Strategic management covers enterprise wide strategy formulation, implementation and evaluation. It emphasizes sustained wellbeing of organizations. Why? According to Thomas and Strickland (1996) strategic management a) Provides guidance to the entire organization on the crucial point of what it is we are trying to do and achieve b) Make managers more alert to the winds of change, new opportunities and threatening developments c) Providing managers with a rationale for evaluating competing budget requests for investment capital and new staff – a rationale that argues strongly for steering resources into
Strategy –supportive, results producing areas d) Helping to unify the numerous strategy-related decisions by managers across the organization and; e) Creating a more proactive managerial posture and counteracting tendencies for decisions to be reactive and defensive
In the face of uncertainty, chaotic and unforgiving business environment, the above outlined issues will only be realized by companies with sound leadership.
Leadership
Leadership is the process of influencing an organization (or group within an organization) in its efforts towards achieving an aim or goal (Johnson.et al, 2011). Leadership may also be defined as the ability to anticipate, envision, maintain flexibility and empower others to create change as necessary. Its multifunctional in nature, it involves managing through others (Gono, 2007)
Without effective leadership, the risk is that people in an organization are unclear about its purpose or lack motivation to deliver. When a company is left with a void of leadership for whatever reason, the ripple effects are widely felt both within and outside the organization.
Internally a company is likely to suffer crises of morale, confidence and productivity among employees. Similarly stakeholders may panic when a company is left rudderless and worry about the safety and future of their investment. The crux of
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