Flexibility and Confirmity in Behaviours

It has already been expressed that which type of strategy will play what type of role. However, the different conceptions with varying degree of abstractness shall play different roles depending upon the degree of abstractness.

For example, if the abstract form goes as high as the level of dreams and vision, the function which acts for conformity of behaviour, may delink. However, it is possible to make behaviour more flexible because it becomes possible to approve conflicting and contradiction concepts and behaviours. Further, if it is possible to make expressions which touch the human it can play the role of mobilising the psychological energy of human beings. In relation to the function for conformation of behaviour, the idea as well as concept are at a lower level as compared to plan and the budget. However, as a result of co-existence of idea and concept, it becomes possible to know how to perform and at the same time the knowledge and the information regarding why it should be performed in that manner also becomes common. As a result, it may be possible to obtain to some extent the flexibility and conformity of behaviours at this level simultaneously.

The plan and budget which forms the most concrete level, can play the function of conforming of behaviour and decision making at various points of time in different departments of an enterprise. However, in order to ensure the flexibility and to have the functions where mobilising the psychological energy of human beings is important, it may be necessary to probably go even below high level of abstract form.

The conception level strategy has different functions which can be played depending upon the difference in the degree of embodiment. Consequently, it can be said that various types of embodiment level conceptions are necessary in order to accomplish the different types of functions.

Level of Abstractness and Embodiment

The highest degree of abstract form of a concept is to have a dream of becoming like a particular company. In the example of decision regarding entry into the American market by Honda, this type of dream formed the background. It is debatable whether it is suitable to call it a strategy or not. However, it can certainly be called as a strategy with highest degree of abstract form.

A slightly concrete form of dream takes the dream to the level of vision. This is an expression through which it is explained in simple terms. What type of company one would like to be or what shape one wants to give to the company. A vision is always guided from the insight concerning the changes taking place in the world. As described earlier and mentioned in the example of Honda also, Mr. Fuzisawa had an insight that the consumer culture will propogate all over the world from America and on the basis of the insight, he could arrive at a vision that the car should succeed in America first.

A level in which vision is expressed in the form of concrete figures is the management target e.g. the “Global Ten” of Toyota automobile is a concept in which it aims at capturing 10 % market share in the world market. This is concrete figure through which Toyota has expressed what type of company it would like to become.

The “idea” is a further concrete level of conception. It gives a hint of how the dream, vision, management target are to be expressed. If the concrete idea is for materialising a problem or the target is not available, the conception ends up in simple effort target only.

A further concrete shape given to the “idea” is the “concepts”. A concept expresses in very concise form, what type of products or services are to be provided to what type of customers in what manner. Probably. This level is the most suitable one to call strategy of conception.

The conception level strategy is given further concrete from at the plan (medium and long term plan) level. Budget expresses it in the form of figures and is a further concrete level. These levels also express the future conceptions and from this point of view it can be considered that these are included in the conception level strategy.

One of the reasons for giving generic names to these strategies is the nature of abstract conception which forms the intermediate product and semi-products which give birth to concrete plan and budget. The abstract dream or the vision takes concrete shape gradually and forms products plan and budget for the concrete final products. From this point of view, probably it can be considered that the conceptions of different level of abstraction play different roles.

Level of Embodiment of Management Strategy

In this text, the management strategy is used as a concept for the future. However, the concept type strategy is formed on the bases of factors with different degree of abstractness.