What are strategy, tactics and strategic thinking? The difference between tactics and strategy in business using the example of the movie “Enter the Dragon”

Tactics and strategy. The difference between these concepts may seem insignificant at first glance. Perhaps someone will think that it does not exist at all. However, it is not. Different economic sciences and methods may give slightly different definitions from each other, but they all boil down to the fact that the difference between tactics and strategy is quite significant. In addition, these terms are used in a number of works on psychology and sociology, and their primary source is military affairs.

Tactics and strategy (difference) are quite broad concepts. Let's try to look at them and the main differences within the framework of this article.

Strategic management

This discipline is studied at higher education institutions educational institutions in specialties related to economics and management. The essence of strategic management is to become familiar with the existing various planning and organization methods that are used large enterprises, are used in the long and short term, for example, when managing production or marketing, and most often the general vector of development of the company.

This discipline provides a clear boundary between the definitions of “tactics and strategy.” The difference is significant and focuses on the above approaches related to short-term and long-term planning.

Despite the fact that not every company advertises the presence of such planning, the processes themselves take place and are classified according to various signs, which will be discussed below.

Tactics

In different literatures it is limited to different time frames. However, everyone points out that tactical management is tied to achieving goals over a shorter time period when compared with strategy. At the same time, the tactics of an enterprise can include many steps and branches, down to minor events. May cover such vital areas of the company as marketing, production, sales planning, personnel policy and others.

It is important to remember that tactics are a component of more global and serious processes, which will be discussed further.

Strategy

Strategy essentially defines what needs to be done, and tactics, in turn, answers the question of how the goal will be achieved.

Operational management

Sometimes confused with tactics, it is nevertheless different concepts. Operational management is the current activity in the company, in fact, those steps towards achieving any goal that are included in tactics.

Example operational management- management orders that must be carried out within a specifically designated period.

Socionics

A popular trend in psychology, the essence of which is that to different people different classifications are given in accordance with personal qualities. It is understood that assigning a type to an individual contributes to its more beneficial and correct integration into society. This applies, as a rule, to both career and relationships. This also includes perceptual features.

Socionics is often criticized. Perhaps because some of its followers identify the direction as a separate science. In addition, the psychotypes proposed in this concept, as well as those determined through testing, do not always correspond to reality. However, this is not to say that the idea does not work or is useless.

However, the concept also contains quite rational postulates. For example, traits characteristic of various psychotypes, including strengths and weaknesses.

Tactics and strategy - the difference

Socionics also describes the differences between the above definitions; in particular, they are included in the signs of Reinin. We are talking about a group of certain psychotypes that were developed by the author of the same name.

If you don’t delve too deeply into the concept and don’t cover all 15 signs, then according to G.R. Reinina, tacticians tend to solve current problems, small matters related to achieving their own goals, while strategists prefer to solve more global problems, and the main reference point for such people is the future. Thus, in socionics one can trace a clear differentiation by time intervals.

It is important to note that some concepts may be mutually exclusive. There are different opinions about this technique, and there are also different schools and directions that may criticize and not recognize each other. However, socionics also uses the terms tactics and strategy, and their definitions are similar to more established sciences and fields of activity.

Strategy and tactics in military affairs

Most likely, it is military affairs that is the primary source of the definitions of “tactics and strategy,” and the terms themselves are of ancient Greek origin. Military affairs is a fairly generalized name for various studies related to the conduct of combat operations, as well as solving issues of preparation for them and defense.

A lot of scientific developments, ideas and inventions that were created for war gradually changed their purpose and were adapted to solve more peaceful issues. If we do not cover technologies and developments, but take into account only concepts, then in addition to strategy and tactics, military science contributed to the development of logistics, as well as some works related to management (for example, the idea of ​​​​the staff principle of management).

Tactics and strategy - the difference in the military understanding of these terms is that the first definition describes fighting on a specific battlefield, while the second denotes the process of achieving victory in a more global sense and may include a fairly extensive range of battles.

Jurisprudence

Tactics and strategy. The difference between these terms is also present in the legal field, in particular in advocacy. However, the definitions are similar, as in all previous examples. However, now we will not talk about time periods.

In the process of protecting the interests of their clients, lawyers also use strategy and tactics. The first determines the lawyer’s global view of the client’s case.

Tactics in this case is the very conduct of the defense process, which includes various methods, a gradually emerging picture of the matter and position on a number of issues.

Thus, jurisprudence has slightly different definitions of the terms “tactics and strategy” from other areas of life. The difference is that in this area the emphasis is not on time, but on the fact that tactical actions will also be a component of more global ones, i.e. - strategic.

Let's sum it up

Thus, we answered the question: “Tactics and strategy - what is the difference?” In conclusion, it is important to add that both terms are used in completely different disciplines, sciences and areas of life (economics, psychology, law and others). However, they mean almost identical phenomena.

Tactics and strategy. Difference, in simple words, lies only in the fact that strategic actions are more global and long-term, and tactical actions are often understood as short-term events. In addition, many sciences and areas of life consider tactics as a component of strategy.

For a correct understanding of many processes occurring in military affairs, politics, business and some other areas of human activity, it is important to adequately use concepts such as tactics and strategy.

What is meant by tactics

In the art of war, tactics is usually understood as a set of measures that determine theoretical and practical training to battle. It involves analyzing the situation, working out the details of the operation, and measures for preparing and carrying out combat operations. This takes into account their dynamism and mobility in the conditions of offensive and defensive operations, tactical maneuvers, direct combat contact with the enemy, etc.

This may apply to military formations and units various types armed forces. The place for the implementation of tactical ideas can be spaces on land and sea, in space and air, as well as in information space. Tactics must take into account the methods of action accumulated by experience, taking into account the weapons, military equipment, reconnaissance and electronic countermeasures available, and the experience of commanders.

Examples of competent tactics have been known since ancient times. They are largely related to high level culture in general, the physical and spiritual condition of the troops. One of the ancient tactical traditions was the beginning of hostilities with a fight between the best fighters of the parties. Then small armies appeared to attack with cavalry on the flanks, which delivered a powerful blow along the entire front. Over time, the armies grew larger and began to be divided for ease of control. Specialized units appeared for the start of the battle, breakthrough, and reserve. Tactics underwent significant changes with the development of firearms.

Marked by serious tactical achievements early XIX century, when Napoleon Bonaparte creatively rethought and implemented the best tactical ideas of his predecessors. He managed to combine into one whole the competent organization of the battle formation, its powerful reserves, inflicting swipe at the decisive moment of the battle. They massively used cavalry, infantry, and artillery. The Guard was used in critical areas of the main attack. Each attack began with artillery preparation carried out at a distance. It turned into salvo and single infantry fire.

Had a huge influence on the development of tactics tactical art of Russian and Soviet army . They were distinguished by freedom of maneuver, a combination of various forms and methods of combat, efficient use artillery and armored vehicles and other types of weapons. A feature of modern battle tactics is to minimize losses from enemy fire, counteract his reconnaissance and effective management units and subdivisions. Wherein the main role assigned to the protection of its troops with the help of engineering means. Here, special attention is paid to the competent use of tactical features of the terrain, sea, air, space or cyberspace.

Why do you need a strategy?

Unlike tactics, which is used to organize and conduct individual battles and battles, strategy represents general action plan for a long period. The strategy is aimed at achieving a large-scale goal of military or other activity. It helps win wars and is the subject of activity higher authorities states. This involves the systematic implementation of a complex of military, organizational and economic measures.

To implement it, it is organized strategic intelligence, development of necessary geographical maps and other documents. Required condition Any strategy becomes a forecast of a military-strategic nature and strategic planning organized on its basis. An appropriate command is created, which, in order to ensure superiority over the enemy, ensures the concentration of forces and means, their concentration in the strategic direction, and the communication of troops with command and control agencies. Stealth is ensured by strategic camouflage measures. A prerequisite for any military strategy is the formation of military-strategic reserves.

Not just for war

IN last years the concept of “strategy” is increasingly used in politics and business, the development of economic sectors and the implementation of large-scale social projects, in computer games, sports. In general terms, strategy is the art of economic, political and social leadership of people, which determines the main direction, their method of action, behavior, line of behavior.

In business, strategy means integrated action system, aimed at achieving the goals of the company, the essence of which is a package of rules for making management decisions. The concept of investment strategy refers to the establishment of a set of financial measures in order to achieve long-term strategic business goals. Market strategy means a system of actions of an enterprise to expand sales of its products and services. Operational strategy means a set of ways and means to implement the company’s long-term goals in its current activities. It sets the parameters for standardization and integration of processes necessary for the creation and sale of manufactured goods and services.

To prevent dependence on one division of the company or group of goods (services), a diversification strategy is developed. Marketing strategy is taken to implement measures aimed at the company identifying its products (services) as different from competitors. In sports, game strategies are developed that involve interconnected combinations, techniques and moves, subordinated to a pre-developed plan for achieving victory. Exists political science, called a geographic strategy, the subject of which is the implementation of a national strategy taking into account the characteristics of this space.

What is the difference

In general terms, strategy involves using all opportunities to achieve the main goal. There is an urgent need for it in situations where available resources are not enough to immediately achieve the final result.

With the help of tactics subordinate to the main task, intermediate tasks are solved to achieve the main goal. Tactics involve the development of a set of specific activities, indicating the performers, deadlines and organization of control. Without such events, in any field of activity, strategy turns into a declaration. In military terminology, tactics are the means to win a battle, and strategy is what wins the war.

There are two scenes in Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon that perfectly illustrate the difference between strategy and tactics. And based on these fragments, I will give examples from the history of Russian business.

The plot of the film is short: masters of hand-to-hand combat are sailing on a ship to an island, where they will have to fight each other in duels. Bruce Lee's hero has two tasks: defeat the European bearded man from the second episode and capture the owner of the island.

Strategy

Let's watch the first scene, it's only 2 minutes, and then I'll tell you what I found in it. The fragment is called “The art of fighting without fighting.”

What do we see in him? We see a strategic victory. This is a strategic move.
Bruce Lee's hero, even before this episode, analyzed the environment, identified the main opponents and their possible tactics. The battle and victory on the ship were not part of his strategic objectives. Moreover, Bruce's hero does not react to blows in the air near his face, because he assumed such actions in advance. He believes that the enemy will still not hit him, and even if he does, one hit will not cause critical damage, but will give a wide range of actions for Bruce: from open/hidden damage to the enemy to sanctions on the enemy from the owner of the island.

Once again, Bruce's character does not engage in combat and shows strategic effectiveness. He shows “the art of fighting without fighting.”

An example from the history of Russian business is the exit of Tinkoff Bank. He did not get involved in costly, ineffective battles with other banks. He opened a bank without a bank.
Today, after the liquidation of numerous competing banks, Tinkoff Bank is still on the market and doing well, still without a bank.
Before the creation of the bank, judging by the business press, Oleg Tinkov had a capital of 20-30 million. dollars, today Oleg is a dollar billionaire.

Tochka and Modulbank banks have chosen a similar path, offering comprehensive and modular solutions for small businesses, respectively; the only thing, from my point of view, is that their positioning is not focused enough. I would recommend that new banking projects for small businesses be positioned in the segment for individual entrepreneurs on the simplified tax system of 6%, clearly linking in their head the link “name of the bank” = individual entrepreneur 6%. This is the largest segment of small business, the lowest risk, with a limited number of tasks to service.

Tactics

Let's look at the second episode. “The board is unrequited.” 4 minutes.

Here Bruce Lee's hero shows an overwhelming tactical advantage over the enemy. He hits faster. He is more mobile. He is always on guard.
Tactical efficiency is being faster, higher, stronger than the enemy. In business terms, this is the operational efficiency of a business.

For example, in my opinion, the Ozon company does not have strategic efficiency. All they are trying to do is increase the range and sell it cheaper. This is a dead end path.
It is a dead end because in business there is such a model as benchmarking. Those. repetition.

Any operational efficiencies can be replicated.

If after your tactical step the enemy remains alive, sooner or later he will catch up with you. He will train, gain resources, or take advantage of the moment. And you are limited by the fact that you cannot jump even higher; any physical or tactical effectiveness has a limit.

Strategy vs Tactics

We may admire D'Artagnan's exploits, but he is a tactician. The true strategist is Richelieu. And behind him is Mazarin. It was the work of these two cardinals that made France the strongest country in Europe before the arrival of Louis XIV. Louis, as a true tactician, unleashes several wars, but he is unlucky and loses all the advantages he has gained. The cardinals made France richer without a fight. The fighting started by Louis plunged France into poverty and eventually led to revolution.

Napoleon was a great tactician, not a strategist. Napoleon owns the phrase “On s’engage, et puis on voit”, i.e. Until you get involved, you won’t see. Kutuzov does not fight to the end, withdraws from the fight, gives one battle near Borodino, constantly loses, surrenders Moscow and... turns out to be the winner. Without putting down the entire army, without surrendering the country.

Operational efficiency is extreme and repeatable.
Strategic effectiveness is limitless and practically impossible to repeat.

Benchmarking is catching up with everyone.

  • Do you have good advertising? Soon competitors will repeat it.
  • Do you have fast delivery? Competitors will negotiate with the same courier companies.
  • Do you have a wide range and your own production? They'll catch up with you soon.

But, by the way, strategic effectiveness can become difficult to replicate. kit tactical moves.

An interesting example of strategic efficiency is the Homeme.ru project
Instead of getting involved in the online furniture wars, the company focused only on sofas, limiting the number of models. This made it possible to keep low prices, reduce costs, speed up delivery.
Unfortunately, we have practically no public companies in Russia, and we do not see project reports, but I suspect that Homeme.ru were more profitable than the rest of the furniture market.
Alas, today Homeme have begun to expand their range, and although their main product remains sofas, I am afraid that they will lose their strategic advantage over their competitors, because... will lose both positioning and strategic effectiveness. Apparently, the company decided on a vector for capitalization growth, but was unable to choose the right business strategy.

In the opening lines of his article “What is Strategy,” Michael Porter says that managers confuse strategy with operational effectiveness. This is an article from the 90s about the US market. A lot has changed since then
In 1987 richest man world was Japanese Yoshiaki Tsutsumi. In 2007, he ceased to be a billionaire, and a number of Japanese corporations disappeared from the markets. Why? By the time Japanese corporations entered the US market, they were more efficient than the Americans. They produced everything faster and cheaper. They also focused on product quality.
In the 90s, M. Potter stated that Japanese corporations have no strategy. By the end of the 90s, American corporations were catching up with Japanese ones in terms of efficiency. Japanese manufacturers of high quality household appliances begin to disappear. Where are Sharp, Toshiba, Panasonic, etc. now?
Doesn't this surprise you? Then pay attention to the following figures, despite the development of Asia and Japan in particular:

  • In 1997, there were only 6 American companies in the top 10 by capitalization of global public companies.
  • In 2017 - all 10 leaders are American.

What is this block for? The fact is that our entrepreneurs today, unfortunately, pay attention to external tactical ways to increase capitalization. Meanwhile, strategic effectiveness, please excuse the tautology, is more effective than tactical. Factor of.

At one time, understanding this led to the transformation of our advertising agency. We saw that advertising channels are becoming saturated, they are already at their maximum efficiency, the cost per click is higher than ever, and the number of competitors is growing. Operational efficiency of Internet marketing Russian companies Today it’s already at the limit.
That is why now, when people come to us at TemaKa for advertising opportunities, we first refer clients to My Advising to develop strategic solutions.
Because all a good digital specialist can do is increase the effectiveness of online marketing by 10-30%.
Meanwhile, competent strategic decisions based on in-depth SWOT analysis increase business efficiency significantly.

Book a strategy session or business strategy development with us at My Advising before entering the advertising battle. Then the efficiency of your business will be many times higher than that of your competitors.

And finally, a little more wrestling philosophy from Bruce Lee, who, by the way, did not enter into a competitive race with other Hollywood actors, but, having assessed the resources and environment, left for Hong Kong, where he became a world-famous star.

Be water, my friend. Water can flow, or it can destroy.
Fuck the circumstances. I create opportunities.
I am not a teacher. I'm just helping you study yourself.
I'm not afraid of someone who studies 10,000 different strikes. I'm afraid of the one who studies one blow 10,000 times.
An ordinary person is a collection of routines, ideas and traditions. If you follow this path, you will learn routines, ideas and traditions - your shadow.
A good fighter is not the one who is tense, but the one who is ready. He doesn't think or dream, he's ready for anything that might happen.
All advanced techniques are not functional.

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First of all, strategy is a more general thing than tactics, that is, several tactics can be used within the framework of one strategy.

The ancient Greeks, from whom we inherited these words, had it that way: strategy is the “art of a commander,” a general, sweeping plan military activities, for a long time. And tactics are a tool for achieving goals, consistent with the overall strategy and being part of it. Initially, tactics were intended to analyze the location and movement of troops.

Another example that comes to mind is from chess: strategy is a general idea, a long-term game plan based on how the pieces are placed on the board, how they are protected (especially the king), etc. Tactics is a short sequence of moves, ideally aimed at achieving strategic plans: fork the enemy pieces, attack the defense, usually such tactical things take from 2 to 5 moves, no more.

To summarize the idea:

strategy - general / tactics - specific

strategy - about the global mission / tactics - about problems from there sheet

strategy - preparation and planning / tactics - actions

strategy - future / tactics - now

In a certain sense, these are relative concepts. But in general, “strategy” is broader and deeper than “tactics” in relation to the time periods discussed in this context. To solve a certain problem or task, a certain strategy is adopted and, within the framework of the chosen strategy, appropriate tactical decisions are made.

So, for example, if you are a student and you make a big strategic decision to study for an exam in a week, then you will then have to make a series of tactical decisions, such as, for example, digging up a list of questions for this exam, finding someone who can give you lectures on the subject , make a preparation schedule, and so on. Thus, daily tactical tasks will be parts of a larger weekly strategic plan.

However, in turn, the plan and decision to prepare for a difficult exam so quickly will be part of the tactics within the framework of the strategic plan to close the next session at the University on time. The example is, of course, conditional, but indicative.

In short.

Strategy- this is a scenario of action in which you know for sure that your picture of the world is incomplete and your behavior pattern may change.

Tactics- this is an action scenario in which you know exactly what the result will be when it is implemented.

It's very important to understand.

The difference between strategy and tactics is not measured by the scale of action.

What is a strategy for you may be a routine activity for another person.

If we talk about military science, there are differences between strategy, tactics and operational art. As far as I understand, the difference is as follows

With this division, strategy is a way to achieve victory in a war through goal setting, a general plan and the systematic implementation of measures to counter the enemy, taking into account constantly changing circumstances and conditions.

Strategy involves the art of combining preparations for war and successive operations armed forces(troops) to achieve the goal of war. The strategy resolves issues related to the use of both the armed forces and all the country’s resources to defeat the enemy.

Operational art (operational level of war) focuses on the conduct of direct combat operations by formations (today) no lower than a separate motorized rifle brigade (and up to the front). The concept appeared in Soviet military science (in the West it was called “small strategy” or “grand tactics”).

Tactics - actions of smaller (than a separate brigade) units.

_______________________

In other areas of human knowledge, as has already been pointed out by previous commentators, "tactics" and "strategy" retain their mutual relationship as more specific/more general.

Answer

What is the difference between tactics and strategy?

    Strategy and tactics are, of course, military terms, but in general they apply to all areas of life. For example, a woman develops a plan to conquer a man. To do this, she has the desire to conquer him with beauty. This is her strategy. Tactics will be manifested in what cosmetics a woman will use, at what time, in what quantity.

    If a woman wants to conquer a man with her body (that is, a different strategy), then the tactics will be different - she will wear blouses with a deep neckline, vented skirts or miniskirts.

    There are women who choose the strategy of conquering a man through their culinary skills. Accordingly, the tactics here will also be different. I won’t describe it in detail, but women know it very well.

    So, strategy and tactics always go hand in hand, being different levels specifying a solution to a problem.

    Tactics are essentially strategy. They differ in that strategy is a more global, larger-scale understanding of tactics. Strategy is when, in addition to tactics, you also build something and aim for the future.

    In short: strategy is a plan of action, tactics is a manner of action. The first is a thinking process (as: a strategic approach to business), the second is a behavioral process (as: tactful communication with people).

    Tactics and strategy are terms used by the headquarters command. Let's say a war consists of several battles, and the sum of these battles is called a campaign. You can lose a battle, but the most important thing is to win a military campaign. For example, the headquarters was given the task as it was in the film Storm Gates, let’s say a small army of about 50 people who are based on the mountain to lure a large group of enemies, and then the headquarters would send helicopters and destroy the enemy - this was the strategy of the headquarters, of course, those commanders who were on the mountain They didn’t know these strategy plans and they had to use battle tactics to hold out until reinforcements arrived, since the weather was bad and they didn’t send helicopters, they sent support on foot.

    Strategy is a more global concept than tactics. Strategy is an overall goal or plan for achieving a goal. And you can accomplish a strategic task using various tactics, all kinds of methods.

    Tactics are directly subordinate to the chosen strategy; these are like ways to implement a global plan.

    Strategy is an analysis of the general actions that will be taken to achieve something. That is, a progressive and scrupulous analysis.

    Tactics is the form in which all this will be carried out, for example, offensive or defensive.

    Tactics is integral part strategies. Tactics are different from strategy scale and depth of time period.

    Historically, tactics is the military art of constructing battle formations. In the modern sense of the word, tactics is planning and implementation of plans on a limited scale and over a short period of time.

    Strategy it implies long-term planning, setting final goals, the achievement of which is carried out through solving tactical problems.

    In business, strategic planning is usually done over a period of three to ten years. In this case, consistent goals are set and dates for their achievement are determined. The plan is then broken down into tasks and the resources needed to complete them are identified. So this is consistent problem solving is tactics, A achieving goals is a strategy.

    I'll make it a little simpler with an example. The second one is coming World War. Tactics is the task of winning here and now, preferably with small losses, on certain area front. For example, in Battle of Kursk. Strategy is the task of winning the war. Global tactics, so to speak, for a long period. It calculates other numbers. If in tactics they operate with units of troops, then in strategy the numbers are already orders of magnitude higher. Something like this.

    There are recommendations when to use tactics and when to use strategy. Tactics are better suited in clear situations, when the final goal has clear outlines, when the problem is not being solved for the first time, i.e. There were similar situations before. And strategy is suitable when goals are unclear, under complex and contradictory circumstances. Strategy is the foundation of a business. It is important that for the high-quality implementation of the strategy, the performer also needs a set of tactical techniques. In total, the success of the entire business depends on knowledge and skills in both areas.

    I think that strategy is some kind of global idea, a long-term plan for implementing and solving any problem or idea. But tactics is a narrower concept. You can say Methods, Methods, Principles... etc., with the help of which you will implement this strategy of yours. In general, strategy, this more globally and on a large scale determines, say, your behavior, over large periods of time, it includes a gene plan, some key points which you must perform at a certain time. And tactics... We can say that it helps strategy, this is how and with the help of which you implement your strategy, your task directly in life, in real circumstances. We can say that Strategy is goals and objectives, and tactics are ways and methods of solving these problems. Tactical primas is a well-known phrase.