Topic 9: Implementation

Question 1

Why do Organisations fail to implement more than 70% of their new strategic initiatives (based on Miller 2002)

Answer 1

Strategic Inertia (resist change)
Lack of stakeholder commitment esp. middle management
Strategic drift - lack of focus on goal
Strategic dilution – lack of priority
Initiative fatigue
Failure to measure and understand progress
Impatience – give up too soon
Lack of celebration of success of milestones

Question 2

Edinburgh Tram line (example of poor implementation)

Answer 2

Price Doubled
Increased Congestion
Track Shortened
Took A Decade To build

Question 3

Marketing Implementation is an iterative process

Answer 3

Needs to be reviewed and assesed a lot

Annual Marketing Planning->Implementation Control and Evaluation Revision->Annual Marketing Planning->Implementation Control and Evaluation Revision

Question 4

Implementation Process

Answer 4

What?- Activities to be implemented
How?- How implementation will be done
When?- Timing of implementation
Who?- Responsibility for implementation

Question 5

What (Implementation Process)

Answer 5

Strategic Objectives (internal)
Business Case(internal)
Partners (external)
Competitor Positioning(external)

Question 6

How (Implementation Process)

Answer 6

Operations(internal)
Communications(internal)
3rd Party System(external)
Contracts(external)

Question 7

When (Implementation Process)

Answer 7

Time to launch (internal)
Other priorities (internal)
Ability to go live (external)
Competitor Timing (external)

Question 8

Who (Implementation Process)

Answer 8

who is Responsible for delivery, Internal marketing (internal)
Key contacts (external)
Non-disclosure / Secrecy (external)

Question 9

Defining Key Success Factors

Answer 9

Strategic
Operational
Customer
Commercial/Financial

Question 10

Managing implementation is about trade-offs

Answer 10

Trade off triangle: scope, timing, resources

what if?
You knew a competitor was about to launch a similar program 2 months before you?

Your Marketing Director halved your budget?

The major cinema chain pulled out at the last minute?