This excerpt from Kenichi Ohmae's The Mind of the Strategist explores strategic thinking in business, contrasting Japanese and Western approaches. Ohmae argues that effective strategy prioritises substance over form, focusing on achieving a competitive edge rather than adhering to rigid planning processes. He emphasises the importance of analysis, identifying key factors for success (KFS), and exploiting strategic degrees of freedom (SDF) to gain competitive advantage. The text illustrates these concepts using various business examples and analyses the impact of structural changes, resource allocation, and the evolving business environment on strategic decision-making. Finally, it highlights the crucial role of foresight and creative thinking in developing successful long-term strategies.
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