Session 9: Competitive Advantage and the Strategy Development Process:
Where to Begin?
The
Issue:
Few
Southern African countries have an integrated national export
strategy. Even fewer have one that works. Why?
Among the key
constraints to effective export strategy making are:
§
The
absence of a working partnership between the public and private
sectors; and
-
The limited familiarity of strategy-makers with relevant “process”
and “decision-support” tools.
The Proposition:
A
comprehensive “process” tool which takes the strategy-making team
through all stages of strategy-making – from formation of the
strategy team to presentation of the final strategy document for
political endorsement, will catalyze the development of national
export strategies in Southern African countries.
The Secrets of
Strategy Template may represent such a tool.
Focus of the debate:
Following a brief introduction to the Secrets of Strategy Template,
debate will focus on the applicability of the tool in the Southern
African context. Particular emphasis will be on how it can be used
and improved?
