Strategy Vs.Tactics Essay Example for Free

Strategy Vs.Tactics Essay â€Å"One must change one’s tactics every ten years if one wishes to maintain one’s superiority â€Å" –Napoleon Bonaparte We’ve been asked what comes first, Strategy or mission/vision?-a question rather bit confusing. Every company or an LGU for that matter has its own mission/vision for its entity. It is where the tip of the iceberg begins, it is where the head or main point that branches down to different types of planning and more so with strategic or courses of action to fulfill its goals flow. It is always associated with planning now, would this strategy be successful if no result is achieved? Obviously, it will only and merely be planning. With a fix goal/mission/vision, the SWOT follows and targets the basic questions that spreads into analysis (internal or external) and subsequent formulation of strategies. There are of course the intended strategies wherein a planning team tries to foresee eventualities that may arise in the future. It would be nice if these planners can craft a strategy but it would be fulfilling if they achieve the goal with what they strategized. Along these areas of different strategies may come an emergent strategy- not included in the planning process but emerged from what is at hand at that time. The case of Honda, a Japanese company with an intended strategy of selling big bikes in the US hit big when their small motor bikes was seen by Americans being used by Japanese executives doing errands, coupled with problems with machine imperfection of Honda big bikes, the Honda small bikes entered an untouched market of Americans who never owned motorbikes. The intended strategy was a near disaster for Honda but the emergent strategy was a huge hit. It can only show that some strategies can emerged without prior planning-sometimes in response to unforeseen circumstances. Strategy therefore can be said that, is more than what the organization intends or plans to do, it is also what is actually does. It can be born out from a group of decisions or even SM can be of interest when it comes to their planning and strategies. Foremost on business radar is the presence of competition, competition takes a bite of intended profits, so eliminating or minimizing competitions will ensure profits. Individual branded companies may be found in stalls of SM malls but these branded products can also be found within its department store and thereby no exclusivity of sale or retail. An adidas shoes can also be found on the department store shoe section- buyers looking for this brand of shoes can find it along with other brands, the mere presence of the buyer inside the department store will enhance the possibility of the costumer buying other products. So it is a win-win situation because the shoe brand pays rent to SM and SM having a chance to show other products (not necessarily shoes). Other obvious example is the price of chicken in the supermarkets- it is obvious from the big tags and â€Å"Bonus† price of the lowest amount. Costumers tend to flock the wet area of the supermarket just to buy chicken. You will be enticed to buy other items which obviously are more expensive than the average prices prevailing in the market. Enticing costumers to have the convenience of having all necessities and needs in one mall capture the commerce or economy in an area. Any â€Å"disadvantage† of low prices can be compensated or balanced in other forms. Maybe, even the parking should be free but exhorbitantly charged just to balance some â€Å"losses†. So, strategy can be adjusted or regularly updated or even changed. But it can also be done in following a goal. Shell have it big in the 80’s when they correctly anticipated the fall of oil prices. They planned on the â€Å"what if† and when other oil companies ventured into expansions, they started cost cutting, looking new drilling areas etc. when oil prices fell down. They were the only one who was not hit by it. Again, all types of strategies begin with a goal, a vision, or mission. It can be compared to a toothache- The first thing or goal would be to ease the pain- Now you can strategize what approach you can do- but a unified attack to the problem- it can be pain relievers, soothing agents, extraction and other approaches- but whatever approach you planned and executed that achieved the goal of eliminating discomfort of the patient is success enough of what you planned or strategize to do.