By PROF DR CHIN YEW SIN

STRATEGY is sometimes depicted as akin to a ship charting a
course. As in navigation, it is essential to understand
thoroughly where we are when we commence our journey and where
we are at each stage of it.

To put it academically, strategy is the process and range of
techniques by which we decide what goals and objectives to
pursue and the means by which we pursue them.

In other words, the function of strategy is to help us think
about what kind of future we want to create and the means to
achieve it (Raimond, 1996).
 
ORGANISED THOUGHT: Originator of the mind mapping technique,
Tony Buzan, with young fans. The technique is contingent upon
research findings that show the brain works by commencing with a
central focal point and working outward in a random yet
organised fashion.

Creative imagination and strategy

Sometimes organisations unconsciously stifle creativity while
planning and formulating their corporate strategy.

Strategy formulation is either a dull routine exercise or is
beset by unwritten dos and don'ts that frustrate the free flow
of ideas and generation of creative energy.

To alleviate this problem, Raimond (1996) suggests that strategy
be approached through the application of creative imagination.

Using the creative imagination approach, one invents an image of
the ideal future situation, which will only come about if we
make it occur.

The process of inventing the ideal vision is applied to generate
the energy and commitment that are necessary to convert that
vision into reality.

For instance, Apple Computers applies foresight in strategy
formulation.

In the 1970s, Apple Computers foresaw a world with a computer
for every man, woman and child. The end result was Apple II,
which became the world's first successful mass-market computer.

Techniques for innovative strategies

According to Higgins (1996), an organisation can gain strategic
competitive advantage by achieving relatively high
differentiation, relatively low cost or some combination of the
two.

An organisation needs to use its creative imagination to
formulate innovative strategies so as to achieve competitive
advantage over its competitors.

Many corporate CEOs and business magazines attest to the fact
that innovation is the key to attaining competitive advantage
now and in the future.

According to Higgins (1996), there are seven techniques that are
essential for formulating innovative strategies:


1. Brainstorming: A general technique applicable in various
strategy formulation situations, it is normally applied by a
group of six to 10 people and the main purpose is to stimulate
the generation of ideas. It usually lasts for about half an
hour.

Certain rules are enforced, for instance nobody can criticise
any idea no matter how weird it is, and everybody in the group
is encouraged to combine one's ideas with each other's.

Brainstorming is best applied when a problem is well defined.
  
2. Storyboarding: This is a structured creativity process
contingent upon brainstorming. It is very flexible and can be
easily altered to rectify complicated problems.

For instance, storyboarding is applied in Disney cartoon
development and management features.

The technique needs a leader, a secretary and a group of eight
to 12 people working openly and complying with the four rules of
brainstorming mentioned above.

There are four types of storyboards: planning, ideas, organising
and communication.
  
3. Mind mapping: Created by Tony Buzan of the Learning Methods
Group in England, this technique is contingent upon research
findings that show the brain works by commencing with a central
focal point and working outward in a random yet organised
fashion.

The problem is stated in the centre of a piece of paper with a
circle around it.

The finished mind map will have possible interrelations,
possible multiple appearances of terms or issues, people and so
on. This technique is useful in generating strategic ideas,
solutions, strategies, etc.

4. Excursion technique: This is applied to force participants to
come up with new ideas to solve the problem.

There are four key steps involved in this process - taking the
excursion, drawing analogies between the problem and the events
of the excursion, analysing these analogies to see what creative
understanding or solutions can happen, and sharing these
experiences with the group.

Finally, a joint solution is developed contingent upon the
previous discussion.

This technique can generate new thought patterns while improving
communication between top management and middle management.
  
5. Checklists: These are product improvement techniques that
originated from Alex Osborn.

Hence, it's sometimes called Osborn's Checklists. It involves
some frequently used verbs like adapt, modify, magnify, minify,
substitute, rearrange, reverse and combine.

To use this checklist, a product is picked and verbs are used
and expanded to the definition of the product.
  
6. Morphological analysis: This is also a product improvement
technique which involves using a set of words to an item; one
set of words would be verbs and the other comprise attributes of
the product or service similar to the checklist method.
  
7. Lotus blossom: Used to generate strategic scenarios, this
technique is known as such because it commences with a central
core idea, which is surrounded by an ever-expanding set of
interconnected ideas, just like petals of a lotus blossom.

It is meant for group use and is designed to provide solutions
to problems, with each successive level providing a more
in-depth look at various solutions.
  
Five-and-Five Approach

The author also suggests an alternative technique known as the
"five-and-five" approach.

This involves a group of five persons where each is required to
develop his or her independent strategic plan.

No discussion between the five persons is allowed.

Following this, a committee made up of a different set of five
persons will evaluate the pros and cons of the strategic plans.

The committee will choose the best strategic plan from these
five strategic plans or combine the best from each strategic
plan to create a new strategic plan.

This technique is useful for formulating a comprehensive and
holistic strategic plan for an organisation because it pools all
resources in that organisation.

Changing environments create new challenges and threats, leading
to new tasks and requiring continuous changes within companies.

Therefore, companies may have to follow any or all of three main
routes mentioned below in order to attain greater innovation:
applying creative processes, improving personnel and group
creativity, and imbuing a culture that promotes innovation.
______________________________________________________________________________

· The author, a member of the Malaysian Institute of Management,
is a visiting professor of Zhongshan University, Guangzhou,
China and CEO of Oriental Strategy Research Centre. He can be
contacted at yschin@mailcity.com