Presentations on strategy
Ken was the keynote speaker at the Dawson Day in Manchester in November 2011. Innovation, efficiency & strategy
Ken was the keynote speaker at the 2011 National Acquisitions Group (NAG) conference in Manchester in September. His theme : ‘Time for strategy.’
Ken spoke at the PTFS Europe and Loughborough University Dept. of Information Science seminar on ‘the evolution of open source library systems’ at Loughborough on 20th September 2011 Strategy, business case and open source for libraries.
_____________________________________________
We have helped a number of organisations develop or rethink their strategy. We have also helped with making business cases for change and new investment in technology.
Many organisations confuse their mission and strategy. Strategies are clearly related to the mission but, whilst a mission statement might be shared amongst several or even many institutions, the strategy will be particular to the organisation.
A clear strategy helps an organisation focus on the most effective activities. This strategic ‘sweet spot’ is where the organisation’s capabilities meet customer needs in a way that rivals can’t, given the context in which it operates. This is therefore the place where the organisation will get most return on its investment. It’s not to say the organisation does nothing else. However a focus on the ‘sweet spot’ highlights the areas of genuine potential strength where it can make the biggest difference and add the most value.
Developing an effective strategy requires a careful understanding and evaluation of the landscape. This means the world beyond the library domain (in its widest sense). Clearly the organisation will need a clear understanding of its customers’ needs. The organisation needs to think competitively. This is turn means a sometimes painful assessment of the organisation’s real capabilities and resources, rather than an overoptimistic assessment of core competencies.
We have developed a highly effective and rigorous way to look at strategy. It means finding three core elements:
Objective: The single precise objective that will drive the organisation over the next 5 years or so.
Scope. In some sense this can be most helpfully understood by identifying what the organisation will not do: what needs it will not address. It demands clarity about the customer(s).
Advantage: This is the most critical aspect in developing an effective strategy statement. It means really understanding the value that the organisation brings to the customer.
