STRATEGYMANAGEMENTTRENDSREPORT2024

TheGlobalStateofStrategy

TableofContents

Executivesummary3

7KeyFindings3

Introductionandmethodology5

Researchmethodologyandrespondenttypology5

Thestateofstrategytoday8

Businessesstruggletoadapttoanever-changingmarketlandscape8

Currentstateofthestrategymanagementprocess11

Centralizationvs.decentralizationofstrategy12

Thechallengesinstrategydevelopment14

Weaknessesofthecurrentstrategydevelopmentapproaches14

Barrierstostrategydevelopment:Challengesandneeds15

Outsourcingstrategyfunctions:Whatandwhydocompaniesdoit?17

Lostpotentialandtheneedforchange20

Theroleofongoingstrategyreviewandadjustment21

Importanceandbenefitsofregularlyreviewingstrategies21

Linkbetweentheoperationalperformance,goalachievement,andreview

cadence22

Thepowerof'Always-On’Strategy24

Theneedforanewstrategicapproach24

OverviewoftheAlways-OnStrategymodel25

TheconnectionbetweenAlways-OnStrategyandperformance27

Conclusionandwayforward29

Summaryoffindingsandimplications29

Recommendations29

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Executivesummary

It’sbecomeaclichétosaychangeistheonlyconstantinbusiness.

However,businessleadersareundoubtedlyfacingmorevolatility,

uncertainty,complexity,andambiguity(

VUCA

)thaneverbefore.A

recentanalysis

inHarvardBusinessReviewshowsthat60%ofthe

firmsontheFortune500in1995werenolongeronthelistin2020.

Someoftoday’smostprominentcompanies—Meta,Alphabet,Tesla,Netflix,Nvidia,andUber—wereallfoundedafter1995.Thepaceof

changeisaccelerating.Incumbencyisnolongertheadvantageitoncewas.Andthreatsofdisruptionandopportunitiesforgrowthseeminglypresentthemselvesdailytobusinessleaders.

Sincethecoreapproachtostrategymanagementhasremained

thesamesincethe1950s,whatisstrategy’sroleintoday’schaoticbusinessworld?Doesthetime-honoredtraditionofpausingonceayeartoplanthenext3-5yearsevenmakesense?Howcanstrategysupportthemoreagileapproachtooperatingbusinessesthathaveevolvedoverthepastfewdecades?

ThesearethequestionsQuantivesetouttoanswerwiththisstudy.Tobetterunderstandthecomponentsofstrategydesign,execution,andevaluationandtheirrelationshiptooperationalperformance,Quantivesurveyedalmost400leaderswithinenterprisecompanies.

Herearethesevenkeyfindings.

7KeyFindings

1.Thechallengeofadaptingrapidlyandeffectively

90%oforganizationsgrapplewithswiftlyadaptingtomarket

changes,withonlyasliver—10%ofleaders—claimingeffectiveresponsivenesswithintheirorganization.

2.Signsofloststrategicpotential

Onlytwo-thirdsofstrategicobjectiveshavebeenachievedoverthepastthreeyears,indicatingthatbusinessesfailtoachievewhattheyknowtheyshould.

3.Disconnectedstrategies

Halfoforganizations(49%)pinpointtheabsenceofcoordinationacrossbusinessunitsasacoreweaknessintheirstrategy

development.Additionally,37%citethatthemajorityofdecision-makinghappeningonlyattop-tierlevelsisastumblingblock.

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4.Turningtooutsourcing

Themajority(74%)oforganizationsnowoutsourcepartsoftheir

strategydevelopmentprocess,seekingaccesstoexpertise(53%),marketinsights(46%),andimpartialrecommendations(49%).

5.Learningfromstrategyexecution

Whilemostleaders(83%)emphasizelearningfromstrategyexecution,only59%oforganizationsfrequentlyreviewprogressagainsttheir

strategicpriorities.

6.Thecaseforongoingstrategyreview

High-performingorganizationsregularlyassesstheirstrategies,underscoringthelinkbetweenthecadenceofreviewsand

performance.Indeed,above-averageperformersare60%more

likelytofrequentlyorcontinuouslyreviewprogressagainststrategicprioritiesthantheirunderperformingcounterparts(79%vs.49%).

7.Always-OnStrategyandperformance

Organizationsthatareoperationallywellaboveaveragesignificantlyoutranktheircounterpartsindevelopingadaptablestrategies(95%vs.53%),executingprojectsthatdrivestrategicresults(87%vs.

39%),andlearningfromstrategyexecutionforfutureplanning(69%vs.35%).

Theimplicationsofthesefindingsareprofound.Successtoday

dependsonputtingstrategicagilityfrontandcenter,whereabusinesscontinuouslydevelops,executes,evaluates,andoptimizesitsstrategytostayahead.Thisnewblueprintnotonlyhelpsbusinessesbuffer

againstdisruptionbutalsopropelsthemtowardtangiblesuccessindynamicmarketconditions.

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Introduction

andmethodology

Research

methodology

andrespondenttypology

Headquarterslocation

Whilemanyorganizationshaveadoptedagilemethodologiesto

improvetheirresponsiveness,thereisapressingneedtorethink

andmodernizestrategymanagementand

decision-making

tobuildasustainablemarketadvantage.

Thepurposeofthisextensiveresearchisthreefold:

Evaluatethesuccessofenterprisesinadaptingtomarketchanges

Understandthecurrentstateofstrategydevelopmentandexecution

Uncovercommonobstaclestostrategicagilityandhowtoovercomethem

Thisreportaimstoprovidevaluableinsightsforexecutives,decision-makers,andstrategyandbusinessprofessionals,enablingthem

tomodernizestrategymanagementandbuildasustainablemarketadvantage.Ithighlightstheimportanceofanagileapproachto

strategicdecision-makingaswellashowthebest-performingorganizationsleveragean

Always-OnStrategy

todrivechange.

LedbyQuantiveinpartnershipwith

NewtonX

,aleadingmarketresearchfirm,acomprehensivesurveywasadministeredto383

businessleadersacross12countries.Theseleadersplaysignificant

rolesinthedevelopmentandexecutionoftheirorganization’sstrategy.Thesurveyedorganizationsspanmorethan20industrialsectors

andconsistonlyofcompanieswith1,000employeesormore.Thisresearchwascarriedoutoverathree-weekperiod,stretchingfromtheendofJanuarytothebeginningofFebruary2024.

Theresearchcovered12targetcountrieswiththefollowingdistributionofrespondents:

USandCanada:72%UKandIreland:13%

France,Netherlands,Finland,Norway,andSweden:8%Germany,Austria,andSwitzerland:7%

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Industry

Roleinstrategydevelopmentandexecution

Thepanelcomprisesabalancedrepresentationacrossindustries,

fromfinance,banking,informationtechnology,andretailtopharma&healthcare,manufacturing,andservices,withafewdatapointsfromautomotive,telecommunications,hospitality,andutilities.

Whenaskedabouttheirinvolvementwithstrategymanagementattheircompany,alloftherespondentsindicatedhavingakeyrole,

withthemajorityhavingasignificantroleinthedevelopmentofthestrategyorleadingitalltogether:

48%areasignificantparticipantintheirorganization’sstrategydevelopment

48%ownordevelopastrategicplanfortheirorganization

27%aretheprimaryowneroftheirorganization’sstrategicplan

Seniority

8%

28%

ExecutiveorC-level

●ManagingorExecutiveDirector

.VicePresident(Executive,Senior,Associate)

●SeniorDirectororDirectorExecutiveorC-level

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Companysize

●10,000+

●5,000-9,999●1,000-4,999

62%

Roleinstrategydevelopmentandexecution

I'masignificantparticipantinmyorganization'sstrategydevelopmentprocess

I'mresponsibleforteamsorteamsofteamstaskedwithexecutingourstrategies

Iownordevelopbusinessunit,divisional,orfunctionalstrategicplans

Iownordevelopoperatingplansthatarealignedwithourorganization'sstrategies

I'mresponsibleformeasuringandreportingonprogressagainstourstrategicinitiatives

I'mtheprimaryownerofmyorganization'sstrategicplan

Iprovideinternaland/orexternalanalysisofthecurrentenvironmentforthestrategydevelopmentprocess

I'manindividualcontributortaskedwithexecutinginitiativesalignedwithourstrategies

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Thestateofstrategytoday

Businessesstruggletoadapttoanever-changingmarket

landscape

Despitetheevidentneedtorespondrapidlyandeffectivelytomarketchanges,thestudyresultssuggestthatalackofagilitypotentially

stiflesorganizationalperformance.

Thestudy’sparticipantswereaskedtoevaluatetheirorganization’s

abilitytoadapttomarketchangesandassesstheirrelativeoperationalandfinancialperformanceagainsttheirmarketpeers.Thefindings

indicateanapparentstruggletoadapttomarketchangeseffectively,revealingproblematicgapsinstrategicagility.

Morespecifically:

Anoverwhelming90%oforganizationsreportedneedinghelptoadapteffectivelytorapidlychangingmarketconditions.

Only10%ofbusinessleadersstatedthattheirorganizationscould

pivotquicklyandeffectivelytoalignwithevolvingmarkettrends.Therestfluctuatedbetween‘somewhateffective’to‘poorlyeffective,’

showcasingsubstantialroomforimprovement.

Adaptingtomarketchanges

22%13%

●Verywell-Wetendtomovequicklyandeffectively

●Somewhat-Somedelaysbutwecanadaptrelativelywell

Neutral-Ourresponsetochangesisneitherparticularlyfastnorslow●Notverywell-Weoftenstruggletoadaptatthespeedneeded

●Poorly-Wegenerallylackagilityandareslowmoving

Thisrevelationbecomesmorestrikingwhencomparedtothefactthat95%ofbusinessleadersbelieveit’s“essentialorveryimportant”to

craftstrategiesthatcaneffectivelyrespondtofluidmarketconditions.Evenmorecontradictory,78%ofrespondentsclaimtheirorganizationis“excellent”or“verygood”atdevelopingstrategiestailoredfor

shiftingmarketscenarios.

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95%

ofleadersbelievethatdevelopingstrategies

appropriateformarketchangesis“essentialorveryimportant”,yet24%ofbusinessesreportthattheystruggletoadapttorapidlychangingmarkets.

Importanceofstrategicagility

5%

●Essential

●Veryimportant

Somewhatimportant

55%

Developingstrategiesinresponsetomarketchanges

18%5%

●Excellent●Good

Fair

●Somewhatpoor●Verypoor

21%

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Interestingly,despitepositiveperceptionsoftheirfinancial

performance(with62%ratingtheirorganizationaboveaverageorwellaboveaverage),54%oforganizationsratedtheiroperationalperformanceasaverageorbelowaverage.Paradoxically,these

organizationsfarewellfinanciallycomparedtotheirpeersdespite

theirperceivedchallengesaroundoperationalperformance.Ifthese

organizationscouldunlocktheirfullperformancepotential,theycouldbefaraheadintheirmarket.

Next,thestudylookedintowhatgetsinthewayofdesigningandexecutingwinningstrategiesandthecorrelationbetweenstrategicagilityandorganization-wideperformance.

Rankorganization’sperformancevs.peersoverthelast2years

Financialperformance

22%5%1%

Operationalperformance

36%5%1%

●Wellaboveaverage

●SomewhataboveaverageAverage

●Somewhatbelowaverage●Belowaverage

20%

12%

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Currentstateofthestrategymanagementprocess

Thelandscapeofstrategymanagementwithinmodernorganizationsrevealsaninterestingparadox.Ontheonehand,76%oforganizationsareconfidentindevelopingstrategiesinresponsetomarketshifts.

However,thisstarklycontrastswiththe90%admittingtheyface

significantstrugglestoadapttothesechanges—aclearindicationofasubstantialstrategyexecutiongap.

Despitesolidconfidencein

strategydevelopment

,theresearchfoundonly51%oforganizationseffectivelyincorporatelessonslearnedfromstrategyexecutionintothestrategydevelopmentprocess.Thisseemstocreateadisconnectbetweenthestrategiesformulatedandthe

organization'scurrentoperationalandmarketrealities.Thereisalso

decliningconfidenceasstrategymovesfromdevelopmenttoplanningtoexecutionandevaluation.

Only51%

oforganizationseffectivelyincorporatelessonslearnedfromstrategyexecutionbackinto

strategydevelopment.

While

76%ofleadersratedtheirabilitytodevelopstrategiesthatadapttomarketchangesas“good”or“excellent”

Only

59%didsotoprioritizeandfundtheappropriateinitiatives

62%toexecuteinitiatives/projectsthatdeliverstrategicresults

51%uselessonslearnedfromstrategyexecutionasinputtostrategydevelopment

Thesecontradictionshighlightadividebetweenstrategydevelopment

andexecution.This

strategygap

mayleadtomissedopportunitiesandchallengesinmaintainingadynamicresponsetoshifting

marketconditions.

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Importanceofandsuccessinthestrategystages

Developinganeffectivestrategyappropriateforchangingmarketconditions

95%22%

22%

Feedinglessonsfromstrategyexecutionbackintostrategydevelopment

83%22%

22%

●Importance●Success

Centralizationvs.decentralizationofstrategy

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Thestructureofstrategymanagementwithinorganizationsreveals

analmostequaldividebetweencentralizationanddecentralization.

Theresearchfoundthat49%oforganizationscentralizetheirstrategydevelopmentinadedicatedstrategyfunctionoramongtheC-suite

executives.Ontheotherhand,51%optforadecentralizedstructure,spreadingstrategydevelopmentacrossdifferentbusinesslinesor

divisions.Surprisingly,largerorganizations(10,000+employees)

areslightlymoreinclined(51%)todecentralizestrategythansmallerorganizations.

49%

oforganizationscentralizetheirstrategydevelopmentinadedicatedstrategyfunctionoramongtheC-suiteexecutives.

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Nonetheless,wherethestrategyiscentralizedvariessignificantly

basedontheorganization'ssize.Largerorganizations(with10,000

ormoreemployees)tendtofavorcentralizationwithinadedicated

strategyfunction—34%adoptthisapproach,comparedto21%of

organizationswithfewerthan5,000employees.Ontheotherhand,

companieswith1,000tounder5,000employeesusuallyhavestrategymanagementledbytheC-Suiteatamuchhigherrate(31%)comparedtolargerorganizations(21.3%forcompanieswith5,000to9,999

employeesand13%forthosewith10,000ormoreemployees).

Acommonchallengeinstrategydevelopmentandexecution,

regardlessoftheapproach—centralizedordecentralized,withintheC-Suite,aStrategyfunction,orBusinessUnits—isthepersistentlackofcoordination,bothtop-downandacrossthebusiness.

Responsibilityvariesforstrategydevelopment

I'masignificantparticipantinmyorganization'sstrategydevelopmentprocess

I'mresponsibleforteamsorteamsofteamstaskedwithexecutingourstrategies

Iownordevelopbusinessunit,divisional,orfunctionalstrategicplans

Iownordevelopoperatingplansthatarealignedwithourorganization'sstrategies

I'mresponsibleformeasuringandreportingonprogressagainstourstrategicinitiatives

Howcentralizedstrategyismanaged

Astrategyofficeordedicatedmanagementfunction/group

22%

TheCEOand/ormembersoftheC-suite

31%

1000-4,999employees●5,999-9,999employees●10,000+employees

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Thechallengesin

strategydevelopment

Weaknessesofthecurrentstrategy

developmentapproaches

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Whenaskedaboutthebiggestweaknessesintheirorganization'sapproachtostrategydevelopment,respondentspredominantly

highlightedalackofconnectionbetweenwherethestrategyiscreatedandwheretheimpactorimplicationscanbefelt.

Nearlyhalfofrespondents(49%)singledoutalackofcoordination

betweenbusinessunitsandfunctionsasatopweakness.Thisissuetypicallystemsfromcommunication,collaboration,andtransparencygaps.Itresultsinsilosthat,atbest,aren'taseffectiveastheywouldbeiftheywerealignedand,atworst,workinconflictingdirections.

Anotherformofdisconnectoccurshorizontallyratherthanvertically.Indeed,37%oforganizationssignaledthatatopissuewasthat

strategicdiscussionsanddecisionswerepredominantlyconcentratedatthehighestorganizationallevels.Thisapproachcanlimitthe

perspectivesandinsightsconsideredduringstrategyformulation,potentiallyweakening

strategyexecution

throughdisconnection

frommiddlemanagement,lackofstaffengagement,anderroneousstrategicassumptions.

Alsorelatedtotransparencyandvalidation,31%ofrespondents

pointedoutinappropriateinfluences,personalbiases,andindividualagendasasthetopweaknessesintheirorganization'sstrategy

developmentprocess.

31%

ofrespondentspointedoutinappropriate

influences,personalbiases,andindividualagendasasthetopweaknessesintheirorganization’s

strategydevelopmentprocess.

Thesechallengessignalarealneedtoconnectstrategiesacrosstheorganization—fromtheorganization’smissiontotheworkbeingdonetorelevantdatathat

informsdecisions.

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Biggestweaknessesinthestrategydevelopmentapproach

Welackcoordinationanddiscussionamongbusinessunitsand/orfunctions

Discussionsanddecisionspredominatelyoccuratthehighestlevelsoftheorganization

Theprocessallowsforinappropriateinfluence,biases,andpersonalagendas

Westruggletoidentifyandfocusonthemostimportantstrategicissues

Theprocessfailstoaligntheorganizationwiththestrategicplan

Theprocessisinefficientandtime-consuming

Wehaveinsufficientmarket/competitiveintelligence

Weareunabletomonitorcurrentprogressagainstthestrategicplan

Welacktheskillsandknowledgetodevelopeffectivestrategies

Barrierstostrategydevelopment:

Challengesandneeds

Beyondunderstandingthemainweaknessesoforganizations'strategy

developmentapproach,thestudyalsoattemptstouncoverwhat

keepsthemfromdevelopingeffectivestrategies.Businessleaders

wereaskedaboutthemostsignificantbarrierstosuccessfulstrategydevelopmentintheirorganizations.

As47%oforganizationsreported,apreferenceforoperating

reactivelyisthemainbarriertoeffectivestrategydevelopment.Variousfactorscouldcausethisperception:

AlackofunderstandingofthestrategyacrosstheorganizationStafffeelthatthestrategyisdisconnectedfromthereality

ontheground

IncompleteorinconsistentcommunicationofthestrategyUnrealisticgoalsandexpectations

Regardlessofthecause,thisundermineslong-termstrategicobjectivesinfavorofshort-termoperationalconcerns.

Closelyrelated,36%oforganizationshaveidentifiedresistanceto

organizationalchangeasacriticalobstacletostrategydevelopmentThisindicatesculturalinflexibility,alackofadaptability,orafear

ofchange.

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Butit'snotallaboutresistance—it'salsoabouthavingthemeans

todevelopnewstrategies.Resourceallocation,orthelackthereof,

isalsofeaturedonthelistofchallenges.Insufficientresourcesor

budgetwereflaggedby39%oforganizationsasasignificantbarriertostrategydevelopment.

Barrierstostrategydevelopment

Welackcoordinationanddiscussionamongbusinessunitsand/orfunctions

Discussionsanddecisionspredominatelyoccuratthehighestlevelsoftheorganization

Theprocessallowsforinappropriateinfluence,biases,andpersonalagendas

Westruggletoidentifyandfocusonthemostimportantstrategicissues

Theprocessfailstoaligntheorganizationwiththestrategicplan

Theprocessisinefficientandtime-consuming

Wehaveinsufficientmarket/competitiveintelligence

Weareunabletomonitorcurrentprogressagainstthestrategicplan

Welacktheskillsandknowledgetodevelopeffectivestrategies

Theresearchalsorevealedaclearcorrelationbetweenorganizationalperformanceandtheclarityofstrategicvisionanddirection.Below-averageperformingorganizationsaresubstantiallymorelikely(42%)tociteunclearstrategicvisionanddirectionasabarriertostrategy

developmentthantheirabove-averageperformingcounterparts

(19%).Asimilardifferencepersistswhenlookingatorganizations

thatprefertooperatereactively:50%ofbelow-averageperformers

acknowledgethisasasignificantbarriercomparedtojust39%ofthehighperformers.

Theseresultshighlightthecorrelationbetweenstrategicclarity,

proactivechange,andorganizationalperformance.Overcomingthesebarrierscouldhelporganizationsbetterdeveloptheirstrategyand

enhancetheirlong-termperformance.

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Barrierstostrategydevelopmentandorganizationalperformance

Unclearstrategicvisionanddirection

22%

22%

Preferenceforoperatinginareactivemannerandnotprioritizingstrategicperspectives

22%

22%

●Belowaverageorgperformance

●Wellaboveaverageorgperformance

Outsourcingstrategyfunctions:Whatandwhydocompanies

doit?

Mostorganizations(74%)outsourceatleastoneaspectoftheirstrategydevelopmentprocess.Externalstrategyconsultantscanhelporganizationsfillsomeofthecriticalgapsintheirstrategy

developmentandapointofviewthatisperceivedtobemoreunbiasedandcredible.

74%

outsourceatleastoneaspectoftheirstrategydevelopmentprocess.

Themostcommonlyoutsourcedstrategyworkstreamsincludemarket/competitiveanalysisandenvironmental/trendanalysis,respectively,by49%and36%oforganizations.

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Thesetwoworkstreamsrepresentasubstantialshareoftheanalysisoftheexternalstrategiccontextofthebusiness.Outsourcingtheseactivitiesisunderstandableastheyrequiresignificanttime,specificexpertise,andproficiencyinhandlingandinterpretinglargevolumesofinformation.

Notsurprisingly,businessleadersciteaccesstospecialized