Strategic Management (BFT 338/3)

Policy-making is one of the most important components of business planning. Policie ~ are a guide to action. They provide broad guidelines as to how objectives of business are to be achieved. While objectives are a goal C'l" an end to be sought, policies are a general rule of action or guideline which /1elps in attaining the goal. The objective sets a long -range target; a policy provides guides which assists the company in achieving this target. Policy does not tell a person exactly what to do, but it does point out the direction in which to go. Familiar policies are summed up in these statements: "We sell only for cash and allow liberal discount thereon". "We insure all property worth more than Rs. 50,0001against loss by fire or burglary". "Our motto is to serve the customers in all possible ways in matters of quality, price, weight and contents." In each instance, some important aspect of a recurring problem has been singled out, and a guide established for dealing with it.

Management of premises can seem like the most complex and onerous of all tasks facing FE / HE college principals. In fact, the resposibility offers a whole host of challenges and opportunities. This text gives practical guidance to management staff on how to avoid the pitfalls and make the most of opportunities, including: rationalising sites; developing properties; buying and selling land or buildings. Written by the principal of the largest FE college in England, the book is informed by first-hand experience of the problems involved in College Estates Management, and offers advice that has been tried and tested.

This volume is designed to renew, stimulate and facilitate discussion about project-based organizations (PBOs) and how they increasingly pervade business dimensions, from R&D and new product development, To the production of complex capital goods and implementation of organizational change across very different industries such as management consulting, engineering or entertainment. Contributors analyze PBOs as firms, units or networks of firms set up to complete a specific assignment, As well as address the evolution from traditional operations-driven project management, To the strategic role of projects in delivering innovation and organizational change, And The implications for research and teaching. The volume brings together scholars with a diverse theoretical background and using a wealth of methodological approaches in studying PBOs. it focuses on theoretical frameworks for understanding PBOs through different lenses, looks at learning at the individual, team and organizational levels in temporary organizational structures, investigates current issues related to projects and networks, and identifies new areas for future research.

Let’s start from the beginning. Let’s assume you do not know what strategy means, either you’ve just heard the word for the first time or you’ve never used it consciously before. This section helps you establish an initial, basic understanding of strategy and the process of strategic management – please take it as a basic understanding and not as a conclusive definition: as you will see, a feel for strategy can only be developed on an individual, case-by-case basis.

Managing strategies for professional service firms is an important and complex activity. The main issues in this book cover the core management principles for service firms in a comprehensive way. Based on current research findings it includes the management of service quality, knowledge and marketing as well as people, organizational and strategic issues. In understanding critical resources managers and partners will be able to effectively develop and exploit them. The book contains practical advice and offers a profound insight into the managerial excellence of service companies.