Thinking Strategically and
Managing Knowledge
• Describe the nature of strategic
leadership.
• Explain how to use the SWOT model
Learning to assist in strategic planning.
Objectives • Identify a number of current business
strategies.
• Describe how leaders contribute to
the management of knowledge and
the learning organization.
Focuses on the major purposes of the firm
The Nature
of Strategic Provides the direction and inspiration for the firm
Leadership Creating an
organization
Providing direction
to the organization
Sustaining an
organization
The strategic leader’s role is creating the
organization’s future through actions of
formulating and contributing to achieving the
firm’s vision.
Components of Strategic
Leadership
1. Thinking at a cognitively high level
2. Gathering multiple inputs form many
sources
3. Anticipating and creative a future;
Five setting the direction towards the
future
Components
4. Adopting a revolutionary or contrarian
of Strategic outlook
Leadership 5. Ultimately, creating a VISION
In companies that believe in visions and
strategic goals, all activities throughout
the firm are supposed to support the vision
and goals.
Conducting a SWOT Analysis
• Strategic Planning encompasses those activities that lead to the statement
of the organization’s goals and objectives and their chosen strategy.
• Strategic Planning takes the form of a SWOT Analysis
• Internal Environment Analysis:
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• External Environment Analysis:
• Opportunities
• Threats
• Examines the interaction between the organization and its external
marketplace
Strengths
• Favorable Location – Talented Workers –
State-of-the-Art Equipment
Weaknesses
Examples of • Unfavorable Location – Untalented
Workers – Outdated Equipment – Limited
SWOT Capital
Elements Opportunities
• Culturally Diverse Customer Base –
Changes in Technology - Deregulation
Threats
• e-Commerce – Declining Market – New
Competitors
Business strategies are often
classified according to their
focus of impact:
Corporate-Level
Business Strategies
“What Business
Are We In?”
Strategies
Formulated
Business-Level
by Leaders Strategies
“How Do We
Compete?”
“How Do We
Functional-Level Support The
Strategies Business-Level
Strategy?”
• Differentiation
• Cost Leadership
• Focus/Niche
• High Quality
A Sampling • Imitation
of Business • Strategic Alliances
Strategies • Growth Through Acquisition
• High Speed & First-Mover
Formulated • Product & Global Diversification
by Leaders • Sticking to Core Competencies
• Brand Leadership
• Creating Demand by Solving Problems
• Gaining Competitive Advantage Through
Hiring Talented People
Knowledge Management (KM)
is the concerted effort to
improve how knowledge Is
created, delivered, and applied
Knowledge
Management
Knowledge Management helps
& the Learning create a Learning Organization.
Organization
• A Learning Organization is skilled at
creating, acquiring, and transferring
knowledge – and – at modifying
behavior to reflect new knowledge and
insights.
Knowledge Creation
• Spurs innovation through training,
seminars, professional development,
degree completion
Components
Knowledge Dissemination
of
Knowledge • Allows group members access to key
information and support through
Management intranets, web portals, databases
Knowledge Application
• Helps group members apply learning to
their jobs through mentoring,
shadowing, on-the-job training, and
workshops
There is a human tendency to
hoard information rather than
share information.
Group members may prefer face-
Knowledge to-face sharing versus entering
Management data into a computer.
Program
Pitfalls
Data entry can undermine the
intuitive spark often created
through interpersonal interactions.
Is difficult to decipher what
information is truly useful.
Initiatives to Enhance
Organizational Learning
• Create a strategic intent to learn.
• Create a shared vision.
• Empower employees to make decisions and seek continuous improvement.
• Develop systems thinking.
• Encourage personal mastery of the job.
• Encourage action learning.
• Learn from failure.
• Encourage continuous experimentation.
• Develop political skills to make connections with and influence others.
• Encourage creative thinking.
Summary
• Strategic Leadership deals with the major purposes of an organization
or organizational unit.
• Strategic Leadership components include high-level cognitive ability,
multiple inputs to strategy formulation, anticipating and creating a
future, revolutionary thinking, and creating a vision.
• Strategic Planning often takes the form of a SWOT Analysis.
• Strategic leaders use many different types of business strategies.
• Leaders must help their organizations adapt to the environment by
assisting workers and the organization to become better learners
through managing knowledge and cultivating a learning organization.
