Choosing a Tangible Strategic Focus Rather Than Building Upon an Abstract Vision

Strategy development and review initiatives face the crucial challenge of where to start. The starting point is not just a matter of preference but a critical decision that sets the course for the entire strategy. Traditional strategy research suggests starting by formulating a vision and a mission, describing the core ideology and envisioned future. Others recommend taking a resource-based approach, focusing on capabilities as the foundation for competitive advantage. More recently, authors, such as Christensen, argue that the design of any strategy should start with questions related to customer needs and their jobs. I introduce the novel concept of strategic focus as the primary dimension along which to compete and differentiate. Any strategy development should start by identifying whether to compete and excel by being customer-centric, focusing on product and service innovation, leveraging core capabilities, or differentiating around financials. The target strategic focus is determined based on the chosen target industry, the environment analysis outcome, and the expected desirability and uniqueness.