The document provides suggestions for improving strategic planning processes based on research and case studies. It finds that starting the process by identifying and discussing long-term strategic issues facing the company, rather than focusing first on budgets and forecasts, can make the process more valuable. It also recommends ensuring that strategic review meetings involve frank conversations among ultimate decision makers. Linking the implementation of the annual plan to metrics and human resources systems can help influence manager behavior and execution.
Project monitoring and monitoring toolsJed Abolencia
For managers both in education and business, this presentation talks about available tools which can be used to monitor projects and programs, how this tools can be used and the formula to measure program implementation efficiency.
The stages used in the formation of the economic development strategies are generalized in the context of proposed multicriterial methods of evaluation. The principles of the adapted multitask analysis and multicriterial evaluation methods preserve the efficiency of strategies and projection of sustainable economic development with account of resources and competetiveness. The multicriterial evaluation permit to formulate the more effective strategic development programs, to determine their priorities and essential indicators when modeling programmed alternatives. There is possibilities to implement the multicriterial reasoning under review into management and administration systems when forming the algorithms of this process. The principles under review may form the basis for the computerized strategic planning and development programs.
Monitoring, evaluation and accountability staff presentationkltpollock
April 30th SRC Staff presentation on MEA monitoring and impact tables, their roles and responsibilities in relation to those tables, and SRC priority actions for the coming year
Project monitoring and monitoring toolsJed Abolencia
For managers both in education and business, this presentation talks about available tools which can be used to monitor projects and programs, how this tools can be used and the formula to measure program implementation efficiency.
The stages used in the formation of the economic development strategies are generalized in the context of proposed multicriterial methods of evaluation. The principles of the adapted multitask analysis and multicriterial evaluation methods preserve the efficiency of strategies and projection of sustainable economic development with account of resources and competetiveness. The multicriterial evaluation permit to formulate the more effective strategic development programs, to determine their priorities and essential indicators when modeling programmed alternatives. There is possibilities to implement the multicriterial reasoning under review into management and administration systems when forming the algorithms of this process. The principles under review may form the basis for the computerized strategic planning and development programs.
Monitoring, evaluation and accountability staff presentationkltpollock
April 30th SRC Staff presentation on MEA monitoring and impact tables, their roles and responsibilities in relation to those tables, and SRC priority actions for the coming year
The endeavor of the report is in the direction of scrutinizing the effectiveness of project management in expressions of managerial structures, technological proficiency, and management skill along with the features of an effectual venture manager.
Before exploring the main content of the report let us consider the general concepts of the key words of relative topic or respective report.
Efficacy simply coded, is the core skill, aptitude or the capacity on the way to bring into being a required or projected outcome. The extent in the direction of which a touch is victorious in generating a looked-for outcome is effectiveness
Software Project Management (monitoring and control)IsrarDewan
Monitoring and Controlling are processes needed to track, review, and regulate the progress and performance of the project. It also identifies any areas where changes to the project management method are required and initiates the required changes.
The project was done on Efficacy of Project Management... Research was conducted back in 2014 and was carried out by one of the Academic writer at www.assignmentstudio.net who is also a full time tutor and work for www.tutoringlounge.com.au.
Writer profile can be visited at http://tutoringlounge.com.au/erika-reynolds/
For similar projects you can visit our site and place an order...
www.assignmentstudio.net
or email at
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Florida State College - Bartram considerationsMelaniedemasi
Brie,
Linda sent me some pics a while back she snapped for inspiration. These images can be seen on the left hand side in some of the slides. I've also include other slides for classroom, cafe, etc. Hope this helps!
The endeavor of the report is in the direction of scrutinizing the effectiveness of project management in expressions of managerial structures, technological proficiency, and management skill along with the features of an effectual venture manager.
Before exploring the main content of the report let us consider the general concepts of the key words of relative topic or respective report.
Efficacy simply coded, is the core skill, aptitude or the capacity on the way to bring into being a required or projected outcome. The extent in the direction of which a touch is victorious in generating a looked-for outcome is effectiveness
Software Project Management (monitoring and control)IsrarDewan
Monitoring and Controlling are processes needed to track, review, and regulate the progress and performance of the project. It also identifies any areas where changes to the project management method are required and initiates the required changes.
The project was done on Efficacy of Project Management... Research was conducted back in 2014 and was carried out by one of the Academic writer at www.assignmentstudio.net who is also a full time tutor and work for www.tutoringlounge.com.au.
Writer profile can be visited at http://tutoringlounge.com.au/erika-reynolds/
For similar projects you can visit our site and place an order...
www.assignmentstudio.net
or email at
contact@assignmentstudio.net
Florida State College - Bartram considerationsMelaniedemasi
Brie,
Linda sent me some pics a while back she snapped for inspiration. These images can be seen on the left hand side in some of the slides. I've also include other slides for classroom, cafe, etc. Hope this helps!
Project prioritization becomes more strategici-nexus
Very few organizations have the luxury of committing to a range of projects without having an effective way of prioritizing these. One could argue that this issue is more likely to be experienced by organizations that are relatively immature in their operational excellence or strategy execution journey. We’re not necessarily finding that. As companies continue to look to cut waste, improve efficiencies and improve the effectiveness of their strategy processes, project prioritization has become a hot topic.
This in our firms' introduction to the concept of the Balanced Scorecard. We use this as part of developing the strategy monitoring and management processes our clients use to insure their strategies stay on track. While this doesn't include our content associated with actually setting up or managing the process, we hope it helps companies who are considering (or struggling with) a BSC implementation.
Using Mobility to Expand Planning and Performance Management Best PracticesSAP Analytics
http://spr.ly/Finance_PM - Explore how finance organizations can use mobile solutions to help expand planning and performance management best practices in order to transform business (Beyond Budgeting, 2013).
Strategy Planning and Deployment Process Training ModuleFrank-G. Adler
The Strategy Planning and Deployment Training Module v6.0 includes:
1. MS PowerPoint Presentation including 97 slides covering our Strategy Planning and Deployment Process using Strategy Maps and Hoshin Kanri, including Introduction to Strategy Planning, Organizing the Process, Current State Analysis (CSA), Strategic Vision Elements, Strategic Breakthrough Objectives, Strategy Maps, Strategic Initiatives and Tactics, Strategy Deployment Matrix, and Strategy Implementation and Review.
2. MS Excel Templates for Annual Planning, Criticality Analysis, Force Field Analysis, Radar Gap Analysis Chart, Strategy Grid Alignment Matrix, Strategy Grid Correlation Matrix, Project Selection Matrix, Bowling Chart, and Strategy Implementation Review Table.
3. MS Word Current State Analysis (CSA) Questionnaire
4. MS Excel Hoshin Kanri Strategy Deployment X-Matrix Template
Corporate Governance a Balanced Scorecard approach with KPIs between BOD, Exe...Chris Rigatuso
This paper, from 2003, during my time at Oracle, was an early attempt to define metrics for inducing accountability between BOD, executives, and operating management of corporations. It's geared to large companies, but the lessons are broadly appreciable. It was published in CFO Reviews by Anderson Consulting, and other places. It predates the SOX Sarbanes Oxley laws that were a result of the Enron Scandal.
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1808 Kaplan.indd 621808 Kaplan.indd 62 12/5/07 5:31:55 PM12/5/07 5:31:55 PM
NOT LONG AFTER ITS SUCCESSFUL IPO, the Conner Corporation (not its real
name) began to lose its way. The company’s senior executives continued their prac-
tice of holding monthly one-day management meetings, but their focus drifted.
The meetings’ agenda called for a discussion of operational issues in the morn-
ing and strategic issues in the afternoon. But with the company under pressure
to meet quarterly targets, operational items had started to crowd strategy out
of the agenda. Inevitably, the review of actual monthly and forecast quarterly
fi nancial performance revealed revenues to be lower, and expenses to be higher,
than targeted. The worried managers spent hours discussing how to close the
gap through pricing initiatives, capacity downsizing, SG&A staff cuts, and sales
hbr.org | January 2008 | Harvard Business Review 63
Successful strategy execution has two basic rules: understand
the management cycle that links strategy and operations, and know
what tools to apply at each stage of the cycle.
by Robert S. Kaplan
and David P. Norton
the Management
System
1808 Kaplan.indd 631808 Kaplan.indd 63 12/5/07 5:32:05 PM12/5/07 5:32:05 PM
64 Harvard Business Review | January 2008 | hbr.org
LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGY | Mastering the Management System
campaigns. One executive noted, “We have no time for
strategy. If we miss our quarterly numbers, we might cease
to exist. For us, the long term is the short term.”
Like Conner, all too many companies – including some
well-established public corporations – have learned how
Gresham’s Law applies to their management meetings:
Discussions about bad operations inevitably drive out dis-
cussions about good strategy implementation. When com-
panies fall into this trap, they soon fi nd themselves limping
along, making or closely missing their numbers each quarter
but never examining how to modify their strategy to gener-
ate better growth opportunities or how to break the pat-
tern of short-term fi nancial shortfalls. Analysts, investors,
and board members start to question the imagination and
commitment of the companies’ management.
In our experience, however, breakdowns in a company’s
management system, not managers’ lack of ability or effort,
are what cause a company’s underperformance. By manage-
ment system, we’re referring to the integrated set of processes
and tools that a company uses to develop its strategy, translate
it into operational actions, and monitor and improve the effec-
tiveness of both. The failure to balance the tensions between
strategy and operations is pervasive: Various studies done in
the past 25 years indicate that 60% to 80% of companies fall
short of the success predicted from their new strategies.
By creating a closed-loop management system, compa-
nies can avoid such shortfalls. (S ...
Implicitly or explicitly all competing businesses employ a strategy to select a mix
of marketing resources. Formulating such competitive strategies fundamentally
involves recognizing relationships between elements of the marketing mix (e.g.,
price and product quality), as well as assessing competitive and market conditions
(i.e., industry structure in the language of economics).
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Memorandum Of Association Constitution of Company.pptseri bangash
www.seribangash.com
A Memorandum of Association (MOA) is a legal document that outlines the fundamental principles and objectives upon which a company operates. It serves as the company's charter or constitution and defines the scope of its activities. Here's a detailed note on the MOA:
Contents of Memorandum of Association:
Name Clause: This clause states the name of the company, which should end with words like "Limited" or "Ltd." for a public limited company and "Private Limited" or "Pvt. Ltd." for a private limited company.
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Registered Office Clause: It specifies the location where the company's registered office is situated. This office is where all official communications and notices are sent.
Objective Clause: This clause delineates the main objectives for which the company is formed. It's important to define these objectives clearly, as the company cannot undertake activities beyond those mentioned in this clause.
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Liability Clause: It outlines the extent of liability of the company's members. In the case of companies limited by shares, the liability of members is limited to the amount unpaid on their shares. For companies limited by guarantee, members' liability is limited to the amount they undertake to contribute if the company is wound up.
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Capital Clause: This clause specifies the authorized capital of the company, i.e., the maximum amount of share capital the company is authorized to issue. It also mentions the division of this capital into shares and their respective nominal value.
Association Clause: It simply states that the subscribers wish to form a company and agree to become members of it, in accordance with the terms of the MOA.
Importance of Memorandum of Association:
Legal Requirement: The MOA is a legal requirement for the formation of a company. It must be filed with the Registrar of Companies during the incorporation process.
Constitutional Document: It serves as the company's constitutional document, defining its scope, powers, and limitations.
Protection of Members: It protects the interests of the company's members by clearly defining the objectives and limiting their liability.
External Communication: It provides clarity to external parties, such as investors, creditors, and regulatory authorities, regarding the company's objectives and powers.
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Binding Authority: The company and its members are bound by the provisions of the MOA. Any action taken beyond its scope may be considered ultra vires (beyond the powers) of the company and therefore void.
Amendment of MOA:
While the MOA lays down the company's fundamental principles, it is not entirely immutable. It can be amended, but only under specific circumstances and in compliance with legal procedures. Amendments typically require shareholder
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Putting the SPARK into Virtual Training.pptxCynthia Clay
This 60-minute webinar, sponsored by Adobe, was delivered for the Training Mag Network. It explored the five elements of SPARK: Storytelling, Purpose, Action, Relationships, and Kudos. Knowing how to tell a well-structured story is key to building long-term memory. Stating a clear purpose that doesn't take away from the discovery learning process is critical. Ensuring that people move from theory to practical application is imperative. Creating strong social learning is the key to commitment and engagement. Validating and affirming participants' comments is the way to create a positive learning environment.
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3 how to improve strategyc planning
1. How to improve strategic planning 40
How to improve strategic
planning
It can be a frustrating exercise, but there are ways to increase its value.
Renée Dye and Olivier Sibony
In conference rooms everywhere, corporate planners are in the midst
of the annual strategic-planning process. For the better part of a year,
they collect financial and operational data, make forecasts, and prepare
lengthy presentations with the CEO and other senior managers about
the future direction of the business. But at the end of this expensive and
time-consuming process, many participants say they are frustrated
by its lack of impact on either their own actions or the strategic direction
of the company.
This sense of disappointment was captured in a recent McKinsey Quarterly
survey of nearly 800 executives: just 45 percent of the respondents said
they were satisfied with the strategic-planning process.1 Moreover, only
23 percent indicated that major strategic decisions were made within its
confines. Given these results, managers might well be tempted to jettison
the planning process altogether.
But for those working in the overwhelming majority of corporations, the
annual planning process plays an essential role. In addition to formulating
1
“Improving strategic planning: A McKinsey Survey,” The McKinsey Quarterly, Web exclusive, September
2006. The survey, conducted in late July and early August 2006, received 796 responses from a panel of
executives from around the world. All panelists have mostly financial or strategic responsibilities and work in
a wide range of industries for organizations with revenues of at least $500 million.
2. 41 The McKinsey Quarterly 2007 Number 3
Article at a glance
at least some elements of a
Almost all large companies undertake a time-
company’s strategy, the process
consuming strategic-planning process that leaves results in a budget, which
many executives frustrated with the results. establishes the resource allocation
Executives in the satisfied minority work for map for the coming 12 to
companies that go beyond budgets and financial 18 months; sets financial and operat-
targets to give the annual process a
ing targets, often used to deter-
more important role in developing strategy.
mine compensation metrics and to
One approach is to start the exercise not by
provide guidance for financial
examining the numbers but by identifying
the long-term issues facing the company; another markets; and aligns the manage-
is to ensure that strategic-review meetings ment team on its strategic priorities.
involve frank conversations among the ultimate The operative question for chief
decision makers.
executives is how to make the
Some companies use tailored strategic metrics planning process more effective—
to track the implementation of the annual plan, and
not whether it is the sole mechanism
others link its implementation to human-
resources systems that influence the behavior used to design strategy. CEOs
of the managers who execute the strategy. know that strategy is often formu-
lated through ad hoc meetings
Related articles or brand reviews, or as a result of
on mckinseyquarterly.com decisions about mergers and
“Distortions and deceptions in strategic decisions” acquisitions.
“Going from global trends to corporate strategy”
Our research shows that formal
“Tired of strategic planning?”
strategic-planning processes
play an important role in improving
overall satisfaction with strategy development. That role can be seen in
the responses of the 79 percent of managers who claimed that the formal
planning process played a significant role in developing strategies and
were satisfied with the approach of their companies, compared with only
21 percent of the respondents who felt that the process did not play
a significant role. Looked at another way, 51 percent of the respondents
whose companies had no formal process were dissatisfied with their
approach to the development of strategy, against only 20 percent of those
at companies with a formal process.
So what can managers do to improve the process? There are many ways
to conduct strategic planning, but determining the ideal method goes
beyond the scope of this article. Instead we offer, from our research, five
emergent ideas that executives can employ immediately to make
existing processes run better. The changes we discuss here (such as a focus
on important strategic issues or a connection to core-management
processes) are the elements most linked with the satisfaction of employees
3. How to improve strategic planning 42
and their perceptions of the significance of the process. These steps cannot
guarantee that the right strategic decisions will be made or that strategy
will be better executed, but by enhancing the planning process—and thus
increasing satisfaction with the development of strategy—they will
improve the odds for success.
Start with the issues
Ask CEOs what they think strategic planning should involve and they
will talk about anticipating big challenges and spotting important trends.
At many companies, however, this noble purpose has taken a backseat
to rigid, data-driven processes dominated by the production of budgets and
financial forecasts. If the calendar-based process is to play a more
valuable role in a company’s overall strategy efforts, it must complement
budgeting with a focus on strategic issues. In our experience, the first
liberating change managers can make to improve the quality of the planning
process is to begin it by deliberately and thoughtfully identifying and
discussing the strategic issues that will have the greatest impact on future
business performance.
Granted, an approach based on issues will not necessarily yield better
strategic results. The music business, for instance, has discussed the threat
posed by digital-file sharing for years without finding an effective way
of dealing with the problem. But as a first step, identifying the key issues
will ensure that management does not waste time and energy on less
important topics.
We found a variety of practical ways in which companies can impose
a fresh strategic perspective. For instance, the CEO of one large health care
company asks the leaders of each business unit to imagine how a set of
specific economic, social, and business trends will affect their businesses, as
well as ways to capture the opportunities—or counter the threats—that
these trends pose. Only after such an analysis and discussion do the leaders
settle into the more typical planning exercises of financial forecasting
and identifying strategic initiatives.
One consumer goods organization takes a more directed approach.
The CEO, supported by the corporate-strategy function, compiles a list of
three to six priorities for the coming year. Distributed to the managers
responsible for functions, geographies, and brands, the list then becomes the
basis for an offsite strategy-alignment meeting, where managers debate
the implications of the priorities for their particular organizations. The
corporate-strategy function summarizes the results, adds appropriate
4. 43 The McKinsey Quarterly 2007 Number 3
corporate targets, and shares them with the organization in the form
of a strategy memo, which serves as the basis for more detailed strategic
planning at the division and business-unit levels.
A packaged-goods company offers an even more tailored example. Every
December the corporate senior-management team produces a list of ten
strategic questions tailored to each of the three business units. The leaders
of these businesses have six months to explore and debate the questions
internally and to come up with answers. In June each unit convenes with the
senior-management team in a one-day meeting to discuss proposed actions
and reach decisions.
Some companies prefer to use a bottom-up rather than top-down process.
We recently worked with a sales company to design a strategic-planning
process that begins with in-depth interviews (involving all of the senior manag-
ers and selected corporate and business executives) to generate a list of the
most important strategic issues facing the company. The senior-management
team prioritizes the list and assigns managers to explore each issue and
report back in four to six weeks. Such an approach can be especially valuable
in companies where internal consensus building is an imperative.
Bring together the right people
An issues-based approach won’t do much good unless the most relevant
people are involved in the debate. We found that survey respondents
who were satisfied with the strategic-planning process rated it highly on
dimensions such as including the most knowledgeable and influential
participants, stimulating and challenging the participants’ thinking, and
having honest, open discussions about difficult issues. In contrast, 27 percent
of the dissatisfied respondents reported that their company’s strategic
planning had not a single one of these virtues. Such results suggest that too
many companies focus on the data-gathering and packaging elements of
strategic planning and neglect the crucial interactive components.
Strategic conversations will have little impact if they involve only strategic
planners from both the business unit and the corporate levels. One of
our core beliefs is that those who carry out strategy should also develop it.
The key strategy conversation should take place among corporate decision
makers, business unit leaders, and people with expertise essential to the
discussion. In addition to leading the corporate review, the CEO, aided by
members of the executive team, should as a rule lead the strategy review
for business units as well. The head of a business unit, supported by four to
six people, should direct the discussion from its side of the table (see sidebar,
“Things to ask in any business unit review”).
5. How to improve strategic planning 44
One pharmaceutical company invites business unit leaders to take part
in the strategy reviews of their peers in other units. This approach can help
build a better understanding of the entire company and, especially, of
the issues that span business units. The risk is that such interactions might
constrain the honesty and vigor of the dialogue and put executives at the
focus of the discussion on the defensive.
Corporate senior-management teams can dedicate only a few hours or
at most a few days to a business unit under review. So team members should
spend this time in challenging yet collaborative discussions with business
unit leaders rather than trying to absorb many facts during the review itself.
To provide some context for the discussion, best-practice companies
disseminate important operational and financial information to the corporate
review team well in advance of such sessions. This reading material should
also tee up the most important issues facing the business and outline the
proposed strategy, ensuring that the review team is prepared with well-
thought-out questions. In our experience, the right 10 pages provide ample
fuel to fire a vigorous discussion, but more than 25 pages will likely douse
the level of energy or engagement in the room.
Things to ask in any business unit review
1. Are major trends and changes in your business 5. If your business unit plans to take market share
unit’s environment affecting your strategic plan? from competitors, how will it do so, and how
Specifically, what potential developments in will they respond? Are you counting on a strategic
customer demand, technology, or the regulatory advantage or superior execution?
environment could have enough impact on the
industry to change the entire plan? 6. What are your business unit’s distinctive
competitive strengths, and how does the plan build
2. How and why is this plan different from last year’s? on them?
3. What were your forecasts for market growth, 7. How different is the strategy from those of
sales, and profitability last year, two years competitors, and why? Is that a good or a bad thing?
ago, and three years ago? How right or wrong
were they? What did the business unit learn 8. Beyond the immediate planning cycle, what are
from those experiences? the key issues, risks, and opportunities that
we should discuss today?
4. What would it take to double your business
unit’s growth rate and profits? Where will growth 9. What would a private-equity owner do with this
come from: expansion or gains in market share? business?
10. How will the business unit monitor the execution
of this strategy?
6. 45 The McKinsey Quarterly 2007 Number 3
Adapt planning cycles to the needs of each business
Managers are justifiably concerned about the resources and time required to
implement an issues-based strategic-planning approach. One easy—yet
rarely adopted—solution is to free business units from the need to conduct
this rigorous process every single year. In all but the most volatile, high-
velocity industries, it is hard to imagine that a major strategic redirection
will be necessary every planning cycle. In fact, forcing businesses to
undertake this exercise annually is distracting and may even be detrimental.
Managers need to focus on executing the last plan’s major initiatives,
many of which can take 18 to 36 months to implement fully.
Some companies alternate the business units that undergo the complete
strategic-planning process (as opposed to abbreviated annual updates of the
existing plan). One media company, for example, requires individual
business units to undertake strategic planning only every two or three years.
This cadence enables the corporate senior-management team and its
strategy group to devote more energy to the business units that are “at bat.”
More important, it frees the corporate-strategy group to work directly
with the senior team on critical issues that affect the entire company—
issues such as developing an integrated digitization strategy and addressing
unforeseen changes in the fast-moving digital-media landscape.
Other companies use trigger mechanisms to decide which business units
will undergo a full strategic-planning exercise in a given year. One
industrial company assigns each business unit a color-coded grade—green,
yellow, or red—based on the unit’s success in executing the existing
strategic plan. “Code red,” for example, would slate a business unit for a
strategy review. Although many of the metrics that determine the
grade are financial, some may be operational to provide a more complete
assessment of the unit’s performance.
Freeing business units from participating in the strategic-planning process
every year raises a caveat, however. When important changes in the
external environment occur, senior managers must be able to engage with
business units that are not under review and make major strategic
decisions on an ad hoc basis. For instance, a major merger in any industry
would prompt competitors in it to revisit their strategies. Indeed, one
advantage of a tailored planning cycle is that it builds slack into the strategic-
review system, enabling management to address unforeseen but pressing
strategic issues as they arise.
7. How to improve strategic planning 46
Implement a strategic-performance-management system
In the end, many companies fail to execute the chosen strategy. More than a
quarter of our survey respondents said that their companies had plans
but no execution path. Forty-five percent reported that planning processes
failed to track the execution of strategic initiatives. All this suggests
that putting in place a system to measure and monitor their progress can
greatly enhance the impact of the planning process.
Most companies believe that their existing control systems and performance-
management processes (including budgets and operating reviews) are
the sole way to monitor progress on strategy. As a result, managers attempt
to translate the decisions made during the planning process into budget
targets or other financial goals. Although this practice is sensible and
necessary, it is not enough. We estimate that a significant portion of the
strategic decisions we recommend to companies can’t be tracked solely
through financial targets. A company undertaking a major strategic initiative
to enhance its innovation and product-development capabilities, for
example, should measure a variety of input metrics, such as the quality
of available talent and the number of ideas and projects at each stage
in development, in addition to pure output metrics such as revenues from
new-product sales. One information technology company, for instance,
carefully tracks the number and skill levels of people posted to important
strategic projects.
Strategic-performance-management systems, which should assign
accountability for initiatives and make their progress more transparent,
can take many forms. One industrial corporation tracks major strategic
initiatives that will have the greatest impact, across a portfolio of
a dozen businesses, on its financial and strategic goals. Transparency is
achieved through regular reviews and the use of financial as well as
nonfinancial metrics. The corporate-strategy team assumes responsibility for
reviews (chaired by the CEO and involving the relevant business-unit
leaders) that use an array of milestones and metrics to assess the top ten
initiatives. One to expand operations in China and India, for example,
would entail regular reviews of interim metrics such as the quality
and number of local employees recruited and the pace at which alliances are
formed with channel partners or suppliers. Each business unit, in turn,
is accountable for adopting the same performance-management approach
for its own, lower-tier top-ten list of initiatives.
8. 47 The McKinsey Quarterly 2007 Number 3
When designed well, strategic-
performance-management systems can
More on strategic planning
give an early warning of problems
with strategic initiatives, whereas
In a Quarterly interview, Richard
financial targets alone at best provide
Rumelt, a professor at UCLA’s Anderson
lagging indicators. An effective
School of Management, discusses
system enables management to step in
the misperceptions some executives
and correct, redirect, or even abandon
have about strategic planning:
an initiative that is failing to perform
as expected. The strategy of a
“Most corporate ‘strategic plans’ have
pharmaceutical company that
little to do with strategy. They are
embarked on a major expansion of
simply three-year or five-year rolling
its sales force to drive revenue growth,
resource budgets and some sort
for example, presupposed that
of market share projection. Calling it
rapid growth in the number of sales
‘strategic planning’ creates false expec-
representatives would lead to a
tations that the exercise will somehow
corresponding increase in revenues.
produce a coherent strategy.”
The company also recognized,
Read the full interview however, that expansion was in turn
on mckinseyquarterly.com. contingent on several factors,
including the ability to recruit and
train the right people. It therefore put
in place a regular review of the
key strategic metrics against its actual performance to alert managers to any
emerging problems.
Integrate human-resources systems into the strategic plan
Simply monitoring the execution of strategic initiatives is not sufficient: their
successful implementation also depends on how managers are evaluated and
compensated. Yet only 36 percent of the executives we surveyed said that
their companies’ strategic-planning processes were integrated with HR
processes. One way to create a more valuable strategic-planning process
would be to tie the evaluation and compensation of managers to the
progress of new initiatives.
Although the development of strategy is ostensibly a long-term endeavor,
companies traditionally emphasize short-term, purely financial targets—
such as annual revenue growth or improved margins—as the sole metrics to
gauge the performance of managers and employees. This approach is
gradually changing. Deferred-compensation models for boards, CEOs, and
some senior managers are now widely used. What’s more, several
companies have added longer-term performance targets to complement the
short-term ones. A major pharmaceutical company, for example, recently