Practising Strategy: A Southern African Context

There are several strategy books, international and local, available in the South African market. Why another one? What makes this book different?

FIVE KEY APPROACHES:

-It focuses on strategy implementation and not just on the thinking and analytical aspects of strategic management.

-t explores the idea that strategy is often emergent, messy and experimental, unlike other strategic management books, which unrealistically portray it as a neat, analytical and rational process.

-It unpacks the recent concept that other strategists, not just senior management, influence strategic direction.

-It recognises strategy as something people do rather than something an organisation possesses. Since people are building blocks of strategy, it is a cognitive and political activity.

-It integrates the three domains of responsible management - sustainability, responsibility towards all stakeholders and ethics - into the strategic management process that serves to create responsible competitiveness.

The third edition of the book promotes a paradigm change with regard to the overall goal of strategic management. Traditionally, the goal is the achievement of sustained competitive advantage. The world is in desperate need of responsible managers and organisations. The responsible organisation requires change to achieve responsible competitiveness. Responsible competitiveness is achievable by integrating responsible management principles and factors throughout the strategic management process, which is the approach that we adopt in this book.