Strategy development and strategy implementation are two distinct processes. The individuals who develop a strategy are replaced or joined by employees throughout the organization who implement the strategy.

Before that can happen, senior managers must communicate the strategy effectively to the relevant stakeholders, such as employees, suppliers, and customers. If these stakeholders do not grasp the intent of the strategy, or fully understand the actions required for implementation, then even the best possible strategy may fail. This week, you examine the interplay between strategy orientation and the choice of strategy to implement.

For this week’s Shared Reflection Discussion, read the Bungay (2011), Collis (2006), Reeves, et.al. (2012), and Slater, et.al. (articles attached).. Each one deals with frameworks that can help strategists communicate and tell the story about an intended strategy.

Now, consider either the organization you currently work for, or one you recently worked for. Consider these prompting questions as you prepare your formal response:

Are you aware of any formal or intended “strategy” of the organization? What is/was it?

Did you participate in either the formulation and/or the implementation of that strategy?

How was the strategy communicated to the people of the organization?

Assignment: Write a  3- 4 paragraph using the required readings attached, and describe:

How an organization  you selected could have improved the effectiveness of both its communication and implementation of its strategy through the use of the ideas, frameworks and concepts from the attached articles. If your organization did not have an explicit strategy, try to identify what you thought it was, and complete this assignment by arguing how the company should have communicated and implemented it.