Questions:
1. What is the difference between deliberate strategies and emergent strategies?
2. How might emergent strategies help with a future strategic planning process?
3. what are the potential consequences of ignoring emergent strategies?
Answers:
1. Differences between deliberate and strategic planning
Emergent strategy refers to the process that the business has to identify and assess unexpected outcomes in the business and it has to use them to formulate new plans and strategies that will help the company to survive in the long run. Deliberate strategy refers to formal planning that is intended on helping the company ahead with expected outcomes. Emergent strategies focus on unforeseen circumstances whereas deliberate strategies are completely blinds towards unexpected circumstances. Emergent strategies infuse innovation to the planning process whereas deliberate strategies can get obsolete with time (Moore 2011). Deliberate strategies work on specified goals and objectives. Emergent strategies work in the absence of goals and objectives and help to create new ones in future. Deliberate strategies are rigid and inflexible. Emergent strategies are flexible (Moore 2011).
2. Benefits of emergent strategy in future strategic planning process
It is viewed that planning is the spine of business. It gives a systematic and planned approach regarding how the business would operate. However, it is seen that best and the most rational plans can go wrong and render the business in dire straits. It can produce unexpected outcomes. In such cases, emergent strategy is something what “the doctor ordered.” There are various benefits that make it a potent force for business. Some of these are:
New strategies and techniques to suit the changing time
One of the things that emergent strategies stress on is that strategies and plans will fail from time to time. It does not imply that planning is not important but the methods used for planning gets obsolete and backdated in time. The 5 year plans is beginning to get obsolete and fade away with time. Therefore, it is important that business leaders realize that flexibility and dynamism is required in strategic planning. The structure and functioning of operation in industries are changing (Moore 2011). There could be unexpected outcomes and emergent strategies allow the company to be foresightedness and formulate plans keeping long term success and growth in the long run in mind.
Product development
Another benefit of emergent strategy is that it helps in product development. It helps a company to study and evaluate the needs and demands of a target market and help in product development. It assesses and critically analyzes the pros and cons of the product and intends to launch in the market in future, keeping in mind the long term success of the company. It is helps in advancement of technology and helps to refine a product and add extra features and benefits to a product. It will help to satisfy the needs and demands of the customers (Moore 2011).
Tackling unforeseen contingencies
Companies can come across delicate and tricky situation, which are “like a bolt from the blue” for the company. The concept of emergent strategies is about evaluating unexpected outcomes in future. So it helps a company to identify and predict unforeseen circumstances. When a company is able to formulate methods and steps to combat such circumstances, it helps them to avert disasters and financial crisis (Moore 2011).
Competitive Advantage
Emergent strategy is very vital for the company to have a good view and understanding of the future. The implication of emergent strategies helps the company to not only expand and grow, but it helps the company to survive the competition. It helps the company to estimate and formulate measures that will help the company to gain competitive advantage. It helps the comp any to make future strategies, which helps the company to make critical ways to beat the competition of the rivals.
3. Potential consequences of ignoring emergent strategies
There are certain consequences of ignoring emergent strategies. They are:
Difficulty in handling critical, unexpected situations
One of the probable circumstances of ignoring emergent circumstances is that it makes it difficult for a company to handle critical and unexpected situations. It such situations, the planning process might deem to appear redundant, backdated and obsolete. A company can suffer losses and major damages, if it is unable to cope with such situations and difficulties.
Low product acceptance
If a company is not able to incorporate innovation and improvisation in its product, then it is very likely that the product will become obsolete for the masses. If it is viewed from the product lifecycle, then it reach a decline phase and it will not be acceptable for the masses. The reason for this is because the company was unable to estimate the future outcome of it and failed to remain abreast with the changes occurring with time.
Reference List
Moore, K., 2011. Porter or Mintzberg: whose view of strategy is the most relevant today. Forbes. com.
