Liedtka

Strategic Thinking
A Discussion Paper
April 27, 1999
Prepared for the Research Directorate,
Policy, Research and Communications Branch,
Public Service Commission of Canada
by Eton Lawrence1Personnel Development and Resourcing Group
Table of Contents
2
1. Executive Summary
2. What is Strategic Thinking?
3. The Liedtka Model of the Elements of Strategic Thinking
4. Is StrategicThinking Compatible With Strategic Planning?
5. Conclusion
6. References
3
“Without achieving the kind of detailed understanding of
strategic thinking that we have today of strategic planning, we
riskintroducing yet another appealing concept to the strategy
lexicon that has little relevance to practising managers”
(Liedtka, 1998).
Executive Summary
The purpose of this paper is to clarify someof the salient issues surrounding the
concept of strategic thinking. For example, what is strategic thinking? How do
we recognize it? Is it different from strategic planning? If so, is it areplacement
for strategic planning? Can strategic thinking and strategic planning be
accommodated within the same strategic management regime?
Current research suggests that strategic planning andstrategic thinking are
different sides of the same coin and each one on its own is necessary, but not
sufficient for an efficient strategic management framework. Therefore, strategic
thinking and planningmust work hand-in-hand in order to reap maximum
benefit.
What is Strategic Thinking?
There is a lack of clear understanding of just what is meant by the term strategic
thinking and this, in turn,has lead to considerable confusion in the strategic
management arena. Thus there exists a clear need to precisely define strategic
thinking so that this management paradigm can be objectivelyembraced and
appropriately situated within the strategic management context (Liedtka, 1998).
Some authors, Ian Wilson (1994) for one, have suggested that strategic thinking is
merely thinking about...