Professor Nikos Leandros
nleandr@panteion.gr
Chair Department of Communication, Media and
Culture
Panteion University
"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the results
of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every
victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the
enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.“
- Sun Tsu
"If you are planning for one year, grow rice. If you are planning for 20
years grow trees. If you are planning for centuries, grow men".
- Chinese Proverb
STRATEGIC PLANNING
• An organization's process of defining its
strategy, or direction, and making decisions on
allocating its resources to pursue this strategy.
In order to determine the direction of the
organization, it is necessary to understand its
current position and the possible avenues
through which it can pursue a particular course
of action
OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
Tries to ensure that business operations are:
• Efficient in terms of using as few resources as
needed
• Effective in terms of meeting customer
requirements
It involves working closely with departments and
administration to improve the alignment of
strategy, performance measures, and processes to
improve visibility and predictability of operations
ALTERNATIVE THEORIES & PERSPECTIVES
• Henry Mintzberg examined the strategic process
and concluded it was much more fluid and
unpredictable than people had thought. Because
of this, he could not point to one process that
could be called strategic planning. Instead
Mintzberg concludes that there are five types of
strategies (the 5 P of Mintzberg):
(1) Strategy as Plan – a direction, guide, course of
action – intention rather than actual
(2) Strategy as Ploy – a maneuver intended to outwit a
competitor
(3) Strategy as Pattern – a consistent pattern of past
behaviour – realized rather than intended
(4) Strategy as Position – locating of brands, products,
or companies within the conceptual framework of
consumers or other stakeholders
(5) Strategy as Perspective – strategy determined
primarily by a master strategist
• There are two main approaches, which are
opposite but complement each other in some
ways, to strategic management:
(1) The Industrial-Organizational model (IO)
looks at the structure of the industries within
which firms operate. Strategy as an adaptation
to the external environment
(2) The Resource Based View (RBV) approach
examines the core resources that a firm has at its
disposal. The RBV model focuses on the
rareness, non-substitutability, value and
uniqueness of the organization's core resources.
• Hamel and Prahalad declared that strategy
needs to be more active and interactive; less
“arm-chair planning” was needed. They
introduced terms like strategic intent and
strategic architecture. Their most well
known advance was the idea of core competency.
• Michael Porter introduced many new concepts
including; 5 forces analysis, generic strategies,
and the value chain. In 5 forces analysis he
identifies the forces that shape a firm's strategic
environment. It is like a SWOT analysis with
structure and purpose. It shows how a firm can
use these forces to obtain a sustainable
competitive advantage.
Philip Selznick introduced the idea of matching the organization's
internal factors with external environmental circumstances. This core
idea was developed into what we now call SWOT analysis
Porter's generic strategies
(1) Cost minimization
(2) Product differentiation
(3) Market focus
Company development strategies
(1) Vertical integration
(2) Horizontal integration
(3) Diversification (related and unrelated) of
products and markets
(3) Internationalization
Methods
(1) Franchises - Alliances
(2) Mergers and acquisitions
(3) Joint ventures
(4) Organic growth
Advantages-Disadvantages
(1) Economies of scale
(2) Economies of scope
(3) Personal power and wealth
(4) Non-economic advantages (political influence)
The New York Times Group’s
response to the challenges
posed by technological
transformation and economic
crisis

OBJECTIVE: To help participants understand problems
facing companies and propose solutions and new
strategies.

ESTIMATED TIME: 1 hour

MATERIALS: Internet access, paper and pencil

DESCRIPTION: Analyze the challenges facing a
“traditional” media company (New York Times Group) and
discuss strategic thinking and planning.
http://www.nytco.com/investors/financials/annual_reports.html
Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C. (1994) Competing for the Future.
Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Mintzberg, H. (2000) The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning.
London: Prentice Hall.
Porter, M. (1985) Competitive Advantage: Creating and
Sustaining Superior Performance. New York: Free Press.
Thompson, A. and Strickland, A. (2001) Strategic Management.
Concepts and Cases. New York: McGraw – Hill.
Climate Change and
Sustainable Development

OBJECTIVE: To help participants understand a global environmental
problem and propose measures and activities for sustainable
development


ESTIMATED TIME: 1 hour


MATERIALS: Internet access, paper and pencil


DESCRIPTION: Case study two presents a global problem (climate
change) that requires strategic thinking and action at international
and local level. Corporate governance should promote
environmental responsibility as an integral part of sustainable
development.
http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/

Dresner, S. (2008) The Principles of Sustainability. London:
Earthscan.

UNDP, Human Development Report, 1990-2012. URL,
http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/

United Nations (1987) Report of the World Commission on
Environment and Development: Our Common Future. Official
Records of the General Assembly, A/42/427
Dias Media Group
OBJECTIVE: To help participants understand problems
facing companies and propose solutions and new
strategies.
ESTIMATED TIME: 1 hour
MATERIALS: Internet access, paper and pencil
DESCRIPTION: Analyze the challenges facing a media
company and discuss strategic thinking and planning.