De Plein Fouet: Is Strategy Dead?
Abstract
Robert Cardillo (RC): We're going to discuss strategy. Judging by the title you chose, I assume you have a point of view. Richard Szafranski (RS): Yes, sir. Le tir de plein fouet is one of the forms of artillery fire direct fire described by Lieutenant Gondry in the 1918 French and English Artillery Technical Vocabulary for the use of French Artillery Instructors in the U.S. Army. Let's fire directly at the idea of strategy. The hypothesis is that strategy is dead, and that's the point of view I'll take. Specifically, the word has become meaningless in the diffusion of its use; the notion causes dilution of organizational effectiveness when any entity subordinate to the corporate parent asserts a strategy; and a much simpler framework is evident in successful organizations, thus supplanting the idea of strategy. We'll discuss that simpler framework later. Search on strategy, and the pointlessness of the word is quickly evident. There are dating strategies, lawn-care and pest-control strategies, child-rearing strategies, and strategies for every lofty and mundane human endeavor. Hundreds of millions of dollars maybe billions are spent annually on crafting visions and strategies as well as creating or updating strategic plans worldwide. Publicly traded corporate entities must have a corporate strategy to satisfy the oversight requirements of their board, and government entities have strategies because. In government a subordinate entity strategy is analogous to the battalion-company-platoon each having a strategy.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2015
- Accession Number
- ADA618986
Entities
People
- Richard Szafranski
- Robert Cardillo
Organizations
- Air University