisfaction level of customers
Market Intermediaries: factors such as level and quality of customer’s service, middlemen,
changes of distribution logistic, cost and delivery system
SWOT ANALYSIS
SWOT is an acronym that stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. SWOT
analysis is a basic, straightforward model that provides direction and serves as a basis for the
development and management of self.
Purpose The purpose of SWOT analysis is to gather, analyze, and evaluate information and
identify strategic options facing a community, organization, or individual at a given time. SWOT
Analysis is a very effective way of identifying strengths and weaknesses, and of examining the
opportunities and threats one tends to face. Carrying out an analysis using the SWOT framework
helps to focus activities into areas where one is strong and where the greatest opportunities lie.
This knowledge is then used to develop a plan of action.
The analysis can be performed on a product, on a service, a company or even on an individual.
Done properly, SWOT will give the big picture of the most important factors that influence
survival and prosperity as well as a plan to act on. Strengths and weaknesses are internal while
opportunities and threats are external. Strengths and weaknesses have to be matched with the
opportunities in the external environment and also to counter any threats that might pose a
danger to plans. SWOT Analysis is generally considered a Marketing tool but although it has its
origins in Marketing field and is predominantly used by Marketing people, and it can also be
done for self. SWOT Analysis is a tool which guides one to see where one stand in terms of job
prospects and career growth.
You should do a personal SWOT analysis because it will tell you what are your strong points and
how can you further brush them up to exploit them to get a good job. It will also show you your
negative character traits that can hinder your chances of getting a good job. You can then work
towards overcoming those shortcomings and minimizing their effects. Your strengths will tell
you the jobs and the kind of work you are best for hence making it easier to avail the right
opportunities. Threats will show you the skills, courses and training you need in order to remain
competitive.
SWOT analysis has two main components
• Issues those are internal to the organization (Strengths and Weaknesses)
• Issues those are external to the organization (Opportunities and Threats).
Follow these rules when developing a SWOT analysis
1. Keep lists short - 10 items per list ensures only important factors are considered.
2. Opinions must be supported with facts - One person's idea of strength may be another's
idea of a weakness. Having the facts to back up an argument gives it credibility.
3. Show competitive factors - Perhaps you don't have a direct competitor in your category, but
every organization competes for dollars so competition should not be dismissed.
4. Prioritize and weigh the factors in the lists
5. Use language that is clear and relevant to the task - Confusing or obscure language may
complicate your ability to execute the strategy.
Strengths and Weaknesses
A “strength” is a positive characteristic that gives a company an important capability. It is an
important organizational resource which enhances a company, competitive position. Some of the
internal strengths of an organization are:
• Distinctive competence in key areas
• Manufacturing efficiency
• Skilled workforce Adequate financial resources Superior image and reputation
• Economies of scale
• Superior technological skills
• Insulation from strong competitive pressures
• Product or service differentiation
• Proprietary technology.
A “weakness” is a condition or a characteristic which puts the company at disadvantage.
Weaknesses make the organization vulnerable to competitive pressures. These are competitive
liabilities and strategic managers must evaluate their impact on the organization’s strategic
position when formulating strategic policies and plans. Weaknesses require a close scrutiny
because some of them can prove to be fatal. Some of the weaknesses to be reviewed are:
• No clear strategic direction
• Outdated facilities
• Lack of innovation is Complacency
• Poor research and developmental programmes
• Lack of management vision, depth and skills
• Inability to raise capital
• Weaker distribution network
• Obsolete technology
• Low employee morale
• Poor track record in implementing strategy
• Too narrow a product line
• Poor market image
• Higher overall unit costs relative to competition.
Opportunities and Threats
An “opportunity” is considered as a favourable circumstance which can be utilised for beneficial
purposes. it is offered by outside environment and the management can decide as to how to make
the best use of it. Such an opportunity may be the result of a favourable change in any one or
more of the elements that constitute the external environment. It may also be created by a
proactive approach by the management in moulding the environment to its own benefit. Some of
the opportunities are:
• Strong economy
• Possible new markets
• Emerging new technologies
• Complacency among competing organizations
• Vertical or horizontal integration
• Expansion of product line to meet broader range of customer needs
• Falling trade barriers in attractive foreign markets
A “threat” is a characteristic of the external environment which is hostile to the organization.
Management should anticipate such possible threats and prepare its strategies in such a manner
that any such threat is neutralized. Some of the elements that can pose a threat are:
• Entry of lower cost foreign competitors Cheaper technology adopted by rivals
• Rising sales of substitute products
• Shortages of resources
• Changing buyer needs and preferences
• Recession in economy
• Adverse shifts in trade policies of foreign governments
• Adverse demographic changes
SWOT analysis involves evaluating a company’s internal environment in terms Of strengths and
weaknesses and the external environment in terms of opportunities and threats and formulating
strategies that take advantage of all these factors. Such analysis is an essential component of
thinking strategically about a company’s situation.
 UNIT IV
STRATEGIC ANALYSIS AND CHOICE

BCG MATRIX
Growth-share matrix
The BOSTON matrix (aka B.C.G. analysis, B.C.G.-matrix, Boston Consulting Group analysis)
is a chart that had been created by Bruce Henderson for the Boston Consulting Group in 1970 to
help corporations with analyzing their business units or product lines. This helps the company
allocate resources and is used as an analytical tool in brand marketing, product management,
strategic management and portfolio-analysis.

To use the chart, analysts plot a scatter graph to rank the business units (or products) on the basis
of their relative market shares and growth rates.
• Cash cows are units with high market share in a slow-growing industry. These units
typically generate cash in excess of the amount of cash needed to maintain the business.
They are regarded as staid and boring, in a "mature" market, and every corporation would
be thrilled to own as many as possible. They are to be "milked" continuously with as little
investment as possible, since such investment would be wasted in an industry with low
growth.
• Dogs, or more charitably called pets, are units with low market share in a mature, slow-
growing industry. These units typically "break even", generating barely enough cash to
maintain the business's market share. Though owning a break-even unit provides the
social benefit of providing jobs and possible synergies that assist other business units,
from an accounting point of view such a unit is worthless, not generating cash for the
company. They depress a profitable company's return on assets ratio, used by many
investors to judge how well a company is being managed. Dogs, it is thought, should be
sold off.
• Question marks are growing rapidly and thus consume large amounts of cash, but
because they have low market shares they do not generate much cash. The result is a
large net cash consumption. A question mark (also known as a "problem child") has the
potential to gain market share and become a star, and eventually a cash cow when the
market growth slows. If the question mark does not succeed in becoming the market
leader, then after perhaps years of cash consumption it will degenerate into a dog when
the market growth declines. Question marks must be analyzed carefully in order to
determine whether they are worth the investment required to grow market share.
• Stars are units with a high market share in a fast-growing industry. The hope is that stars
become the next cash cows. Sustaining the business unit's market leadership may require
extra cash, but this is worthwhile if that's what it takes for the unit to remain a leader.
When growth slows, stars become cash cows if they have been able to maintain their
category leadership, or they move from brief stardom to dogdom.
As a particular industry matures and its growth slows, all business units become either cash cows
or dogs.
The overall goal of this ranking was to help corporate analysts decide which of their business
units to fund, and how much; and which units to sell. Managers were supposed to gain
perspective from this analysis that allowed them to plan with confidence to use money generated
by the cash cows to fund the stars and, possibly, the question marks. As the BCG stated in 1970:
Only a diversified company with a balanced portfolio can use its strengths to truly capitalize
on its growth opportunities. The balanced portfolio has:
• stars whose high share and high growth assure the future;
• cash cows that supply funds for that future growth; and
• question marks to be converted into stars with the added funds.
Practical Use of the Boston Matrix
For each product or service the 'area' of the circle represents the value of its sales. The Boston
Matrix thus offers a very useful 'map' of the organization's product (or service) strengths and
weaknesses (at least in terms of current profitability) as well as the likely cashflows.
The need which prompted this idea was, indeed, that of managing cash-flow. It was reasoned that
one of the main indicators of cash generation was relative market share, and one which pointed
to cash usage was that of market growth rate.
Relative market share
This indicates likely cash generation, because the higher the share the more cash will be
generated. As a result of 'economies of scale' (a basic assumption of the Boston Matrix), it is
assumed that these earnings will grow faster the higher the share. The exact measure is the
brand's share relative to its largest competitor. Thus, if the brand had a share of 20 percent, and
the largest competitor had the same, the ratio would be 1:1. If the largest competitor had a share
of 60 percent, however, the ratio would be 1:3, implying that the organization's brand was in a
relatively weak position. If the largest competitor only had a share of 5 percent, the ratio would
be 4:1, implying that the brand owned was in a relatively strong position, which might be
reflected in profits and cashflow. If this technique is used in practice, this scale is logarithmic,
not linear.
On the other hand, exactly what is a high relative share is a matter of some debate. The best
evidence is that the most stable position (at least in FMCG markets) is for the brand leader to
have a share double that of the second brand, and triple that of the third. Brand leaders in this
position tend to be very stable - and profitable; the Rule of 123.
The reason for choosing relative market share, rather than just profits, is that it carries more
information than just cashflow. It shows where the brand is positioned against its main
competitors, and indicates where it might be likely to go in the future. It can also show what type
of marketing activities might be expected to be effective.
Market growth rate
Rapidly growing brands, in rapidly growing markets, are what organizations strive for; but, as
we have seen, the penalty is that they are usually net cash users - they require investment. The
reason for this is often because the growth is being 'bought' by the high investment, in the
reasonable expectation that a high market share will eventually turn into a sound investment in
future profits. The theory behind the matrix assumes, therefore, that a higher growth rate is
indicative of accompanying demands on investment. The cut-off point is usually chosen as 10
per cent per annum. Determining this cut-off point, the rate above which the growth is deemed to
be significant (and likely to lead to extra demands on cash) is a critical requirement of the
technique; and one that, again, makes the use of the Boston Matrix problematical in some
product areas. What is more, the evidence, from FMCG markets at least, is that the most typical
pattern is of very low growth, less than 1 per cent per annum. This is outside the range normally
considered in Boston Matrix work, which may make application of this form of analysis
unworkable in many markets.
Where it can be applied, however, the market growth rate says more about the brand position
than just its cashflow. It is a good indicator of that market's strength, of its future potential (of its
'maturity' in terms of the market life-cycle), and also of its attractiveness to future competitors. It
can also be used in growth analysis.
Risks and criticisms
The BCG growth-share matrix ranks only market share and industry growth rate, and only
implies actual profitability, the purpose of any business. (It is certainly possible that a particular
dog can be profitable without cash infusions required, and therefore should be retained and not
sold.) The matrix also overlooks other elements of industry attractiveness and competitive
advantages. Another matrix evaluation scheme that attempts to mend these problems has been
the G.E. multi factoral analysis (also known as the GE McKinsey Matrix).
With this or any other such analytical tool, ranking business units has a subjective element
involving guesswork about the future, particularly with respect to growth rates. Unless the
rankings are approached with rigor and skepticism, optimistic evaluations can lead to a dot com
mentality in which even the most dubious businesses are classified as "question marks" with
good prospects; enthusiastic managers may claim that cash must be thrown at these businesses
immediately in order to turn them into stars, before growth rates slow and it's too late. Poor
definition of a business's market will lead to some dogs being misclassified as cash bulls.
As originally practiced by the Boston Consulting Group, the matrix was undoubtedly a useful
tool, in those few situations where it could be applied, for graphically illustrating cashflows. If
used with this degree of sophistication its use would still be valid.
However, later practitioners have tended to over-simplify its messages. In particular, the later
application of the names (problem children, stars, cash cows and dogs) has tended to overshadow
all else - and is often what most students, and practitioners, remember.
This is unfortunate, since such simplistic use contains at least two major problems:
'Minority applicability'. The cashflow techniques are only applicable to a very limited number of
markets (where growth is relatively high, and a definite pattern of product life-cycles can be
observed, such as that of ethical pharmaceuticals). In the majority of markets, use may give
misleading results.
'Milking cash bulls'. Perhaps the worst implication of the later developments is that the (brand
leader) cash bulls should be milked to fund new brands. This is not what research into the FMCG
markets has shown to be the case. The brand leader's position is the one, above all, to be
defended, not least since brands in this position will probably outperform any number of newly
launched brands. Such brand leaders will, of course, generate large cash flows; but they should
not be `milked' to such an extent that their position is jeopardized. In any case, the chance of the
new brands achieving similar brand leadership may be slim - certainly far less than the popular
perception of the Boston Matrix would imply.
Perhaps the most important danger is, however, that the apparent implication of its four-quadrant
form is that there should be balance of products or services across all four quadrants; and that is,
indeed, the main message that it is intended to convey. Thus, money must be diverted from `cash
cows' to fund the `stars' of the future, since `cash cows' will inevitably decline to become `dogs'.
There is an almost mesmeric inevitability about the whole process. It focuses attention, and
funding, on to the `stars'. It presumes, and almost demands, that `cash bulls' will turn into `dogs'.
The reality is that it is only the `cash bulls' that are really important - all the other elements are
supporting actors. It is a foolish vendor who diverts funds from a `cash cow' when these are
needed to extend the life of that `product'. Although it is necessary to recognize a `dog' when it
appears (at least before it bites you) it would be foolish in the extreme to create one in order to
balance up the picture. The vendor, who has most of his (or her) products in the `cash cow'
quadrant, should consider himself (or herself) fortunate indeed, and an excellent marketer;
although he or she might also consider creating a few stars as an insurance policy against
unexpected future developments and, perhaps, to add some extra growth.
Alternatives
As with most marketing techniques there are a number of alternative offerings vying with the
Boston Matrix; although this appears to be the most widely used (or at least most widely taught -
and then probably 'not' used). The next most widely reported technique is that developed by
McKinsey and General Electric; which is a three-cell by three-cell matrix - using the dimensions
of `industry attractiveness' and `business strengths'. This approaches some of the same issues as
the Boston Matrix, but from a different direction and in a more complex way (which may be why
it is used less, or is at least less widely taught). Perhaps the most practical approach is that of the
Boston Consulting Group's Advantage Matrix, which the consultancy reportedly used itself;
though it is little known amongst the wider population.
Other uses
The initial intent of the growth-share matrix was to evaluate business units, but the same
evaluation can be made for product lines or any other cash-generating entities. This should only
be attempted for real lines that have a sufficient history to allow some prediction; if the
corporation has made only a few products and called them a product line, the sample variance
will be too high for this sort of analysis to be meaningful.

SWOT ANALYSIS MATRIX

The TOWS matrix illustrated systematically compares the external opportunities and internal
strengths. the objective is identification as one of four distinct patterns in the match between the
firms internal and external situations. The matrix generates a series of possible strategies for the
company or SBU under consideration bases on four sets of combinations given in four cells.
(internal factors, Stranght and weaknesses, External Factors Opportunity and threats)
SO Strategies: the most favourable situations, the firm face numerous opportunities and have
numerous strengths. This situation suggests “growth oriented strategies’; the firm should
maximize the strength in order to capture the available opportunities
WO Strategies: The firm faces impressive market opportunities but is constrained by the several
internal weaknesses. The focus of strategy for such firm is eliminating internal weaknesses to
more effective pursue market opportunities
WT Strategies: the most favourable situation with the firm facing major environmental threats
from a position of relative weakness. The firm should act defensively in order to minimize
weakness and avoid threat.
ST strategies: the firm faces unfavourable environment having key strengths. The strategies
suggests building long term opportunities in other products/ market.
SWOT analysis helps to resolve one fundamental concern in selecting strategy. What will be the
principle purpose of grand strategy? is it to take advantage of a strong position or to overcome a
weaknesses. SWOT analysis provides a means as answering this fundamental question and give
direction to grand strategy.
SWOT analysis can also be used to take a broader view of strategy though the following formula
SA=O/ (S-W) i.e strategic alternatives = opportunities divided strengths minus weaknesses.

SPACE (Strategic position and action evaluation)

SPACE is an approach used to define different strategies alternative and strategic postures for a
firm. it involves consideration on four dimensions: -- company’s competitive advantage –
company’s financial strength – industry strength – environment stability
SAP provides an idea about the company’s competitive advantage and financial strengths and
ETOP and industry analysis gives insight regarding the environment stability and industry
strengths. These factors are assess numerically constructed a scale from 0-7. With 0 reflecting
the most unfavourable assessment and 7 most favourable, then average numerical score is
calculated. (FIGURE—FS up, CA left, IS right, ES down)
Strategic alternative postures: SPACE matrix depicts 4 possible postures.
Aggressive Posture: appropriate for company enjoys a competitive advantage and belongs to an
attractive industry that operates in a relatively stable environment. Possible strategies – full
exploitation of resources, look for acquisition possibilities, enhance market share though
expansion, concentric diversification, vertical integration. (FS IS 7, CA ES 2)
Competitive Postures: suitable for company enjoys a competitive advantage but has limited
financial strengths and belongs to an attractive industry operating unstable environment. Possible
strategies—maintain & enhance competitive advantage, improvement and differentiation,
improve marketing effectiveness, concentric merger, turn around (FS 2 IS 6 CA 7 ES 2)
Conservative posture: appropriate for a company, which enjoys financial strength but has limited
competitive advantage and belongs to a non-attractive industry operating in a stable
environment: possible strategies—pursue stability strategies, cut costs, improve productivity,
diversification (FS 7 IS 3, CA 7 ES 2)
Defensive posture: suitable for a company which lacks competitive advantage as well as
financial strengths and belongs to an unattractive industry operating in an unstable environment.
(FS 2 IS 4, CA 7 ES 7)
Thus SPACE provides a useful insight to different strategies alternate available to firm and
guides in grand strategy selection.

GE9 Cell Matrix

The GE Company of US is widely respected for the sophistication, maturity, and quality of its
planning system. The matrix developed by this company for guiding resources allocation is
called General Electric’s 9 Cell Matrix. It calls for analyzing various products of the firm in
terms of two issues—
Business Strengths: How strong is the firm vis-à-vis its competitor, factor--Market share, profit
margin, ability to compete, customer and market knowledge, competitive position, technology
and management caliber etc.
Industry attractiveness: What is the attractiveness or potential of the industry, Factors—Market
growth, size and industry profitability, competition, season ability and critical qualities,
economic of scale, technology, social/ environmental/ legal/ human factors identified as
enhancing industry attractiveness.
The GE uses multiple factors to assess industry attractiveness and business strength rather than
single measurement employed in BCG matrix. GE expanded the matrix from four cells to nine
cells, replacing the high low axes with high medium low axes to make finer distinction between
business portfolio positions. The matrix shows three basic approaches –invest, hold and divest.
The resources resource allocation decision is quite similar to those in BCG Matrix. Businessman
which are classified are invest would be treated like the stars in BCG Matrix. They require
resource for their growth. Business classified in the divest category would be managed like dogs
in BCG Matrix and business classified under hold are categorized as cash cows or as question
mark.
Industry Business strengths
Attractiveness
High -> Invest Invest Hold
Medium -> Invest Hold Divest
Low -> Hold Divest Divest
In nutshell, the portfolio analysis is useful because it offers following benefits:
• It provides and comparative analysis of market share, industry attractiveness, market growth
and competitive position of each product or businesses
• It aids in generating good strategies on the basis of above analysis
• It promotes efficient and effective ways of resource allocation
• It facilitates in clarifying and determine broad strategic interest

DIRECTIONAL POLICY MATRIX

The Directional Policy Matrix is another matrix similar to the BCG Matrix. It measures the
health of the market and the organization's strengths to pursue it to indicate the direction for
future investment. The vertical axis is market attractiveness (as opposed to business Growth rate
in the BCG Matrix) and the horizontal axis is Industry Attractiveness (as opposed to Market
Share in the BCG Matrix). The recommendations are similar to that of the BCG Matrix, i.e.,
invest, grow, harvest or divest.
Business Strengths
Expert systems are used to determine the organizational strength of the organization. The
position of the enterprise on the chart based upon the assessment of the following factors:
• Supplier Bargaining Power
• Threat of Substitutes
• Reputation
• Customer Loyalty
• Staying Power
• Experience
• Threat of New Entrants
• Competitive Rivalry
• Buyer Bargaining Power
• Product Quality
• Product Value
• Relative Market Share
There are eight steps involved in the analysis. The following steps are an example that is based
on work carried out at in a multinational firm.
Step 1. Determine the products or services for markets that you intend to include in the matrix. -
This can be countries, companies, subsidiaries, regions, products, markets, segments, customers,
distributors or any other unit of analysis that may be considered important by the organization.
Step 2. Define the market attractiveness factors - The purpose for the vertical axis is to
discriminate between more and less attractive markets. Factors can be summarized into three
headings
• Growth rate
• Accessible market size - an attractive market is not only large but is also accessible
• Profit potential - this varies considerable from industry to industry (Porter's Five Forces
model can be used
to estimate the profit potential of a segment)
Step 3. Determine the scoring method and weightage criteria. Weight and score the market
attractiveness for the relevant products or services for markets (weighting out of 100 and score
out of 10 for example)
Step 4. Define business strengths. These factors are usually a combination of the organizations
strengths in relation to the competitors' strengths in connection with the customer-facing needs
or those things that the customer requires. These can be grouped into the following factors as an
example and each factor can be made up of numerous sub-factors:
• Product requirements
• Price requirements
• Service requirements
• Promotion requirements
Step 5. Weight and score the business strengths. Weights of the factors should equal 100. Score
the factor out of 10 and multiply the score by the weighting. Divide this score by 100 and add it
to the other factor scores to obtain an overall score for the unit being analyzed. Divide each score
into the score of the biggest competitor to obtain a relative score. The biggest competitor's
position is taken as 1 and the other units are plotted accordingly
CSF Weight Us Comp1 Comp2
Product 30 7 210=2.1 6 180=1.8 4 120=1.2
Price 35 6 210=2.1 6 210=2.1 10 350=3.5
Service 25 7 175=1.75 9 225=2.25 5 125=1.25
Image 10 4 40=0.4 8 80=0.8 3 30=0.3
Total 100 6.35 6.95 6.25
The x-axis coordinates are therefore
Us = 6.35/6.95= 0.91 -- Compl=6.95/6.95= 1.0 (This IS the biggest competitor) Comp2=
6.25/6.95 = 0.90
Step 6 Producing the directional policy matrix - These 'x'-co-ordinates along with their
corresponding market attractiveness co-ordinates must now be positioned on the matrix. The
market size is used to determine the size of the circle and the organizations share of this market
is depicted as a wedge in the circle.
Step 7 - Forecasting (an optional step). The factors are rescored for the products /services in
three years time. (This can be any time frame that fits in with the organizations forecast period).
The circles are plotted on the same matrix as the original demonstrates the movement that will
have to take place to achieve forecast.
Step 8. Set strategies - Strategies are set to achieve the desired positions on the matrix

This matrix is a good one to use if the organization wishes to assess the competitors relative to
themselves. The DPM shows:
• Markets categorized based on a scale of attractiveness to the organization
• The organization's relative strengths in each of these markets
• The relative importance of each market
It allows for a good analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the competitors from the
customer's point of view. However, this concept has limits to the analysis. If more than ten
SBUs/products are plotted onto one matrix, the resultant picture can be confusing - one has to
limit the number of circles on the matrix

Advantages & Disadvantages of Matrix Models

The degree of applicability of the portfolio model depends on the relative importance and the
manner in which the models are used. One has to be careful in the use of matrix analyses. The
advantages and disadvantages of using matrixes for decision making are given below:
Advantages
• Key areas. These models highlight certain aspects of business that are considered essential to
 success or failure
• Cash flows. They focus on cash flow requirements of the SBU's and help identify the different
cash flow implications and requirements of different business activities. This helps
management to carry out its resource allocation function.
• Balance portfolio. They help identify strengths and weaknesses in the portfolio, the gaps that
need to be filled; when a new SBU needs to be added or when one needs to be removed; and
the duplicative businesses in the portfolio.
• Diverse perspective. The diverse activities of a multi-business company are analyzed in a
systematic manner and enterprise diversity highlighted.
• Flexible comparisons. Some matrices, like the McKinsey Matrix, are highly flexible in being
able to select different factors for different industries. This kind of analysis can provide
coverage of a wide number of strategically relevant variables.
Disadvantages of Matrix Modles
• Too simple. Matrix models are simplistic. The important factors are reduced to only two
dimensions (e.g., market share and business attractiveness) other factors are necessarily
excluded or lose their distinctiveness in the collapsed dimensions.
• Market share. Market share, though used widely, may not be the best measure of a company's
success. For example, product differentiation for a particular market segment may have low
market share but produce high success within a market segment.
• Market share and cash flow mismatch. High market share in a low-growth industry does not
necessarily result in large positive cash flow characteristics of a "cash cow" business. For
example, the BCG would classify GM auto operations as a cash cow, but the capital
investments needed to remain competitive are so substantial in the auto industry that the
reverse is likely true. Low growth industries can be very competitive and staying ahead in such
environments can require major cash investments.
• Market share and cost savings mismatch. The connection between relative market share and
economies of scale may also not be a direct relationship. For example, in the steel industry low
market share companies using low share technology (mini mills) can have lower production
costs than high market share companies using high share technologies (integrated mills). While
the BCG matrix would classify them as "dogs", their performance would show them as "star"
businesses.
• Subjective numbers. The numerical format of some matrices may lead the user to place greater
confidence in them than is warranted. The numbers from most ratings are subjectively derived,
subject to personal biases, political pressure, and budgetary needs.
• Static pictures. The analyses most often provide a static picture of SBUs. They are not
projective, they do not account adequately for changes due industry evolution, technological
change, and other environmental forces, etc.
• Multiple SBUs. There is a limit to the number of SBUs that can be examined; otherwise the
resulting analysis becomes increasingly superficial. Such problems can occur when the volume
exceeds 40-50 SBUs.
• Conflict of interests. When a SBU contains several different but related businesses conflicts of
interest can occur between the cash flow priorities of a SBU and the priorities of the company
as a whole.
• Inappropriate divesting. Improper application of portfolio techniques may result in
inappropriate divesting of useful synergistic holdings. Synergistic effects of linked SBUs are
usually not reflected in matrices.
Grand Strategy Clusters Model
Grand Strategy Clusters Model is an excellent framework to examine the strategies, we have
covered so far. The classification in this model is based upon the organization's competencies
and markets. The axes of the diagram are products and market characteristics. The product
includes services and any form of offering; and the market need can be any group of potential
customers whether defined by their needs, inclinations, or income bracket. The possible future
choices about products and markets can be represented as movements within or away from this
cell.
In this approach, you first consider the industry. What is the product sector growth rate? Is it
growing or· declining? You then consider the organization's competitive strengths within that
sector. Competitive Strength can be assessed on two levels: the size and trend of the market
share, whether it is moving up, static or going down, and the organization's financial strength;
specifically either cash flow from operations, or access to capital. This will determine the
competitive position of the organization. Put simply, the competitive position can be
summarized as follows:
• Strong marker share + strong finances = strong competitive position.
• Strong market share and weak finances = average competitive position
• Low market share and strong finances = average competitive position.
• Neither strong market share nor strong finances = weak competitive position.
Strong sector, strong competitive position.
This means that the organization is in a growing market. It holds a good market position, and has
cash with which it can man oeuvre its position. The strategic choices, therefore, include:
• Market strategy to increase demand and sales for existing products and services, in existing
and new markets.
• Marketing strategy to increase market penetration for existing products and services and
capture greater
share.
• Enhance or extend existing products and services; add-ons, backbends, strategic Joint
ventures.
• Gain control over distribution - bring external sales inside. Take sales from distributors.
• Gain control over suppliers Acquisition, merger, or joint-ventures with competitors
• Develop strategic partnerships to increase distribution, or gain new products.
• Develop related products and services for existing customer base -
backend strategies. Strong sector, weak competitive position
This is a difficult decision, because the sector is strong, but the organization has relatively small
market share, and limited or no cash. The choices include:
• Move into small, defined and profitable niche markets.
• Focus on increasing market penetration for existing products and services and capture
greater share using marketing as a strategy.
• Seek strategic partnerships for products/services for existing customers
• Develop products and services for existing customer base - backend strategies.
• Get out of the business: Sell your client base to a competitor; or reposition your existing
products to appeal to new customer types; or sell the product line and use cash to reposition
remaining assets
Weak sector, strong competitive position
This is an ideal case for using the organization's dominant position in a weak market for Growth.
As the Qrganization has cash, it is in a position to exploit its standing. The organization should:
• Add related products and services for existing customer base - backend strategies.
• Add un-related products and services for existing customer base - backend strategies.
• Add new products and services for new customer base
• Create joint ventures in unrelated markets
Weak sector, weak competitive position
This requires the organization to retreat. The different options are:
1 Reduce costs if you can.
2 Sell product line
3 Sell company
Rapid Market Growth
Quadrant II Quadrant I
Market development Market development
Market penetration Market penetration
Product development Product development
Horizontal integration Forward integration
divestiture Backward integration
Quadrant III Quadrant IV
Retrenchment Concentric Horizontal div
Concentric diversification Conglomerate div
Horizontal diversification Joint venture
Conglomerate diversification
Liquidity
If you don't want to liquidate, look at the option of expanding your markets using low-cost / no-
cost marketing strategies. However, this may be a high risk proposition. Another option could be
an attempt to create strategic partnerships and joint ventures. This will not be easy as it may be
difficult to attract partners to a market with poor fundamentals.
This framework is specific to a business unit with one major industry and/or product focus. If the
business is more complex, the process will need to be repeated for each focus sector.
The model is shown in figure 9. This framework provides a form to the discussion and each of
the strategies that we have discussed. It involves examining both the markets and competencies
of the organization. It challenges us to think strategically. As we go through the various strategic
options, it helps at identifying the strategic choices, keeping the requirements of competencies
and the marketplace in mind.
We need to go back to Chris Zook. Based on his investigations, Zook identifies and explains
three key factors that differentiate strategies that succeed from those that fail:
1 strategies reaching full potential in the core business
2 strategies expanding into logical adjacent businesses surrounding that core
3 strategies preemptively redefining the core business in response to market turbulence
We need to look at the strategic intent .of the organization and identify strategic issues, to
confirm that the strategy we have chosen adequately addresses the issues facing the organization
in these three areas. Does the strategy facilitate the organization to reach its full potential in the
core business; orland effectively expand into logical adjacent businesses surrounding that core;
or permit the organization to preemptively redefine the core business so as to maintain its
position in the marketplace. An affirmative answer confirms the success of the strategy.
EXPLAIN THE VARIOUS LEVELS AT WHICH STRATEGY IS FORMULATED.
DESCRIBE THE ROLE OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN STRATEGIC
MANAGEMENT PROCESS OPERATING AT ALL LEVELS.
Strategic management is the process of specifying the organization's objectives, developing
policies and plans to achieve these objectives, and allocating resources to implement the policies
and plans to achieve the organization's objectives. It is the highest level of managerial activity,
usually formulated by the Board of directors and performed by the organization's Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) and executive team. Strategic management provides overall direction`
to the enterprise and is closely related to the field of Organization Studies.
“Strategic management is an ongoing process that assesses the business and the industries in
which the company is involved; assesses its competitors and sets goals and strategies to meet all
existing and potential competitors; and then reassesses each strategy annually or quarterly [i.e.
regularly] to determine how it has been implemented and whether it has succeeded or needs
replacement by a new strategy to meet changed circumstances, new technology, new
competitors, a new economic environment., or a new social, financial, or political environment.”
(Lamb, 1984:ix)[1]
Strategic management is a combination of 1) strategy formulation and 2) strategy
implementation.
Strategy formulation involves:
• Performing a situation analysis, self-evaluation and competitor analysis: both
internal and external; both micro-environmental and macro-environmental.
• Concurrent with this assessment, objectives are set. This involves crafting vision
statements (long term view of a possible future), mission statements (the role that the
organization gives itself in society), overall corporate objectives (both financial and
strategic), strategic business unit objectives (both financial and strategic), and tactical
objectives.
• These objectives should, in the light of the situation analysis, suggest a strategic
plan. The plan provides the details of how to achieve these objectives.
This three-step strategy formulation process is sometimes referred to as determining where you
are now, determining where you want to go, and then determining how to get there. These three
questions are the essence of strategic planning. SWOT Analysis: I/O Economics for the external
factors and RBV for the internal factors.
The role of the board of directors in strategic formulation is to carry out three basic tasks:
• Monitor: By acting through its committees, a board can keep abreast of developments
inside and outside the corporation, bringing to management’s attention developments it
might have overlooked. A board should at least carry out this task.
• Evaluate and influence: A board can examine management’s proposals, decisions, and
actions; agree or disagree with them; give advice and offer suggestions; and outline
alternatives. Active boards perform this task in addition to the monitoring one
• Initiate and determine: A board can delineate a corporation’s mission and specify
strategic options to its management. Only the most active boards take on this task in
addition to the two previous ones.
Board of Directors Continuum
A board of directors is involved in strategic management to the extent that it carries out the three
tasks of monitoring, evaluating and influencing, and initiating and determining. The board of
directors continuum shown in Figure ‘A’ shows the possible degree of involvements (from low
to high ) in the strategic management process. As types, boards can range from phantom board
with no real involvement to catalyst boards with very high degrees of involvement. Research
suggests that active board involvement in strategic management is positively related to corporate
financial performance.
Figure ‘A’Board of Directors Continuum
DEGREE OF INVOLVEMENT IN STRATEGIC FORMULATION
Low Positive
Phantom Rubber Minimal Nominal Active Catalyst
Stamp Review Participation Participation
Never Permits Formally Involved to a Approves, Takes the
knows what officers to reviews limited questions, and leading role
to do, if make all selected degree in the makes final in
anything; no decisions. It issues that performance decisions on establishing
degree of votes as the officers or review of mission, and
involvement officers bring to its selected key strategy, modifying
recommend attention decisions, policies, and the mission,
on action indicators, or objectives. Has objectives,
issues. programs of active board strategy and
management committees. policies. It
Performs fiscal has a very
and active
management strategy
audits committee.
Highly involved boards tend to be very active. They take their tasks of monitoring,, evaluating,
and influencing, plus initiating and determining, very seriously; they provide advice when
necessary and keep management alert. As depicted in Figure ‘A’, their heavy involvement in the
strategic management process places them in the active participation or even catalyst positions.
Fro example, in a survey of directors of large U.S corporations conducted by Korn/Ferry
International, more then 60% indicated that they were deeply involved in the strategy-setting
process. In the same survey, 54%of the respondents indicated that their boards participate in
annual retreats or special planning sessions to discuss company strategy. Nevertheless, only
slightly more than 32% of the boards help develop the strategy. More than two – thirds of the
boards review strategy only after it has been first developed by management. Another 1 admit
playing no role at all in strategy. These and other studies suggest that most large publicly owned
corporations have boards that operate at some point between nominal and active participation.
Some corporations that have boards that operate at some point between nominal and active
participation. Some corporations that have actively participating boards are Mead Corporation,
Rolm and Haas, Whirlpool, 3m, Apria Healthcare, General Electric Pfizer, and Texas
Instruments.
As a board becomes less involved in the affairs of the corporation, it moves farther to the left on
the continuum shown in Figure.. On the far left are passive phantom or rubber-stamp boards that
typically do not initiate or determine strategy (for example, Tyco ) unless a crisis occurs. In these
situation, the CEO also serves as Chairman of the Board, personally nominates all directors, and
works to keep board members under this or the control by giving them the “mushroom
treatment” throw manure on them and keep them in the dark!
Generally, the smaller the corporation, the less active its board of directors. In an entrepreneurial
venture, for example, the privately held corporation may be 100% owned by the founders, who
also manage the company. In this case, there is no need for and active board to protect the
interests of the owner-manger shareholders – the interests of the owners and the managers are
identical. In this instance, a board is really unnecessary and meets only to satisfy legal
requirements. If stock is sold to outsiders to finance growth, however, the board becomes more
active. Key investors want seats on the board so they can oversee their investment. To the extent
that they still control most of the stock, however, the founders dominate the board acts primarily
as a rubber stamp for any proposal put forward by the owner-managers. This cozy relationship
between the board and management should change, however, when the corporation goes public
and stock is more widely dispersed. The founders, who are still acting as management, may
sometimes make decisions that conflict with the needs of the other shareholders (especially if the
founders own less than 50% of the common stock). In this instance, problems could occur if the
board failed to become more active in terms of its roles and responsibilities.

purpose of the gram strategy being considered.