June 2009 Q1cii

I wouldn’t have though of using strategic lenses either. Looking at the boards decision to adopt Ag Wan’s suggestion (market development with new uses of their competences), I would have said something like:

The rational planning model sets out:

Strategic analysis
Strategic choice and
Implementation

Implementation of a strategy implies getting the company’s culture, resources competences culture correct. Indeed, processes can be seen as the combination of resources and the competences to use those resources well.

The company has already decided on its future strategy: Professor Ag Wan’s suggestion to go for market development with new uses and capabilities. In addition it seems to be strategically important to improve the deficiencies in the current Internet-based process for ordering and configuring fully assembled green computers (though that function might be phased out eventually).

It is obvious that the process of ordering and configuring fully assembled green computers has to be improved if the company hopes to stay in that business, even if only for a few years. If the company cannot efficiently and reliably convert enquiries to sales the strategy will fail. Having the correct ordering process is key to that strategy.

Similarly, if the company wants to become a supplier of green technology and green expertise to a wide range of businesses and to exploit their capabilities in that area, reliable processes are needed. For example:

1 Advertising services
2 Dealing with enquiries
3 Ensuring employees with the right skills and experience are used
4 Standard ways of analysing client’s problems
5 Standard ways of writing, checking and approving reports
6 Standard ways of estimating fees
7 Methods that can record progress on jobs so that client deadlines and expectations are met.

If the company cannot develop reliable processes to achieve these steps, then it will fail in its strategy.