Research Article Open Access

Smart Strategy: Intelligence, Gaming and Agility

Simon Huston1
  • 1 The University of Queensland, Australia

Abstract

Generals, entrepreneurs and planners aim to dislocate enemies, outsmart competitors or build iconic cities. All advocate ‘smart strategy’ but what are its constituents? I seek some cross-disciplinary clarification. A selection of military, business and planning literature is investigated, looking for common themes and a smart strategy framework. Strategic complexity and the limits to generalisation in turbulent times are noted. In the military, overwhelming force confronts asymmetric warfare with deception and carefully-calibrated power projections, conducted at tempo, to confuse and overwhelm the enemy. In business, making money is necessary but insufficient for a smart strategy. Other ‘smart’ criteria are ethics, delegation, talented people and continuous systems innovation. In urban planning, centralist or dispersed intervention strategies jostle with evolutionary ones but without a final resolution in complex, idiosyncratic cities with adjustment lags and spatial irresolution. Despite context dependency, our multi-disciplinary overview generates some practical business advice. A smart strategy recoils from top-down, techno-centric or managerialist litanies. Clarity of purpose, sound intelligence and judgment orientate the entity and harmonize its activities around key products/markets. Deception confuses and disorientates competitors but needs product support. Flexibility/adaptability balances informed leadership with devolved innovation, underpinned by systems upgrades and talent.

American Journal of Economics and Business Administration
Volume 4 No. 3, 2012, 190-196

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajebasp.2012.190.196

Submitted On: 10 May 2012 Published On: 11 September 2012

How to Cite: Huston, S. (2012). Smart Strategy: Intelligence, Gaming and Agility. American Journal of Economics and Business Administration, 4(3), 190-196. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajebasp.2012.190.196

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Keywords

  • Strategy
  • Military
  • Business
  • Urban Planning
  • Intelligence
  • Foresight
  • Gaming
  • Agility