Strategy

Strategy (from Greek στρατηγία stratēgia, "art of troop leader; office of general, command, generalship"^[1]) is a general plan to achieve one or more long-term or overall goals under conditions of uncertainty.^[2] In the sense of the "art of the general", which included several subsets of skills including military tactics, siegecraft, logistics etc., the term came into use in the 6th century C.E. in Eastern Roman terminology, and was translated into Western vernacular languages only in the 18th century. From then until the 20th century, the word "strategy" came to denote "a comprehensive way to try to pursue political ends, including the threat or actual use of force, in a dialectic of wills" in a military conflict, in which both adversaries interact.^[3]

Strategy is important because the resources available to achieve goals are usually limited. Strategy generally involves setting goals and priorities, determining actions to achieve the goals, and mobilizing resources to execute the actions.^[4] A strategy describes how the ends (goals) will be achieved by the means (resources).^[5] Strategy can be intended or can emerge as a pattern of activity as the organization adapts to its environment or competes.^[4] It involves activities such as strategic planning and strategic thinking.^[6]

Henry Mintzberg from McGill University defined strategy as a pattern in a stream of decisions to contrast with a view of strategy as planning,^[7] while Henrik von Scheel defines the essence of strategy as the activities to deliver a unique mix of value – choosing to perform activities differently or to perform different activities than rivals.^[8] while Max McKeown (2011) argues that "strategy is about shaping the future" and is the human attempt to get to "desirable ends with available means". Vladimir Kvint defines strategy as "a system of finding, formulating, and developing a doctrine that will ensure long-term success if followed faithfully."^[9]

^ στρατηγία, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
^ Wragg, David W. (1973). A Dictionary of Aviation (first ed.). Osprey. p. 251. ISBN 9780850451634.
^ Freedman, Lawrence (2023). Strategy. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-932515-3.
^ ^a ^b Freedman, Lawrence (2013). Strategy. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-932515-3.
^ Simeone, Luca (3 July 2020). "Characterizing Strategic Design Processes in Relation to Definitions of Strategy from Military, Business and Management Studies" (PDF). The Design Journal. 23 (4): 515–534. doi:10.1080/14606925.2020.1758472. S2CID 218922359.
^ Mintzberg, Henry and, Quinn, James Brian (1996). The Strategy Process: Concepts, Contexts, Cases. Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-132-340304.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ Henry Mintzberg (May 1978). "Patterns in Strategy Formation" (PDF). Management Science. 24 (9): 934–48. doi:10.1287/mnsc.24.9.934. S2CID 154086210. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
^ Henrik von Scheel and Prof Mark von Rosing. Importance of a Business Model (pp. 23–54). Applying real-world BPM in an SAP environment. ISBN 978-1-59229-877-8
^ Kvint, Vladimir (2009). The Global Emerging Market: Strategic Management and Economics. Routeledge. ISBN 9780203882917. the global emerging market.

[1] στρατηγία, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus

[2] Wragg, David W. (1973). A Dictionary of Aviation (first ed.). Osprey. p. 251. ISBN 9780850451634.

[3] Freedman, Lawrence (2023). Strategy. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-932515-3.

[LFreedman2013-4] Freedman, Lawrence (2013). Strategy. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-932515-3.

[5] Simeone, Luca (3 July 2020). "Characterizing Strategic Design Processes in Relation to Definitions of Strategy from Military, Business and Management Studies" (PDF). The Design Journal. 23 (4): 515–534. doi:10.1080/14606925.2020.1758472. S2CID 218922359.

[Mintzberg_and_Quinn_1996-6] Mintzberg, Henry and, Quinn, James Brian (1996). The Strategy Process: Concepts, Contexts, Cases. Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-132-340304.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[charlesw-7] Henry Mintzberg (May 1978). "Patterns in Strategy Formation" (PDF). Management Science. 24 (9): 934–48. doi:10.1287/mnsc.24.9.934. S2CID 154086210. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2012.

[source-8] Henrik von Scheel and Prof Mark von Rosing. Importance of a Business Model (pp. 23–54). Applying real-world BPM in an SAP environment. ISBN 978-1-59229-877-8

[9] Kvint, Vladimir (2009). The Global Emerging Market: Strategic Management and Economics. Routeledge. ISBN 9780203882917. the global emerging market.

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