KMGT 710: Strategic Alignment Among Levels in Organizations Essay

This essay critically evaluates the importance of aligning strategy among different levels of an organization, examining how strategic lenses can affect this alignment. It delves into the challenges organizations face in crafting strategy, the manifestation of operational and strategic issues at various levels, and the strengths and limitations of different strategic lenses. The essay also discusses how managers can determine an appropriate lens or approach to strategy. Drawing upon learning resources and prior experience, the analysis emphasizes the need for balance and coordination across all organizational levels to ensure effective strategy implementation. The author reflects on their experience in the Masters of Science in Management program at the University of Liverpool, highlighting the benefits of collaboration and knowledge sharing within a global online learning community.

Running head: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Alignment amongst all levels of an organization is as important as maintaining the
alignment of the organization and its strategies (Friedli, Mundt and Thomas 2014). The
smooth running of an organization depends upon the level of communication amongst each
external and internal processes, throughout the managerial levels.
Aligning strategies of a Company with its employees on one hand, and external
dependents on the other, is a complex and herculean task. The various challenges faced in the
process of applying strategies include aligning the strategies of a Company with the changing
business scenario and evolving business goals, as well as within the managerial and
production processes.
The operational sector of a business management includes the Production, Logistics,
IT, Finance, Marketing, Sales and Services processes. All the Value-driven activities that
help with the delivery of services are categorised under the operational sector. The strategy
engine of a company looks after the maximisation of the utility of resources applied. The
strategy analyses external market scenario and suggests potential changes that could align the
external conditions with the internal organizational strategy. A balance between the two
sectors would ensure a smooth running of an organization, taking care of the quantity as well
as the quality of production.
Strategy lenses are the four distinguished angles from which an organizational
strategy can be analysed—design, experience, idea and discourse (Balogun et al. 2014). The
design lens carefully evaluates the external and internal opportunities and threats of a
company and hence helps to devise an appropriate strategy and clear direction. However,
most of this is used in top-managerial levels, alienating the rest of the operational process
employees. The experience lens looks at company strategies in light of previous strategies,
practical experiences, culture, and values. This approach is more accurate than design lens

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but runs the risk of drifting into undesirable circumstances in the process of practical
implementation. The lens of idea emphasizes on innovation and diversity of ideas with the
changing market environment. It stresses on the way the internal members of the organization
handle and respond to the changes in external and internal environment (Wong and Bajuri
2013). The lens of discourse looks at various available possibilities and chooses the most
appropriate approach based on its legitimacy and rationality.
It is important to strike a balance amongst all these lenses so that none of the
conflicting strategies remains in the system (Dameron and Torset 2014). Too much emphasis
in any one less would mean the exclusion of some other. In an ideal business setup, all four
lenses are used to evaluate the strategies of a Company.
As a curious student of business management and an aspiring business
entrepreneur, enrolling for Masters of Science in Management programme at the
University of Liverpool enabled and inspired me in more than one ways. It opened me
the scope to participate in a global, online community of learners from all over the world.
This exposure calls for a healthy transaction of ideas and knowledge, helping with an over-all
progress. It connected me with other employees who share similar professional goals and
interests. Working and learning with like-minded people enhances the effectiveness of
knowledge. This helped me collaborate with various perspectives and new ideas in order to
achieve the desired goals. Overcoming practical challenges with the help and support from
fellow colleagues would give space for sharing concerns regarding how to perform better as
an online Master’s student. Therefore, joining this particular course has been immensely
helpful for me.

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References
Balogun, J., Jacobs, C., Jarzabkowski, P., Mantere, S. and Vaara, E., 2014. Placing strategy
discourse in context: Sociomateriality, sensemaking, and power. Journal of Management
Studies, 51(2), pp.175-201.
Dameron, S. and Torset, C., 2014. The discursive construction of strategists' subjectivities:
Towards a paradox lens on strategy. Journal of Management Studies, 51(2), pp.291-319.
Friedli, T., Mundt, A. and Thomas, S., 2014. Strategic management of global manufacturing
networks: Aligning strategy, configuration, and coordination. Springer.
Wong, Y.C. and Bajuri, N.H., 2013. Corporate governance: Board structure, information
technology and csr reporting. Sains Humanika, 64(2).