A Plan Is Not a Strategy
Roger Martin distinguishes planning from strategy. Planning outlines activities and tasks within the company’s control, focused on resource allocation. It lacks competitive coherence. Strategy is an integrative set of choices that positions a company on a chosen playing field to win: a theory about why to compete in a particular market and how to outperform competitors. Unlike planning, strategy involves genuine uncertainty. Managers must accept they cannot control all variables, but a good strategy offers the best chance of significant success.