The Five ‘W’s of Strategy: An Introduction to Strategy

These are background notes for core courses in strategy or as an introduction to strategy in executive education. The main focus is on the distinctive perspective of strategic problem solving, the key elements of strategy and how to communicate them, the difference between corporate and business-level strategy, and different approaches to the strategy-making process.

The objective is to introduce participants (particularly executives or EMBAs) to the concept of strategy, usually at the start of a core course or strategy module in executive education. The background notes help structure discussion about objectives, environmental trends, and corporate capabilities. They include short self-reflection exercises that challenge participants to communicate the strategy of their business using a structured template focusing on three elements: objectives, scope, and advantage. The notes (i) clarify how these elements are integrated in corporate strategy and at business-level, (ii) describe the strategy-making process, and (iii) provide a template for learning strategy concepts and frameworks.