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In order to provide executives with a better understanding of the nature and purpose of strategy, the author defines and discusses strategy‐related terms, concepts, and principles and shows how they are applied in practice. Strategy is one element in a troika that also includes policy and resources. The author explains the causal relationship between the elements of the troika and the plurality of inputs, options, and outcomes that characterize effective strategy. Case examples from GE and other firms are included.

The Nature of Business Policy Business policy — or general management — is concerned with the following six major functions:

Optimization of energy planning for growth and sustainable development has become very important in the context of climate change mitigation imperatives in developing countries. Existing models do not capture developing country realities adequately. The purpose of this paper is to conceptualizes a framework for energy strategy optimization of the Indian energy sector, which can be applied in all emerging economies.

Hierarchical multi‐objective policy optimization methodology adopts a policy‐centric approach and groups the energy strategies into multi‐level portfolios based on convergence of objectives appropriate to each level. This arrangement facilitates application of the optimality principle of dynamic programming. Synchronised optimization of strategies with respect to the common objectives at each level results in optimal policy portfolios.

The reductionist policy‐centric approach to complex energy economy modelling, facilitated by the dynamic programming methodology, is most suitable for policy optimization in the context of a developing country. Barriers to project implementation and cost risks are critical features of developing countries which are captured in the framework in the form of a comprehensive risk barrier index. Genetic algorithms are suitable for optimization of the first level objectives, while the efficiency approach, using restricted weight stochastic data envelopment analysis, is appropriate for higher levels of the objective hierarchy.

The methodology has been designed for application to the energy sector planning for India's 12th Five Year Plan for which the objectives of faster growth, better inclusion, energy security and sustainability have been identified. The conceptual framework combines, within the policy domain, the bottom‐up and top‐down processes to form a hybrid modelling approach yielding optimal outcomes, transparent and convincing to the policy makers. The research findings have substantial implications for transition management to a sustainable energy framework.

The methodology is general in nature and can be employed in all sectors of the economy. It is especially suited to policy design in developing countries with the ground realities factored into the model as project barriers. It offers modularity and flexibility in implementation and can accommodate all the key strategies from diverse sectors along with multiple objectives in the policy optimization process. It enables adoption of an evidence‐based and transparent approach to policy making. The research findings have substantial value for transition management to a sustainable energy framework in developing countries.

Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.

The strategy of an active labour market policy (ALMP) is popular, but its content is still far from clear. With this historical and contextual analysis, the author aims to capture the strategy’s core content. Development of the strategy has been full of paradoxes. However, the goal of improving the functioning of the labour market so as to promote full employment without accelerating inflation has remained, as have the central attributes of ALMP, its selectivity and supply‐side measures. Labour market circumstances have changed significantly since the creation of the strategy and many of its premises have been questioned. Although the strategy has been vital, it is today once again in crisis. However, encouraging employment development in some European countries shows that an active labour market policy can play an important role together with economic policy and the policy of the social partners.

Surging global natural disasters provide incentive for risk-reducing policies and strategies. In this light, the African Union (AU) engaged a multi-stakeholder policy formulation process between 2002 and 2006, to develop a continent-wide disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategy. Drawing from secondary data, this chapter assesses the process and applies qualitative analysis instruments to critically assess the AU’s disaster policy. Linkages to the 2005 international Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) are also highlighted. The analysis reveals that Africa’s policy formulation process was belated for over a decade, with respect to international expectations. The formulation process was however largely African owned and led, culminating in a strategy document that reflected African contextual reality at the time, and aligned well with HFA fundamental goals. The applied multi-stakeholder approach enhanced a spirit of participation across levels and was central to the largely successful policy formulation process. However, targeted policy outcomes were not explicit, and poorly formulated indicators marred short- and long-term policy evaluation. Based on these results, we conclude that the African-wide DRR policy formulation processes were belated but participatory, systematic and very successful. Belated policy formulation reflects an initial inertia on the African continent, justified by past negative policy experiences and the desire to succeed. A replication of this policy formulation approach in Africa is recommended, albeit exercising more caution on policy timing, the elaboration of better monitoring and evaluation instruments and criteria. Participation should further embrace modern, risk-free (anti-COVID-19-friendly) information and communication technologies.

Aims to examine the issue of industrial strategy (IS), paying particular attention to the case of Britain. Sets out to assess the possibility and nature of an industrial strategy for Britain, in Europe, and within the global scene, taking into account the world we live in as we see it. Accordingly, the perspective is driven and shaped by a quest for a realistic, feasible and sustainable industrial strategy. In order to achieve these objectives, first examines the theoretical arguments behind much of British, and more generally, Western industrial policies. Following this, outlines and assesses British industrial policy post‐Second World War then compares and contrasts British industrial policy with that of Europe, the USA, Japan and the newly industrialized countries. Then examines recent developments in economics and management which may explain the “Far Eastern” miracle, and points to the possibility of a successful, narrowly self‐interested, IS for Europe and Britain, based on the lessons from (new) theory and international experience. To assess what is possible, develops a theoretical framework linking firms in their roles as consumers and/or electors. This hints at the possibilities and limits of feasible policies. All these ignore desirability which, in the author′s view, should be seen in terms of distributional considerations, themselves contributors to sustainability. Accordingly, discusses a desirable industrial strategy for Britain in Europe which accounts for distributional considerations, and goes on to examine its implications for the issue of North‐South convergence. Concludes by pointing to the limitations of the analysis and to directions for developments.

An overview of all the elements that go into formulating a business strategy – including received wisdom from the gurus, vision and values, ideas on growth, forecasting, information, objectives, audits, customers, markets, competition, finances, structure, training – with the focus on how to make it happen. Directed at practising managers whose task this is. Making strategic plans is the easy bit; enacting them requires changing things, getting things done through people. Discusses learning, training and development, culture, quality, with the emphasis on real people in real businesses. Underpinned by the philosophy of “action learning”.

Looks at the 2000 Employment Research Unit Annual Conference held at the University of Cardiff in Wales on 6/7 September 2000. Spotlights the 76 or so presentations within and shows that these are in many, differing, areas across management research from: retail finance; precarious jobs and decisions; methodological lessons from feminism; call centre experience and disability discrimination. These and all points east and west are covered and laid out in a simple, abstract style, including, where applicable, references, endnotes and bibliography in an easy‐to‐follow manner. Summarizes each paper and also gives conclusions where needed, in a comfortable modern format.

Work–nonwork policies and practices provide support for employee well-being, as well as a competitive advantage that can help differentiate organizations. However, not all work–nonwork policies and practices are effective, utilized, or relevant. In this chapter, the authors introduce “organizational boundary management strategy” as a way to leverage these policies and practices, making them more widely adopted and more effective. Organizational boundary management strategy refers to how an organization as a whole tends to support workers’ work–nonwork boundaries (i.e., via segmentation, integration, or somewhere in between). Although boundary management has historically tended to focus on how individuals navigate distinctions between work and personal life, the authors extend boundary management to the organization to suggest how understanding and aligning the organization’s overall boundary management strategies can support worker well-being. To expound on this, the authors present a model suggesting how organizational boundary management can be used to support worker well-being.