Mintzberg Strategy Analysis

From the above figure 4.11 we can say that a firm first should analyze the internal factors to get in a position to decide competitive advantage over competitors. Internal assessment consists of analyzing all the departments, examining all the tangible and non-tangible resources available in the department. For example, in marketing department, company need to identify the available task force they have, quality of the product, brand image they carries and what customer services they are providing. Thus, internal assessment consists of exploratory study of quantitative as well as qualitative resources available with the firm.

The ultimate aim of an organization is to secure strategic advantage especially in the situation when there are identified

The concept of strategy is dated long back. Mintzberg (2003) derived one broad definition of strategy as “Strategy is a pattern of decisions in a company that defines and discloses its objectives, purpose, or aim, develops the crucial policies and plans for achieving those goals, and describes the variety of business the firm is to pursue, the kind of socio-economic organization it is or expects to be, and the nature of the financial and nonfinancial contributions it aims to make to its shareholders, stakeholders and environment”. Mintzberg, in 1987, developed 5 Ps of strategy to provide useful insight on its practical dimension. They

Strategy as a Plan

A plan is a consciously taken course of action, a set of guidelines to deal with situations. Planning plays an essential role in strategy formulation process. It needs to be done consciously and purposefully.

2. Strategy as a Ploy

As plan, strategy works well as a ploy too. Strategy is plotting a disruption, threaten competitors to expand plant to discourage them. It is basically outsmarting the competition.

For example, in a new location a grocery chain might threaten to expand its operations, so that others doesn’t plan to start business in that area. The real strategy behind this is threat and a maneuver to outwit competitor.

3. Strategy as pattern

Strategy as a plan or ploy is not enough, we need to include the resulting behavior. Strategy should include a past successful pattern of doing business. For example, a manager who looks into developing his task force to consistently enrich the after sales services, is building a strategic advantage by his pattern of working.

4. Strategy as Position

Strategy is about how you decide to position yourself in the market. Position strategy helps to find that niche in the environment which gives a sustainable competitive advantage to your firm. We can develop a position strategy with the help of proper planning and sometime by a