Now more than ever, companies are putting more attention to innovation that make their products and services more competitive, thereby enable them to survive and flourish in the changeable and challenging global environment. Innovation is seen as the first attempt to carry out a new creative idea, and translate it into practice. However, it isn’t easy; it’s a difficult and complex task. There are two primary factors influencing the success of innovation: technical resources (people, equipment, knowledge, money, etc.) and the abilities in the organisation to manage these resources to encourage innovations. However, the latter is the precondition which can place high premiums on innovation. Organisation is a kind of breeding ground for generating creative idea and capturing new opportunities. An innovative organisation has several key components: appropriate structure, effective team working, external focus, leadership, key individual, creative climate and etc. All the factors are absolutely essential. All innovative organisation Continue reading
Strategic Management Concepts
The Rational and Dynamic Approaches to Strategic Management
Strategic management is a not a new concept. It has been defined as a management system which links strategic planning and decision making with the day-to-day business of operational management. Strategic management is not a simple, step by step process, but a complex and iterative process which needs hard work and dedication from many people in an organization to implement it toward the objective. It is the process for the leading members of an organization to forecast its future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to achieve its future. Strategic management is usually found in high levels of management to help organization gather, analyze and organize useful information to keep up with industry and competitive trends. The rational and dynamic approaches to strategic management are two different schools of thought. The rational approach is well-planed and more prescriptive on strategy selection. However, the dynamic approach is opposite. Rational Approach Continue reading
Divestiture Strategy
Selling a division or part of an organization is called divestiture. Divestiture strategy is often used to raise capital for further strategic acquisitions or investments. Divestiture strategy can be part of an overall retrenchment strategy to rid an organization of businesses that are unprofitable, that require too much capital, or that do not fit well with the firm’s other activities. Divestment is a difficult decision for the management of any organization. The barriers that impede an organization from following a divestment strategy have been described as follows: Structural (or Economic) Strategy. Characteristics of a business’s technology and its fixed and working capital impede exit, especially if the business is a core competence to the company. Corporate Strategy. Relationships between the various business units within an organization may deter divestment of a particular business unit. Managerial Strategy. Aspects of company’s decision making process inhibit exit from an unprofitable business. Such aspects Continue reading
Takeover Bid – Meaning and Types
This is a technique for affecting either a takeover or an amalgamation. It may be defined as an offer to acquire shares of a company, whose shares are not closely held, addressed to the general body of shareholders with a view to obtaining at least sufficient shares to give the offer or, voting control of the company. Takeover Bid is thus adopted by company for taking over the control and management affairs of listed company by acquiring its controlling interest. While a takeover bid is used for affecting a takeover, it is frequently against the wishes of the management of Offeree Company. It may take the form of an offer to purchase shares for cash or for share for share exchange or a combination of these two firms. Where a takeover bid is used for effecting merger or amalgamation it is generally by consent of management of both companies. It Continue reading
Characteristics of an Effective Strategic Control System
Recommended reading: Strategic Control and Operational Control Effective strategic control systems tend to have certain qualities in common. These characteristics/qualities can be stated thus: Suitable: The control system must be suitable to the needs of an organization. It must conform to the nature and needs of the job and the area to be controlled. For example, the control system used in production department will be different from that used in sales department. Simple: The control system should be easy to understand and operate. A complicated control system will cause unnecessary mistakes, confusion and frustration among employees. When the control system is understood properly, employees can interpret the same in a right way and ensure its implementation. Selective: To be useful, the control system must focus attention on key, strategic and important factors which are critical to performance. Insignificant deviations need not be looked into. Continue reading
The BCG Growth Share Matrix
In the late 1960s a consultant for the Boston Consulting Group presented his ideas about cash deficient and growth deficient businesses and the need for a balance between cash generators and cash users. After that the Boston Consulting Group developed a portfolio business model based on this thinking. The model, the BCG matrix or growth share matrix, was based on the Boston Consulting Group’s knowledge and work in the area of the experience curve and of the product life cycle and how they relate to cash generation and cash requirements. The growth share matrix was intended to analyze a portfolio from a corporate perspective because it is only at that level that cash balance is meaningful. A business may, however, be segmented further using this diagnostic tool to understand the positions of its various product lines or market segments. This portfolio can therefore be made up of products in a Continue reading