Thinking of the strategist kenichi omae. Kenichi Ohmae's book Strategic Thinking: The Japanese Art of Business

Kenichi Ohmae is called "Mr. Strategy". He was awarded the title of "The Only Japanese Management Guru" by the Financial Times, and the magazine The Economist included him in the top five experts in the field of business management.

From the publisher: For two decades, a book written by a world-famous business strategist
howl Kenichi Ohmae, has become a classic. Ohmae clearly and accurately explains the reasons for the successful strategies of some companies, reveals their business thinking processes and planning methods. The book shows how focusing on the main elements strategic plan- corporation, consumers and competitors - helps
companies to win. Ohmae's classic work contains many illustrative examples of strategic thinking and never ceases to inspire managers at all levels to reach new heights of bold and creative strategic thought.

Author's Note: Every year in April, the Japanese edition of this book experiences another wave of sales. It took me a while to understand why this is happening. In 1975, when The Thinking of a Strategist was first published in Japan, I was 32 years old. Today, these people are in the highest positions in their companies and offer to read my book to university graduates, who usually come to them in April.
In fact, they could give young employees any of the three dozen books I've written that have since come out in Japan, but The Mind of the Strategist is definitely the favorite. Perhaps one of the reasons for this is that when the book was first published, Japan - at least corporate - was not doing very well.
We were simultaneously experiencing an oil crisis and a crisis of self-confidence. We were perceived as a country of "imitators", a nation incapable of inventing something truly new, which can only "do a little better or cheaper." My book refutes this view. It talked about how to be creative in creating new strategies, in developing new products and services. It spoke of "degrees of freedom" rather than modes of imitation.
Young Japanese managers took my ideas as a guide to action. Many of my proposals for new directions in the development of cameras, consumer electronics, cars, office equipment were successfully implemented. But more importantly, the ability to create truly new strategies and products is firmly rooted in corporate culture Japanese companies. So every year in April, my old friends and readers who now run these companies use my book The Thinking of a Strategist to introduce newcomers to the basics of creative strategic thinking. In the United States, The Thinking of a Strategist was published in 1982. In the American edition, the emphasis was slightly different, because in the United States there was a different problem: America has always been a country of pioneers and inventors, not imitators. But at the same time, this country was in a tight grip
obsession with strategic planning, especially management personnel. In the boardrooms and executive offices of companies, all sorts of tricks flourished - matrices, logic diagrams, diagrams with circles and arrows, graphs. The attention of American managers was almost entirely focused on how to get ahead of the competition. And they paid too little attention to consumers and their own technological and organizational advantages.

Cult since 1982 strategic planning in the US began to weaken, and companies returned the strategy to where it should be - in the hands of operational managers. And, of course, today no manager in the US admits that he is focused on anything other than his clients.
Yet something is missing in the thinking of many American managers in terms of developing new products and strategies. How else can one explain the existing abuse of brand extension and so few innovative products and services? Probably more copies of this book should be sold in the US in September.
Those of you who have read my other books - "Triad Power", "Beyond National Borders", "The Borderless World"] know that I opponent of governments and bureaucrats, but believe in people and companies. I believe that the Berlin Wall was destroyed by new wonderful goods that came across the border, and in-
formation about them, not diplomacy and political doctrine. Strategic thinking is an extremely powerful weapon, a laser beam that, if given the freedom, will erase all boundaries and form a single economic space where people can create new things, compete freely and consume the best of what is produced in the world.

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To Marvin Bauer, my role model, with admiration.

Ginny, Sookie and Hiroki, my family, with love.

Kenichi Ohmae

Thinking of a strategist

The art of business in Japanese

BBK 65.291.21; 62.291.213 0 57

Published with the assistance of Stins Coman

Translator I. Evstigneev Scientific editor G. N. Konstantinov Editor V. Grigoryeva

O 57 Strategic Thinking: The Japanese Art of Business / Kenichi Ohmae; Per. from English - M.: Alpina Business Books, 2007. - 215 p.

ISBN 978-5-9614-0565-1

In two decades, the book written by world-famous business strategist Kenichi Ohmae has become a classic.

Ohmae clearly and precisely explains the reasons for the successful strategies of some companies, reveals their business thinking processes and planning methods. The book shows how focusing on the main elements of a strategic plan—corporation, customers, and competitors—helps a company win.

Ohmae's classic work contains many illustrative examples of strategic thinking and never ceases to inspire managers at all levels to reach new heights of bold and creative strategic thought.

BBK 65.291.21; 62.291.213

ISBN 978-5-9614-0565-1 (Russian) ISBN 0-07-047904-6 (English)

McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1982.

Publication in Russian, translation, design.

Alpina Business Books LLC, 2007

To readers

It was a pleasure to read this book, which, like Mr. Ohmae's previous bestsellers, in my opinion, will be a great success in the business literature market. The author perfectly feels the fabric and logic of what he is talking about, and therefore things that are difficult to perceive in his presentation become simple and understandable.

Can we see in the book new recommendations and provisions that no one has previously voiced? Maybe the author gives unique business examples? Or does Japanese management somehow dissect in a new way (experience, traditions, etc.), revealing previously unnoticed features?

The sophisticated reader will not find significant novelty in what he has read. What is the surprising attractiveness of the approaches, ideologemes and methods proposed by the author? Apparently, in that he offers a fresh look at the WAY to think, ask questions, make decisions.

After reading this book, I began to ask the question “Why?” more often, questioning conventional wisdom and thus eliminating bottlenecks that block the path to fundamental improvements. Only with this approach, serious breakthroughs in achieving business goals are possible.

What is strategic thinking? We operate with this concept so often that we seem to understand it well. This is really clear and simple, but at the same time extremely difficult.

Let's try to honestly answer ourselves: how often do we achieve the goals that we set for ourselves (the team) as managers? Isn't there a heartfelt truth here?

We think we know the answer to the question "What is a strategy?". Here is how experienced and very advanced middle and top managers respond to it:

Long-term planning;

Integrated planning;

Planning of the most important projects;

Prospects for the development of the company;

The order in which resources are allocated.

As you can see, not all managers have the right idea about the strategy.

And to a greater extent, strategy interests us not as a concept or even as a technology, it interests us as a practical skill, as the ability to think and act in a special way.

Moreover, we are not interested in just strategy (in the above context), but in a constantly changing situation. By answering the question “What is a strategy?”, It will be easier for us to understand what strategic thinking is.

We found out that this is not planning (at least not only planning). However, the role that planning plays in shaping strategy needs to be understood. E. Grove said it well: “You have to plan the way the fire department does: you can’t predict where the next fire will be. Therefore, they form an energetic and efficient fire brigade that can respond in both normal and unforeseen situations.”

The weapon of a strategist is strategic thinking, consistency and perseverance. Armed with these qualities and relying on assistants who supply him necessary knowledge and information, the strategist has what it takes to create a clear, beautiful strategy that cuts through the confusion and bottlenecks that have led the company into trouble. There is no need for ingenious "jumps and punches". The task of the strategist is to clarify goals, identify problems, find ideas and solutions that will change the market situation for the company, its resource allocation system or any other area (where existing practices have become ossified and ineffective), and thus give the company an impetus to move in the right direction. .

One of the methods that the strategist uses is very simple - to challenge conventional wisdom with the question "Why?". This question should be asked to those responsible for existing method business, and ask so long and often until they hate to hear it. This is the only way to get to the bottlenecks that block the path to fundamental improvements, and by eliminating them, make possible serious breakthroughs in achieving business goals.

When a company reaches this stage, the search for strategic measures becomes imperative.

Strategic thinking, the author rightly believes, is the ability to think creatively and actively, generate dynamic ideas and goals. In a word, this is talent. However, there are ways in which the “strategist mindset” can be replicated, copied by people who may lack natural talent in this area. In other words, there is no "secret formula" or "military secret" by which to form effective goals and build successful strategies.

The lack of some kind of "specific talent" is not an insurmountable obstacle, but there are a number of approaches and methods, the use of which allows one to generate excellent strategic ideas. The author says: "I have tried to provide you with tips and tricks that will help you develop the skill and habit of thinking strategically." One of the most important tips deserves special attention: to form groups of young “samurai” within the corporation who should become real corporate strategists - giving free rein to the imagination and entrepreneurial talent, they should generate daring innovative strategic ideas and, at the same time, perform the functions of full-time analysts, test, systematize and prioritize ideas, and help line managers implement approved strategies.

“Genuine strategic thinking contrasts sharply with traditional mechanical systematic approach based on linear thinking. But it also contrasts with a purely intuitive approach, when conclusions are drawn without any rational analysis,” the author states, illustrating step by step, example by example, the methodology of system analysis.

The strategic thinker first of all seeks to clearly understand the individual nature of each element of the situation and then uses the full potential of the human mind to reintegrate these elements in the most beneficial way for himself.

When confronted with problems, the strategic thinker breaks them down into their component parts. Analysis is the critical starting point of strategic thinking. Then, having studied the meaning of each element, he reassembles them in such a way as to maximize his advantage.

In business, as on a battlefield, the goal of strategy is to create conditions that are most favorable to one's side, choosing the right moment to attack or retreat, and always accurately assessing the limits of compromise.

A corporate strategy that aims at a company's market position involves trying to effective way strengthen the position of the company in comparison with competitors.

But I believe that the term "strategy" should denote actions aimed directly at strengthening the position of the company. We must distinguish between these activities and those aimed at achieving operational improvements (improving profitability, simplifying organizational structure, the introduction of more efficient management practices or the best training personnel).

To Marvin Bauer, my role model, with admiration.

Ginny, Sookie and Hiroki, my family, with love.

Kenichi Ohmae

Thinking of a strategist

The art of business in Japanese

BBK 65.291.21; 62.291.213 0 57

Published with the assistance of Stins Coman

Translator I. Evstigneeva Scientific editor G. N. Konstantinov Editor V. Grigoryeva

O 57 Strategic Thinking: The Japanese Art of Business / Kenichi Ohmae; Per. from English - M.: Alpina Business Books, 2007. - 215 p.

ISBN 978-5-9614-0565-1

In two decades, the book written by world-famous business strategist Kenichi Ohmae has become a classic.

Ohmae's classic work contains many illustrative examples of strategic thinking and never ceases to inspire managers at all levels to reach new heights of bold and creative strategic thought.

BBK 65.291.21; 62.291.213

ISBN 978-5-9614-0565-1 (Russian) ISBN 0-07-047904-6 (English)

McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1982.

Publication in Russian, translation, design.

Alpina Business Books LLC, 2007

To readers

What is strategic thinking? We operate with this concept so often that we seem to understand it well. This is really clear and simple, but at the same time extremely difficult.

Let's try to honestly answer ourselves: how often do we achieve the goals that we set for ourselves (the team) as managers? Isn't there a heartfelt truth here?

We think we know the answer to the question "What is a strategy?". Here is how experienced and very advanced middle and top managers respond to it:

Long-term planning;

Integrated planning;

Planning of the most important projects;

Prospects for the development of the company;

The order in which resources are allocated.

As you can see, not all managers have the right idea about the strategy.

And to a greater extent, strategy interests us not as a concept or even as a technology, it interests us as a practical skill, as the ability to think and act in a special way.

The weapon of a strategist is strategic thinking, consistency and perseverance. Armed with these qualities and supported by assistants who provide him with the necessary knowledge and information, the strategist is equipped to create a clear, beautiful strategy that will eliminate confusion and eliminate bottlenecks that have led the company to difficulties. There is no need for ingenious "jumps and punches". The task of the strategist is to clarify goals, identify problems, find ideas and solutions that will change the market situation for the company, its resource allocation system or any other area (where existing practices have become ossified and ineffective), and thus give the company an impetus to move in the right direction. .

Mister Strategy

Kenichi Ohmae is known worldwide as "Mr. Strategy". He is also called the modern incarnation of Adam Smith. And for good reason - Ohmae made a real discovery: he brought out the recipe for success of a true strategist, which allowed many leaders to make a breakthrough and make their companies great.

Successful business strategies are the result of a specific style of thinking that can be developed. It was this discovery that brought Kenichi Ohmae worldwide fame: The Economist magazine included him in the top five leading experts in the field of business management, and the Financial Times newspaper awarded him the title of "The only Japanese management guru."

Mr. Ohmae sees strategy not as the result of a standard planning process, but as a product of creativity. The recipe for the success of a true strategist is a combination of the analytical method and an inquisitive mind. And the second component is the most important. But can creativity be taught? Kenichi Ohmae believes that everything is in our hands, because “our ability to imagine, the ability to calculate hypothetical situations in our heads is incredible. Act as if your client is your chosen one. Imagine how you want to please him, impress him. Then your mind will start working properly.” Ohmae advises to think about each new problem as if it were new problem which no one has ever experienced before. This will help you to act unconventionally, to take steps that you have not taken before. Forget everything you read in textbooks. Look for answers yourself. Ask questions about each. Kenichi Ohmae is sure that "if you solve problems over and over again with your own original finds, you will become a real creator, a true strategist."

Strategic thinking cannot be taught, but it can be learned. In his book The Thinking of a Strategist, Kenichi Ohmae offers numerous ways, methods, strategies, and thought moves that a leader can use to develop a thinking style that generates excellent strategic ideas. Newspaper Financial Times listed this book as one of the 50 best books about business since The Art of Strategy written by the great Sun Tzu 2500 years ago.

Curriculum vitae

Kenichi Ohmae was born on the island of Kyushu in 1943. He was educated at Waseda University and Tokyo Institute of Technology. He holds a PhD in atomic engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Ohmae was a senior partner at McKinsey & Company for 23 years. Author of over a hundred books. Today, Kenichi Ohmae lectures all over the world, holds several prestigious positions at universities, and heads his own business school, Business Breakthrough. Lives in Yokohama with his wife and two children. At 64, Ohmae leads an active lifestyle: he drives a motor scooter, enjoys golf, sailing and diving. In addition, Kenichi is a talented clarinetist.

Analytical creativity

Genuine strategic thinking differs sharply from the traditional mechanical approach based on systems thinking. But it also differs from a purely intuitive approach, when conclusions are drawn without any rational analysis. If you rely only on logic and think linearly, your field of vision narrows. Your mind must be jumping - jumping allows you to get a bigger picture. But sometimes what you see is hard to digest. So, you need to return to reality and think about how you will bring your ideas to life. But if you are too deep into this process, your mind will slow down. This means that another leap is needed. Kenichi Ohmae compares the thought process to playing the accordion: you blow up the bellows and then compress them, which creates a balance between analytical creativity and creative analysis.

A win-win technique for finding a solution

People who have the talent to intuitively find the essence of the problem are very rare. Fortunately for everyone else, this can be done by following certain methods.

Method 1

We immediately formulate the question in such a way as to facilitate the search for a solution. If the right questions are asked in solution-oriented formulations, the end answer is likely to be the same, even if the search for it starts with different questions and arrives at different paths. For example, take the following situation: overtime has become a chronic phenomenon in the company. The question "What needs to be done to reduce overtime work? can be set only if the essence of the problem is defined and comprehended. It is more effective to phrase the question differently so that it is more solution-oriented: “Is the company enough work force to complete all necessary work? If not, then the solution is to increase the staff. If yes, then the problem is most likely in insufficient qualification of employees. This is not the only way to formulate a decision-oriented question. We can ask this way: “Are the abilities of the workers appropriate for the nature of the work they do?”. If not, the solution is to train existing workers or hire better ones. If yes, then the root of the problem is not in the character, but in the amount of work. So the solution is to hire additional staff.

Method 2

We use a "decision tree" - a method of narrowing the problem. The general problem is divided into two or more sub-questions that complement each other and cover the entire field of possible solutions. This process is then repeated for the sub-questions, and so on, until a level is reached where the sub-questions are amenable to solution without breaking down into constituents. Thus, even the problem that initially seemed too complicated and big is gradually broken down into a series of small and specific problems. The secret here is that each destination should contain a problem that can be solved.

Tools for developing successful strategies

The meaning of a business strategy (its difference from other types of business planning) is to create a real competitive advantage. If there are no competitors, then there is no need for a strategy. Japanese business owes its outstanding success to 4 methods, thanks to which a company can gain a significant advantage over competitors at affordable costs. The main thing in these methods is not to do on the same battlefield what competitors are doing, but to gain an advantage with the help of actions that are difficult for competitors to repeat or neutralize.

Method 1 - focusing on key factors success (KFU).

Thinking of the strategist kenichi omae. Kenichi Ohmae's book Strategic Thinking: The Japanese Art of Business

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