Creative and social entrepreneurs are at the forefront of building a new economy and shaping our future by being highly visionary and following their path persistently. Visions are the driving force for social innovation. But, without a strategy on how to achieve our vision, the vision stays a vision and consequently will have zero impact. Therefore, visions need strategies. Vice versa, strategies need to be based on visions in order to be powerful. Business development without following a visionary strategy leaves the future to chance. In times where complexity and the pace of change is constantly rising this does not work anymore. This book helps to understand the connection between strategy and vision, strategy and creativity. It follows an approach to strategy as a meaningful, playful, experimental and therefore creative way to design a sustainable and impactful future. Included are a selection of effective tools and methods on how to develop a strategic thinking.

There isn't a more powerful engine driving organizations towards excellence and long-range success than an attractive, worthwhile, achievable, and widely shared vision of the future.Every organization needs a purpose for its existence. The vision and mission of an organization focuses people's attention on a common dream, ambition, or outcome. It defines a common purpose to guide behavior. It is the foundation to becoming a purpose-driven organization. Together, a Vision and Mission statement begin to define, articulate, and communicate the purpose and values of an organization to others, including owners, executives, employees, consumers, customers, and other interested and affected people and organizations. In this handbook, for the first time, the authors present the tools and guidance they have developed over 25-years of consulting and working with a wide variety of bluechip clients across a broad range of industries, including financial services, retail, hospitality, technology, sports and entertainment, government and not-for-profits. This no-nonsense book will teach you how to formulate your thinking and to work with your colleagues to develop and refine practical and effective vision and mission statements. It includes background about the Painless Strategic Planning Process, education, exercises, examples, and instructions to help you and your team understand and painlessly develop effective vision and mission statements as the starting point for strategic planning or project management.

The true heroes of transformation within organizations are not just CEOs, but managers who create energy, gain alignment, and solidify the will within the company to turn the strategic vision into reality. Shaping the Future provides how-to guidance -- plus examples based on interviews with executives from companies like Boeing, Microsoft, Rockwell-Collins, and Harley-Davidson -- to help businesses create a strong future. Rethinking many classic assumptions about change, Shaping the Future emphasizes the importance of making a single, critical change -- the strategic imperative -- rather than many smaller ones. The book presents a practical and unique Transformational Model, consisting of five key steps necessary to overcome resistance and effect large-scale change within an organization. Demonstrating an exciting new approach to an ever-more critical challenge, Shaping the Future provides thoughtful and tested guidance for true change leaders.

Strategic Management (2020) is a 325-page open educational resource designed as an introduction to the key topics and themes of strategic management. The open textbook is intended for a senior capstone course in an undergraduate business program and suitable for a wide range of undergraduate business students including those majoring in marketing, management, business administration, accounting, finance, real estate, business information technology, and hospitality and tourism. The text presents examples of familiar companies and personalities to illustrate the different strategies used by today's firms and how they go about implementing those strategies. It includes case studies, end of section key takeaways, exercises, and links to external videos, and an end-of-book glossary. The text is ideal for courses which focus on how organizations operate at the strategic level to be successful. Students will learn how to conduct case analyses, measure organizational performance, and conduct external and internal analyses.

Think and act strategically every time In today's business environment, strategic planning stresses the importance of making decisions that will ensure an organization's ability to successfully respond to changes in the environment and plan for sustainable viability. Providing practical, field-tested techniques and a complete 6-phase plan, Strategic Planning Kit For Dummies shows you how to make strategy a habit for all organizations, no matter the size, type, or resource constraints. Strategic Planning Kit For Dummies is for companies of all types and sizes looking to build and sustain a competitive edge, set up an ongoing process for market assessment and trend analysis, and develop a vision for future growth. This revised edition includes: new and updated content on planning for both the short and the long-term; crucial information on succession planning; help preparing for the unexpected using scenario planning and agile strategy; strategies for implementing change and integrating strategic plans successfully by involving all staff members; and more. The supplementary CD lays out a comprehensive, 6-phase, step-by-step program, complete with downloadable spreadsheets, charts, checklists, video links, and more Provides value for any business or entrepreneur looking to improve efficiency, focus, and competitive edge Includes practical, field-tested techniques Strategic Planning Kit For Dummies gives today's business owners and upper-level management the tools and information they need to think and act strategically in order to more effectively weather current economic storms while planning for future growth.

If you’re starting a new business or planning your business’s future, there are plenty of things you should take into account. Strategic Planning For Dummies covers everything you need to know to develop a plan for building and maintaining a competitive advantage — no matter what business you’re in. Written by Erica Olsen, founder and President of a business development firm that helps entrepreneurial-minded businesses plan for a successful future, this handy guide covers all the basics, including: How a strategic plan is different than a business plan Establishing a step-based planning process Planning for and encouraging growth Taking a long-view of your organization Evaluating past performance Defining and refining your mission, values, and vision Sizing up your current situation Examining your industry landscape Setting your strategic priorities Planning for unknown contingencies If you’re in business, you have to plan for everything — especially if you intend your business to grow. Whether you’re planning for a small business, large conglomerate, nonprofit, or even a government agency, this book has the planning specifics you need for your organization. Step-by-step, you’ll learn how to lay the foundations for a plan, understand how your plan will affect your business, form planning teams, discover what your strengths are, see where you are, and, finally, plan where you’re going. And there’s much more: Learn to analyze business trends that will determine your business’s future Set measurable, realistic goals that you can plan for and achieve Make strategic planning a habitual part of the organization Prioritize multiple strategies that you can implement simultaneously Set a defining vision for the organization that guides all your planning and strategy This friendly, simple guide puts the power of strategic planning in the palm of your hand. For small businesses that can’t afford to hire strategic planning consultants, it’s even more imperative. Careful, constant planning is the only way to handle an uncertain business future. With this book, you’ll have all the step-by-step guidance you need to ensure you’re ready for anything that comes.

Creating and Implementing Your Strategic Plan is the best-selling companion to John Bryson's landmark book, Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations. This new edition of the workbook is completely revised and updated and can be used as a stand-alone resource or as a companion to Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations. A step-by-step guide to putting strategic planning to work in public and nonprofit organizations, this indispensable workbook includes easy-to-understand worksheets and clear instructions for creating a strategic plan tailored to the needs of the individual organization. From setting up the meeting room to establishing a vision of the future, every step of the strategic planning process is covered. The workbook shows how to: Refine your organization’s mission and values Assess your internal and external environment Identify and frame strategic issues Formulate strategies to help manage the issues Create, review, and adopt the strategic plan Assess the strategic planning process