Strategic Direction, Planning, and Decision Making

2011 ◽  
pp. 535-560
2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 19-21

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings The decision by Guinness in 1965 to expand into Ghana was based on a robust and experienced strategic investment decision-making process (SIDM). It required the knowledge of past failures and successes to implement those lessons onto a new project. As such, the SIDM process can be seen to be one of the most important in terms of an organizations ability to expand and take advantage of situations. What Alkaraan (2016) demonstrates is the factors that govern the SIDM process, why they are important and how they function within an organization. In doing so, organizations that are struggling to succeed may be able to highlight areas that have previously been ignored, to implement a new strategic direction. Practical implications The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-166
Author(s):  
Wim Westerman

Abstract:   Aim: This article starts from the observations of two cash management experts, who witness varying company views on the almost-vanished issue of structuring the internal decision-making on the organisation of it. The aim of this article is to put the current challenging developments in a digitalizing world into a conceptual perspective.   Research design: The article singles out motives for either centralization or decentralization of cash management, models to organize cash management functions, as well as developments in the field over the last some thirty years. Various theoretical views are studied briefly in order to find a way out of the signalled paradox.   Findings: It can be concluded that multiple practices may coexist both within and between firms, whereby a refined understanding in terms of financial economics, strategic direction and operational flexibility is called for.   Originality: The present study is unique in that it is among the first to signal the return of the centralisation versus decentralisation issue in cash management in a rapidly evolving digital era and multi-legislation world.   Implications: The developments offer a unique opportunity for firms, further reducing their costs, to overthink their cash management system, including its relation to the external world. The study calls for follow-up research in terms of case studies at organisations with varying contingencies and survey questionnaires among representative samples.     Keywords: cash management organisation, (de-) centralisation, decision-making   JEL: B27, G30, L23    


Author(s):  
Jan Hendrik Roodt

Massive societal change will result from the rate of continuous technology advancement and the pace will increase. The enterprise will face operational and technical challenges and society will increasingly expect the highest ethical conduct. What strategy will allow the organization to remain innovative and thrive in these circumstances? To develop new insight, anticipatory skills, and better decision making, a case is made for the adoption of model building and simulation. In addition to the benefits of shared conceptual artefacts for communicating in the enterprise, modelling requires a deep understanding of the ethics and reflexivity needed to deal with complex issues and using a transdisciplinary framework for inquiry may increase understanding. For innovation to emerge, participatory and co-creative approaches for sense-making are proposed to shift the responsibility for ethical decisions to more actors in the enterprise. This approach allows leaders to engage with the informal coalitions in the enterprise and shape the required strategic direction.


Author(s):  
Luke Ho ◽  
Anthony S. Atkins

In the UK, 88% of companies utilise some form of outsourcing of their Information Technology (IT) operations. The evidence from the literature indicates that approximately 50% of these outsourcing decisions results in complications and in some cases failure. There is a need for outsourcing management frameworks to provide strategic direction and guidance in the decision-making process. This chapter describes the application of one such framework, known as the Holistic Approach {Business, Information, Organisation} (HABIO) framework, to two major commercial organisations indicating financial assessment, monitoring information for performance and quality of service which can be incorporated into service operations and benchmarking criteria.


2012 ◽  
Vol 442 ◽  
pp. 144-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Promsak Jaranyagorn ◽  
Chuvej Chansa Ngavej

Technology forecasting methods can be applied to make sure we know the potential direction, characteristic, state and effect of technology change. A good forecast can maximize gain and minimize loss from future conditions Nowadays, many companies invest a great deal in R&D to develop competitive new products and technology. Globalization and the rate of technological change in highly competitive market mean that companies need to consider increasing the R&D budgets and ensuring the money is spent efficiently and effectively. Technology forecasting is very useful for decision making in managerial issues. It can help government manage their public agendas and budgetary constraints and for business strategic direction and prioritizing R&D projects. This paper explores the technology forecasting methods and demonstrates the use of bibliographic analysis and curve fitting with Bass diffusion and exponential models for trend forecasting of titanium dioxide photocatalyst as a case example.


Author(s):  
Amarjit Chahal ◽  
Abraham Rudnick

AbstractDigital health technologies (DHTs) such as health apps are rapidly emerging as a major disruptor of health care. Yet there is no well-established process of decision making for selecting DHTs that are worthy of investing resources in their validation to determine whether they are ready (safe, effective, and not too costly) for health related use. We report here on an Ontario-based initiative to support such decision making. Specifically, we developed a decision-making algorithm that uses approved criteria including the strategic direction of the health research institute and the hospital, and availability of resources. The Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario has adapted our approach for other hospitals. We hope that other healthcare organizations, in and beyond Ontario, will consider this and alternative approaches, and that research will be conducted to evaluate such approaches.


2016 ◽  
Vol 117 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 131-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce Massis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the current environment for libraries to consider the value of using data to support decision-making. Design/methodology/approach – This paper contains literature review and commentary on this topic that has been addressed by professionals, researchers and practitioners. Findings – In developing a library’s strategic direction, it is essential that evidentiary data be referenced to supplement the organization’s rationale for decision-making. There is an expectation by stakeholders that libraries are able to generate reports and decisions based on aggregated data for in-demand reporting. Therefore, capturing, analyzing and reporting decisions based on data are indispensable in today’s libraries. Originality/value – The value in addressing this topic is to examine the option by libraries to use data to support data-driven decision-making.


Respuestas ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-158
Author(s):  
Wlamyr Palacios-Alvarado ◽  
Byron Medina-Delgado ◽  
Henry Paipa-Álvarez

The phenomenon of transculturation in different countries is a very complex reality, it is a challenge for the organizational system because it has to adapt a strategic direction under a multicultural framework, therefore the development of this research allows us to analyze two management dimensions: the profile of strategic leadership and management skills, assessing factors such as different leadership styles, decision making, teamwork, and motivation, among others. A simple random sampling of a determined population was used, central tendency and dispersion measures were calculated, obtaining confidence interval estimators for the sample variance as a parameter of interest. A research instrument (questionnaire) was designed and applied, which was developed from the systematization and operationalization of variables. The mechanism of expert judgment was used to validate the instrument and a pilot test was developed to establish its reliability. The instrument was applied to a sample of 120 small and medium enterprises located in the city of Cúcuta, Colombia and peripheral areas. The participants established that the most suitable skills in management are those of the motivational factor, teamwork, decision-making and the profile of strategic transformational leadership. At the same time, it is deduced that the managers who participated in the study exercise transformational and transactional leadership, based on a balance between contingent rewards and intellectual stimuli in order to achieve the goals established in the organization.


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