Strategic Planning in Diversified Companies (2024)

Strategic Planning in Diversified Companies (1)

The widely accepted theory of corporate strategic planning is simple: using a time horizon of several years, top management reassesses its current strategy by looking for opportunities and threats in the environment and by analyzing the company’s resources to identify its strengths and weaknesses. Management may draw up several alternative strategic scenarios and appraise them […]

The widely accepted theory of corporate strategic planning is simple: using a time horizon of several years, top management reassesses its current strategy by looking for opportunities and threats in the environment and by analyzing the company’s resources to identify its strengths and weaknesses. Management may draw up several alternative strategic scenarios and appraise them against the long-term objectives of the organization. To begin implementing the selected strategy (or continue a revalidated one), management fleshes it out in terms of the actions to be taken in the near future.

A version of this article appeared in the January 1975 issue of Harvard Business Review.

New!

Strategic Planning in Diversified Companies (3)

Strategy Planning and Execution Course

Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Strategy Planning and Execution. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.

How to develop a winning strategy—and put it to work.

Start Course

Learn More & See All Courses

Read more on Competitive strategy

  • RV

    Mr. Vancil is professor of business administration at the Harvard Business School and chairman of its Control Area faculty. His most recent HBR article was “Inflation Accounting—The Great Controversy” (March–April 1976). His book, Strategic Planning Systems, will be published next January by Prentice-Hall.

  • PL

    Peter Lorange is the president of IMD International in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he is also a professor of strategy and holds the Nestlé Chair.

New!

Strategic Planning in Diversified Companies (4)HBR Learning

Strategy Planning and Execution Course

Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Strategy Planning and Execution. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.

How to develop a winning strategy—and put it to work.

Strategic Planning in Diversified Companies (5)

Read more on Competitive strategy

Strategic Planning in Diversified Companies (2024)

FAQs

What is the strategy of a diversified company? ›

A diversification strategy is a technique you can use to expand a business. This strategy helps encourage company growth by adding new products and services to the company's offerings. With these new offerings, the company can pursue business opportunities outside of its regular practices and markets.

What is strategic planning for multinational companies? ›

The widely accepted theory of corporate strategic planning is simple: using a time horizon of several years, top management reassesses its current strategy by looking for opportunities and threats in the environment and by analyzing the company's resources to identify its strengths and weaknesses.

What are the 4 steps in strategic company planning? ›

A 4-Step Process for Strategic Planning
  • Step 1: Analysing the Environment. The first step in strategic planning involves analysing the external and internal environment in which your organisation operates. ...
  • Step 2: Developing a Strategy. ...
  • Step 3: Implementing Strategy. ...
  • Step 4: Evaluating Strategies.
Sep 22, 2023

What is a corporate strategy for a diversified or multi business enterprise? ›

Question: Corporate strategy for a diversified or multi-business enterprise is orchestrated by the 'general managers of each of the company's different lines of business, often with advice and input from the heads of functional area activities within each business and other key people.

What is an example of a successful diversification strategy? ›

Here are some examples of business diversification strategies: Product diversification: A company that primarily sells clothing might expand into selling home goods and accessories. Market diversification: A company that sells only in the domestic market might expand into international markets.

What is Coca Cola's diversification strategy? ›

Category diversification moves into juices, coffee, energy drinks, and enhanced waters to cater to wider consumer needs. This multi-brand approach, combined with world-class marketing, has been a proven tactic in Coca-Cola's global success.

What 3 strategic goals do all multinational firms have? ›

Multinational corporations choose from among three basic international strategies: (1) multidomestic, (2) global, and (3) transnational. These strategies vary in their emphasis on achieving efficiency around the world and responding to local needs.

What are the four types of strategic planning? ›

Here's a list of the four types of strategy for you to review:
  • Business strategy. A business strategy typically defines how a company intends to compete in the market. ...
  • Operational strategy. Operational strategies focus on a company's employees and management team. ...
  • Transformational strategy. ...
  • Functional strategy.
May 3, 2023

What are the 4 P's of strategic planning? ›

With these management tools providing input in real time, organizations can quickly adjust course as circ*mstances present new opportunities or threats. A simple model made up of “Four Ps” can help companies create this advantage. These Ps are Perceptions, Performance, Purpose, and Process.

What is the seven 7 steps of strategic planning? ›

Declaration of values, mission and visionAnalysis of the external environmentAnalysis of the internal environment Analysis of the current situationSetting goals and objectivesStrategy definitionFeedback and ControlThe rule is clear: planning is necessary!

What is corporate diversification strategy? ›

Diversification is a growth strategy that involves entering into a new market or industry - one that your business doesn't currently operate in - while also creating a new product for that new market.

What is an example of diversification corporate-level strategy? ›

Unrelated Diversification —Diversifying into new industries, such as Amazon entering the grocery store business with its purchase of Whole Foods. Geographic Diversification —Operating in various geographic markets, which is the corporate strategy of Starbucks, Target, and KFC.

What is the triangle of corporate strategy? ›

A good corporate strategy consists of six elements that together promote a corporate advantage. These elements can be represented in a Corporate Strategy Triangle, where the sides of the triangles are the foundations of a solid strategy: Resources, Businesses, Organization.

What is the diversification strategy method? ›

Firms using diversification strategies enter entirely new industries. While vertical integration involves a firm moving into a new part of a value chain that it is already within, diversification requires moving into an entirely new value chain.

What is a diversification strategy called? ›

A diversification strategy is a method of expansion or growth followed by businesses. It involves launching a new product or product line, usually in a new market. It helps businesses to identify new opportunities, boost profits, increase sales revenue and expand market share.

What strategy can be described as diversification? ›

Diversification is a growth strategy that involves entering into a new market or industry - one that your business doesn't currently operate in - while also creating a new product for that new market.

Which strategy represents diversification? ›

Diversification is a strategy that mixes a wide variety of investments within a portfolio in an attempt to reduce portfolio risk. Diversification is most often done by investing in different asset classes such as stocks, bonds, real estate, or cryptocurrency.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Cheryll Lueilwitz

Last Updated:

Views: 5881

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (74 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Cheryll Lueilwitz

Birthday: 1997-12-23

Address: 4653 O'Kon Hill, Lake Juanstad, AR 65469

Phone: +494124489301

Job: Marketing Representative

Hobby: Reading, Ice skating, Foraging, BASE jumping, Hiking, Skateboarding, Kayaking

Introduction: My name is Cheryll Lueilwitz, I am a sparkling, clean, super, lucky, joyous, outstanding, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.