Strategic Navigation: A Systems Approach to Business Strategy

H. William Dettmer

Jan 2003 · Quality Press

About this ebook

There are many parallels between the business world and the military world: both must always be leery of the competition; both must be able to adapt to rapidly changing conditions; and if either falters the results could be devastating. Yet while military leaders have employed essentially the same strategies for thousands of years, business leaders often feel the need to try the latest fad in an effort to capture lightning in a bottle and lead the company to success. In Strategic Navigation: A Systems Approach to Business Strategy, best-selling author H. William Dettmer explains how these sound, proven strategies used by great military leaders through history can also be easily and effectively used in the business world. Dettmer first explains how the time-tested principles of war planning and military execution can be readily applied to non-military uses, such as commercial business, not-for-profit organizations, and government agencies, leading to considerable benefits in coherence and focus. He then introduces a logical, systematic tool set to help you translate the military strategy `template' into action, which can then be applied to nearly any industry or business type. The system described by Dettmer is relatively quick and easy to use, flexible enough to accommodate changes in the external environment, and supportive of creativity on the part of both the strategists and the executors. Finally, the book includes appendices that provide more detail on methods and some real-world examples.