A Critique on the 9 Crucial Factors for Successful Strategy Implementation using Dilbert

The success of a plan is not in the planning but in the execution. It is estimated that over 60% of strategies fail because they are not implemented. When asked about challenges, managers responded that their biggest concern is “It’s the successful implementation of a strategic plan” or “It’s getting your strategy done.”

With the number of management executives who are trained on building strategy plans and attend executive programs on various strategies, the one thing that needs to be emphasized is the ‘act of getting things done’ as outlined in the book ‘Execution:  The Discipline of Getting Things Done’  by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan.

According to Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan, the heart of any Strategy Execution lies in 3 core processes: Strategy, People and Operations.

STRATEGY

1. STRATEGY FORMULATION

2.ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

PEOPLE

3.EXECUTORS

Organizations are made up of people. People in an organization take up responsibilities and become responsible for certain activities. According to the paper, enrolment of the top, middle and lower level management is essential for the purpose of rolling out a strategy. However, organizational structures are dynamically changing to become more flat so that they can be quicker and more responsive. While the hierarchical structures worked in the 20th century. In the 21st century organizations, people at various levels are required to take ownership of functions that work directly with the strategy as well.

Further, the most important part of the execution with relation to the executors will be the selection of the team of executors and arriving at how they need to be motivated to ensure that they work proactively for the success of the strategy.

4.COMMUNICATION

5.CONSENSUS

As Floyd and Wooldridge argue, strong consensus exists when managers have both, a common understanding of, and a common commitment to their strategy.

6. COMMITMENT

OPERATIONS

7.RELATIONSHIP ACROSS FUNCTIONS AND LEVELS

8.IMPLEMENTATION TACTICS

9.ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS

This document is a critique on the paper ‘Making Strategy Work: A Literature Review on the Factors Influencing Strategy Implementation’ (written in 2006 by Yang Li, Sun Guohui & Martin J. Eppler at the Business School, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China in collaboration with Institute of Corporate Communication, University of Lugano (USI), Lugano, Switzerland) which puts together a synopsis drawing out the nine most acknowledged crucial factors for a successful strategy implementation.

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