Prof Marius Ungerer, lecturer in Strategic Management at USB, was the co-author of a book, Crystallising the Strategic Business Landscape, which was launched at the business school on Tuesday, 19 April 2016.
He says the book is aimed at a new course, Integrated Case Studies, which was introduced to the new format of USB's MBA programme. "The book is about crystallising the strategic landscape, meaning that it is about analysis framework to help us to create a fact base about our environment," he says.
"The book also describes an analysis approach to the internal environment and provides tools to synthesise the different prospective. The book presents the reader with 70 analysis frameworks that can be used in a practical way to make the subject matter accessible for everybody."
He continues: "We live in an era where everybody want quick fixes and there is an abundance of information. But we also live in an era where very poor decisions are made. This book will assist us with the quality of our decision making; to think about how we think; to not be prone just to focus on quick fixes but to look at the root causes of dilemmas. The book is about creating a fact based approach towards strategic decision-making."
For him strategic management is based on two pillars. "The one pillar is our ability to make sound decisions. The second pillar is our ability to execute excellently on those choices.
"Strategic success comes from those two things: our ability to make sound strategic choices and secondly our ability to execute on those choices," he says.
He names three critical elements of strategic management that leaders should get right:
- Leaders should focus on working on their fact base. Without good information and excellent processes they cannot make sound strategic choices.
- Leaders should concentrate on their ability to not only think short term but to think long term. Planning also needs to reflect longer term orientation.
- Leaders should have the ability to drive for results. Those companies and leaders who stick to their decisions and who are able to motivate those around them to become part of the strategic success of a firm, is ultimately the winners.
