ERP and e-Commerce
During 1990s’, the popular method of exchanging information between trading partners were Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and all major ERP vendors added EDI facilities to their products. However, EDI did not achieve its desired outcome as each organization needs its customized EDI (to account for its unique data format), high set up cost (requiring privately […]
Employee Relationship Management (ERM) through Information System
Introduction Employee relationship management is management of relationship between employees and employers. It is made up of initiatives which improve employee morale and loyalty towards the company. Employee relationship management approach looks to maintain effective relationship through three way approach of continuous communication, conflict resolution and employee development. Importance of Employee Relationship Management Employee is […]
Internal Planning for Effective Operations in Warehousing Projects
Globally outsourcing 3PL Market is growing fast. In the US, the industry is expected to reach over $150 billion as compared to a global estimate standing at $450 billion as per industry experts estimates. Companies aiming for aggressive growth in global scenario recognize the need to partner with 3PL logistics providers to be able to […]
Global Race between American and Chinese Firms for Profitability and Survival
The Global Race between American and Chinese Firms There is an intense and uber competitive race going on between American and Chinese firms for profitability and indeed, sheer survival. Ever since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 hit the world economy, transnational firms have seen their profits dip, and indeed, some of them had to […]
International Trade Integration
No doubt international trade has existed spanning civilizations, in the current global economic situation no country can keep away without participating in international trade. Countries are moving cautiously away from capitalistic and protectionist outlook and engaging in trade with other countries. With the creation of WTO, there have been constant efforts made to unite countries […]
These are the top level processes that an organization is exposed to. These include tasks that need a high level of intellectual capability and will have wide spread effects in the structure and functioning of the organization. The nature of these processes can be compared to those that the human brain performs.
Here are some of the characteristic features of these processes and what makes them so challenging and interesting.
A strategic process is concerned with making decisions. Decisions are made only after data from various sources is received. This data is received from both within the organization as well as from the environment outside the organization. To add to this, it is the job of the management to ensure that the data is relevant and credible. Hence strategic processes face a data overload and also a possibility that the data may be incorrect. It is this decision making in the face of uncertainty that makes designing a strategic process challenging.
It is quite possible that an organization may have all the data related to the decision at hand, but it may not have the expertise to make sense of the data. For instance, in hindsight everyone sees the Sub-prime mortgage crisis as inevitable, but some of the brightest managers in the world could not see it coming despite the obvious signals in the data.
Strategic processes therefore must also ensure that the relevant skills are present in the system in the form of human or artificial intelligence that will help convert data into actionable information. A big leap forward in this regard is the idea of business intelligence systems.
Even when actionable information is available in front of the management in the form of alternatives, the payoffs are unknown and uncertain. This is what makes it difficult to create a science of decision making which is right now an art.
There are some who believe that strategic processes cannot be dehumanized. Although they are processes, they still are dependant on people and their intellectual capability. A standard operating procedure in this regard is only as possible as the standard operating procedure to attain greatness or nirvana!
Proponents of this theory believe that a skillful team is required at least at the top. This is justified as the reason behind outrageous executive compensations. However there are others in the field of artificial intelligence who are trying to find a mental model that can replicate the intelligence of these great business leaders and make it process oriented.
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Continuous Improvement and Business Process Re-Engineering
February 12, 2025
