Strategy and the Strategic Way of Thinking
Abstract
Strategy is often portrayed as the interaction of ends, ways, and means, which is a useful formulation. In essence, strategy describes the way in which the available means will be employed to achieve the ends of policy. The word "strategy" is used in a variety of contexts. There are business strategies, coaching strategies, financial strategies, and research strategies. Over the past few decades, the concept of strategy increasingly has been applied to organizations. An organization develops a strategy based on its mission or goal, a vision of the future, an understanding of the organization's place in that future, and an assessment of the alternatives available to it, given scarce resources. 1 Yet the central application of the concept of strategy continues to be defense planning. History makes it clear that the development of a coherent strategy is absolutely essential to national security in times of both war and peace. In the absence of a coherent strategy, nonstrategic factors, such as bureaucratic and organizational imperatives, will fill the void to the detriment of national security.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA520308
Entities
People
- Mackubin T. Owens
Organizations
- Naval War College