Bueno, Morcillo and Salmador (2005) propose a universal meaning of the word strategy, whatever the field this term is used in. To achieve this, these authors ask themselves, what are the areas in which the word strategy is used and what are the characteristics that explain these fields and are common to them? And, based on the answers to these questions, what can be the conceptual proposal of a universal nature of strategy?
Regarding the first question, the following four main domains observed throughout history should be highlighted:
- Military actions or war (initial origin of strategy).
- Politics.
- Games in general and sports.
- The economy, and more specifically, business.
In each one of these fields, the use of strategy, both in theory and in practice, has been something characteristic and relevant.
Regarding the second question, the following table lists the conceptual characteristics or factors common to the four areas mentioned above.
The first common characteristic refers to the environment or setting in which the actions in each area take place. This environment is made up of a set of external variables or factors that cannot be directly controlled by the strategist, although they can be predictable to a certain extent based on the information, experience and capabilities available to the strategist.
The second common feature refers to the situation of rivalry, conflict of interest or competition between the agents involved in each area. This situation is subject to certain explicit or implicit rules of the game or criteria for action, which are generic for the opponents and will regulate their actions or behaviour.
The third common trait refers to the objective system of the participants in each area, which can be summarized as aiming at winning or achieving victory, reaching a coalition or agreement with other opponents, or growing or improving their position in their field of activity. The achievement of this system of objectives influences the behaviour of the participants and implies having to carry out intelligent behaviour in order to interpret the situation and apply the appropriate actions.
Finally, the fourth common characteristic expresses the need for resources and capabilities to achieve the desired results in each area. The combination of these four common characteristics, the first two being of an external nature to the agent involved and the last two of an internal nature, finds coherence and logic in the following expression that synthesizes them: the strategic challenge (see following figure). This expression constitutes the conceptual foundation from which the concept and general justification of the strategy is built.
If the environment is stable and the degree of competition is low, the strategic challenge situation is weak. If, on the contrary, the environment is rapidly changing and highly competitive, the strategic challenge is strong.
Based on the strategic challenge construct, a universal concept of strategy can be configured, thus providing an answer to the third and last question initially posed. In this way, strategy can be defined as the response to this singular situation which we have called the strategic challenge. More specifically: “strategy implies a way of using resources, in accordance with specific capabilities, based on the conditioning factors of a competitive environment and in order to achieve a set of objectives or goals”.
If you are interested in going deeper into the strategic process, allow me to recommend you: - Book: "The strategic process of the firm: Theory and cases" (Roch, 2024). - Courses and consulting program on the strategic process.
