Strategic Management Tools and Techniques Usage: a Qualitative Review

Abstract

This paper is one of the few studies to review the empirical literature on strategic management tools and techniques usage. There are many techniques, tools and methods, models, frameworks, approaches and methodologies, available to support strategic managers in decision making. They are developed and designed to support managers in all stages of strategic management process to achieve better performance. Management schools provide knowledge of these tools. But their use in organizations should be seen in practice‑based context. Consequently, some questions arise: Do they use these strategic tools and techniques in their workplace? Which strategic tools and techniques are used more in organizations? To answer these questions we have made a review of empirical studies using textual narrative synthesis method. Initially, this study presents a tabulation with a summary of empirical research for the period 1990–2015. The included studies are organized clustering them by enterprise size and sector and by country level development. A synopsis of the ten most used strategic tools and techniques worldwide resulted as follows: SWOT analysis, benchmarking, PEST analysis, “what if” analysis, vision and mission statements, Porter’s five forces analysis, business financial analysis, key success factors analysis, cost‑benefit analysis and customer satisfaction.

Keywords

• strategic tools and techniques usage
• strategic planning tools
• empirical evidence
• narrative synthesis