Tactics and Strategy

[CHasR]

STOP! STOP! SURRENDER!!! I've seen enough of these knees!!!

[talasiga]

Basically, one could say that strategy is the plan or method, and tactics are the maneuvers themselves.

But that's the problem. Suppose the goal, say Napoleon's, was to take Russia. Simplifying more than somewhat, mightn't the strategy be to first take Germany, then Poland then Russia. Then the tactics look like whatever you have to do to take Germany ... then Poland .... then Russia. But taking Germany would have been a big undertaking, send these battalions here, those there, do this then that. Why aren't these moves part of Napoleon's strategy for taking Germany? At what point of dividing plans into subplans does strategy end and tactics begin? Big manoeuvres simply look like small strategies. Or what's strategy for a battalion might be tactics for Napoleon.

I've no idea if this is Dale's concern but it bugs me.

I don't think that a plan is specific or exclusive to either. One can a have tactical plan and one can have a strategic plan.

A tactic is a mechanical thing, a drill, or mode of action, a manoever with predictable components. One can have a plan about these things, not only what they look like but also how they may be implemented (in what sequence etc).

A strategic plan is a plan about overall approach of the goal. It will have specific things in it but will also map (or allow) for potentialities and adjustments.

[Doug_Tipple]

You might want to represent the relationship of the overlapping meanings of "tactics" and "strategy" with a Venn diagram used in mathematical set theory. One circle will represent all of the meanings of the word "tactics", and another circle will represent all of the meanings of the word "strategy". The circles overlap in an area where meanings tend to be shared between the two words. With a Venn diagram it is easier to visualize the relationships of the words' meanings.

[Cynth]

Cool, so let's say A is all the meanings of the word "tactics"
and B is all the meanings of the word "strategy".

So Dale....are you gettting the difference yet?

[Mitch]

When I was doing stuff for non-whistle megaliths, I had to devise a working definition for Strategic and Tactical.

To do this I proposed another layer: Operational.

Strategic is the why and where.

Tactical is the how.

Operational is the what (and who).

Knowing why you are doing something sets your identity and attitude (vector - I am this, I am here, I am going there). This also pertains to changing a vector (I was going there but now I can see a better place to go).

Once a strategy is set, all planning and decision making are tactical (how should I get there - what are the best steps? What tools/skills do I have and what tools/skills will I need - And how will I get them?). This occurs at all levels and grains and is never strategic.

Operation is the execution of the plan (ah - this is not a nail - it is a screw - I will need a screwdriver {should I waste time picking up a screwdriver when this hammer is already in my hand?} ). In the absence of a new plan, operation is the repetition of learned transactions.

Edited to add: The identity is the only relative part of it. Any entity can have a strategy - strategy is defined by entity. Entities have relative grain-sizes. One can argue that one entity can be subordinate to another - in such a case, the strategy of the subordinate can easily be misconstrued as a tactic or operation of the superior - big mistake

[talasiga]

....
Once a strategy is set, all planning and decision making are tactical (how should I get there - what are the best steps? What tools/skills do I have and what tools/skills will I need - And how will I get them?). This occurs at all levels and grains and is never strategic.

......

"Once a strategy is set ....."
Hmmm. We're back to Dale's dilemma again, aren't we?
We can talk about tactics to settle a strategy ......

What I am trying (badly) to argue is that these terms are not absolute and the semantic difference will be elicited by the context.

You are having a meeting to discuss a strategy for marketing whistles and you settle on a strategy and then you discuss the tactics or specific manouvers you will be undertake to effect the strategy.

But the meeting is fruitless because the Board could not agree on a single strategy. And so we call another meeting to devise a methodology for settling a strategy. And some guy from the Metroplitan Chaos School Of Business Management does a workshop about strategising and everyone takes home reams of prescriptions about strategising.

The next morning they come back to the meeting with drawings of ships and slaves and Sphinxes and things and later certificates are handed out and drinks are drunk.

TO BE CONTINUED ......

[jim stone]

So, where do logistics fit into the Big Picture?

[Mitch]

Ah, I see Talasiga was at my CSBM workshop! (How did the Sphinxes work-out?). I had some more thought on the subject - next workshop is on defining entity by objective and objective by entity. The granularity resides with the entity. You will need a new Sphynx and some crayons.

So, where do logistics fit into the Big Picture?

Hi Jim, I'm glad you asked. Logistics is essentially operational. However, there are a number of strategies governing how it works - each with a set of tactics:

THe superior entity's strategy is "To gain competitive advantage by having the cheapest, fastest, most accurate way of deploying whistles to the market - thereby making more money for drinks and my new harbor-side marina." The Logistics department manager's strategy is "To build a client empire funded by the host in such a way that the client empire can detach itself quietly while no one is looking." The supply-clerk's strategy is "To survive this hell-pit another year and take retirement by not filling the warehouse with F# fipples again." The warehouse manager's strategy is "To make the director's snot-nosed little excuse for an gainfully-employed son's life as painful as possible while he's here in my team - thereby satisfying his refusal to understand why he can't get ahead in life". The forklift-driver's strategy is to win the whistle-squashing competition by repeatedly bumping the corner pallet with the fork every time he passes untill the cardboard wears away and some new victims find their way to the floor. The delivery-truck-driver's strategy is to obtain more sex by altering his delivery rout to pass by his regulars and distributing free whistles that escaped the squashing competition he runs back at the warehouse."

All quite simple really

[talasiga]

So, where do logistics fit into the Big Picture?

This question is a tactic IMO.