Discussion - Strategic Thinking

Who is responsible for strategic thinking? Do small business owners need to perform strategic planning or just large firms? Why do you think large companies would be willing to pay business students to propose solutions to their strategic dilemmas instead of relying on experienced business people? Think about the three levels of planning O, T, & S (do you remember these?).

Then place yourself in the shoes of the small business founder/owner (the Entrepreneur) and think though the discussion questions. After you have formulated your thoughts, then place yourself in the shoes of the large corporate business executive and walk through the decisions process again. Does your thought process change as you transition from one perspective to the other? Explain your thoughts on your answer. It is meant to be a mental exercise to help you to creatively view things from multiple perspectives.