Strategic direction through burning issues

Large companies often consider and plan their strategic direction without the stimulus of a crisis. Indeed, it can be argued that much of the strategic planning being carried out is centred around the need to produce annual forecasts, and as such is referred to as the ‘‘annual corporate rain dance’. However, developing a strategic direction for individual product groups-groups of people associated with one product-within organisations appears to be considered less, as product groups take guidance from the organisation’s professed strategy and their budgetary requirements. This in itself is not a bad thing, ensuring that the product group at least to some extent follows the direction of the organisation. However, some product groups appear to be wanting to do more than this. These product groups appear to want to develop clear directions for themselves whilst ensuring that this direction does not conflict with any corporate strategy.