Preface
Strategic Management is now a well-established academic discipline that encompasses a fast-growing literature and a considerable number of widely acclaimed models to elaborate strategies. However, the daily practice of strategic management sometimes deviates from theoretical prescriptions.
Several factors may explain these deviations (or even distortions): difficulties in implementing theoretical frameworks, lack of knowledge from practitioners, or even sometimes the mere conviction that theoretical models are of little interest.
The class must be seen as a Practitioner’s View on strategy. It aims at giving some insight into how to formulate, articulate and implement strategies in firms. This will also be the occasion to illustrate the role of strategists in firms and/or consultancies.
Neither the class nor these notes are trying to be comprehensive and many aspects will not be covered. However, this document will meet its objectives if it makes you reflect on some of the many issues of strategy elaboration, perhaps brings you to question the proposed solutions and above all, invites you to seek your own answers.
Why This Site ?
Designing suitable slides is always a dilemma. Slides can be made self-sufficient and self-readable, but if so, what is the point of presenting them? By contrast, one can prepare more visual, possibly more enjoyable, slides that focus on the most salient points only but are of little use without additional explanations and can barely be referred to, outside the class.
My preferred solution to escape this dilemma is to have both slides for the class and additional lecture notes (usually covering more aspects that can be discussed during the class). Students can then decide to revise some of the notions after the class.
Author, Actor or Assembler
Strictly speaking, I am the author of these pages, as I wrote them. However I borrowed many aspects from books and articles (including some verbatim). Therefore I’m also a curator or assembler of existing texts.
Indeed, this site aims at sharing my personal experience and thoughts as well as providing students with reference elements & materials that I have found useful as a practitioner. I try to stress very clearly in the text when I refer to existing materials or quote scholars.
Credentials
I’m an executive with broad business acumen and sound experience gained from various industries (Internet & Telecom, Consulting, Aerospace & Defense). Over the course of my career, I held several positions as strategists (strategic marketing, procurement strategy, vice president for corporate strategy, vice president for digital strategy) among other roles.
I teach Strategy on Master’s degree programs (MA International Management, MSc Strategy) at Toulouse University’s graduate school of management (Toulouse Capitole University - UT1). I am also regularly speakng at conferences or executive education programs.
License
This is licensed under Creative Common, for non-commercial, no derivatives, Version 4.0 (the “License”); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You can copy and redistribute the material, providing that you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes where made. You may not use the material for any commercial purpose.
Credits
The site draws from my readings and hands-on experience over the years. I try to give credit when credit is due, however, and despite the efforts, I may have unwillingly missed some references and/or forgotten some sources. Should you detect such an omission, please let me know and I will happily remediate.
Caveat
NO WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied, is given.