Is strategy development a linear process?
On paper, strategy is a logical and linear process moving steadily from Analysis to Planning to Implementation and finally to Evaluation. In real life, however, strategy is actually much more cyclical. In practice, there can be a lot of overlap between the different phases. For instance, you may have to start Implementing before you have totally completed your Planning. By the same token, you may be deep in the Implementation phase when circumstances change, forcing you to go back to make a new Plan and possibly even a new Analysis. Evaluation will take place at many points throughout the process, not just at the end. Strategies are cyclical because the situation around us is always changing. No one can predict the future and having a strategy cannot prevent circumstances from affecting your organisation. Having a strategy does not mean that you are trying to control the future. It means that you are anticipating and preparing for whatever the future may bring. The most effective strat
