Strategic Management Defined

The term strategic management is used to refer to the entire scope of strategic-decision making activity in an organization. Strategic management as a concept has evolved over time and will continue to evolve. As result there are a variety of meanings and interpretations depending on the author and sources. For example, some scholars and practitioners the term strategic planning connote the total strategic management activities. Moreover, sometimes managers use the terms strategic management, strategic planning, and long-range planning interchangeable. Finally, some of the phrases are used interchangeably with strategic management are strategy and policy formulation, and business policy.

The following statements serve as a number of workable definitions of strategic management:
Strategic management is the process of managing the pursuit of organizational mission while managing the relationship of the organization to its environment (James M. Higgins).

Strategic management is defined as the set of decisions and actions resulting in the formulation and implementation of strategies designed to achieve the objectives of the organization (John A. Pearce II and Richard B. Robinson, Jr.).

Strategic management is the process of examining both present and future environments, formulating the organization's objectives, and making, implementing, and controlling decisions focused on achieving these objectives in the present and future environments (Garry D. Smith, Danny R. Arnold, Bobby G. Bizzell).

Strategic management is a continuous process that involves attempts to match or fit the organization with its changing environment in the most advantageous way possible (Lester A. Digman).

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