Departmental Strategy Templates

8/4/2019 Departmental Strategy Templates

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Departmental or Functional

strategy templates

Jo Whitehead, Director

Ashridge Strategic Management Centre



Ashridge Strategic Management Centre 2 SMP

Different levels for strategy

Departmental Strategy

Individual Strategy

Aims

How to achievethe Aims

Aims


Aims


Aims

How to achieve

the Aims

Aims

How to achieve

the Aims

Aims

How to achieve

the Aims

Aims

How to achieve

the Aims

Corporate Strategy

Business Unit Strategy



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Departmental strategy…

Can be… but not …

a plan…stating your aim and how you will get there

an analytical assessment…of your current position and environment, your

options and the distance to your target

a communication tool…for (aligning with) superiors, subordinates andpeers

a work-in-progress…which you need to adjust to changes inenvironment and priorities as well as to your ownprogress

a call for execution

a non-changeable plan, "carvedout into stone"

a piece of "business poetry"

just another paper



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Departmental and business strategy followsame overarching logic

3. How might thesituation Evolve?

5. What are theOptions?

1. What is the Externalenvironment?

4. What is the

primaryIssue?

6. Which Option

is best?

2. What is the Internalsituation?



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[So what: What does thisall mean for your

department?]

Evaluate the evolving external environment

(e.g., internationalisation)

Company strategies and initiatives

(Tougher internal market, competition

from X)

Market (external or internal)

Other internal trends & developments

(e.g., new organisation design, efficiencydrive)

Other external trends & developments

(Environmental regulations…)

External environment for _____________

2 / 5 / 10 yearsahead• …• …• …

Today• …• …• …• …

2 / 5 / 10 yearsahead• …• …• …

Today• …• …• …• …

2 / 5 / 10 yearsahead• …• …• …

Today• …• …• …• …

2 / 5 / 10 yearsahead• …• …• …• …

Today• …• …• …• …


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Define your role in the organisation (example)

Aims and activities of _____________

(Designing) (Building) (Running) (Improving)

( Designing newoffices)

(ContractManagement)

(Facilitiesmanagement…..

)

(Innovative andeffectiveness

cycle once ayear,…..)

What are you being paid for?


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Strategy triangle as a summary?

“Aims” (goals, ambitions, vision, objectives, intent)

“Capabilities”

• Assets• Technology• Skills• Culture• Market positions

• Customerrelationships

• Brand• Etc.

“Opportunities “

• Markets• Products• New customers• Competitors/

Acquisitions

• Etc• Should include even

changes that you thinkare a threat (as everychange is, in theory,

an opportunity if youhave the rightcapabilities)

Fi t



SWOT analysis also possible

SWOT analysis and current state of _____________

Strengths

(Enough highlyqualified staff - 1200people)

(Nr. 1 in the field)

Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

S

O

W

T

(Internalcommunication)

(Competition from Xincreasing)

(Scotland)

(Restructuring)

(Head of division

leaving) (Customers looking

for options)

(10 direct reports)

(Budget of x mill)

(Move from office a to b)

Other relevant status information



Gap analysis to prioritise the issues

Strategic gap analysis for _____________

Objective

= Very high = Very low importance / no gap

Target Status GapImpor-tance

Prioritisation

Increase marginDevelop key skills

10 % 5% high2 pro. p.a.20 % high

highlow

12

3

4

56

7

8

9

10

11

12

1

#

2

Importancevery low

Gap

low

high

very high

no

Need for action

1

2

Strategic issue: increase

margin from 5% to 10%



Develop options for various time-frames,

Options available for _____________

Generation of options

No. Description Time-frame

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10



Weigh the options using three types of criteria

Evaluation of options for _____________

Option Strategic fit Feasibility Risk/ return

1. ....

2. ....

3. ....

4. ....

5. ....

Important to be thoughtful in creating customised criteria. Some guidelines:

• Strategic fit criteria: To what extent the changes address your aims, build onyour capabilities and address the opportunities or threats• Feasibility criteria: How practical is it? Do you have the money, staff, time,

bandwidth, etc?• Risk/return: What are the benefits versus costs of the option? Can you do a

financial assessment? What are the main risks ?



Having identified best option, conduct a forcefield analysis to highlight implement challenges

The implementation roadmap: Initiatives of _____________

Source: based on Kurt Lewin‘s theory

Pre-changeequilibrium

Change /Transition

Post-changeequilibrium

(Re-)Freezing

TransitionUnfreezing

100

90

80

110

Performancelevel

time

Restraining Forces

Driving Forces

Force Field Analysis

1. A visual representationof the driving andrestraining forces at

work, when movingtowards a goal

2. Movement towards goalis possible only if sum of driving forces is greater

than that of restrainingforces

3. Consequently, you canexpedite achieving thegoal by strengthening

the driving forces and/orweakening the resistingforces



Calculate the balance of forces…

Supporting Forces Restraining Forces

1.

2.

3.

TOTAL =

D

e s i r e d

S i t

u a t i o n

Factors providing support

1 2 3 4 51.

2.

3.

TOTAL =

Factors providing resistance

1 2 3 4 5

Note: Weightages on scale 1 to 5; 1= lowest intenstiy, 5 = highest intensity

Departmental Strategy Templates

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