Bringing Science to the Art of Strategy

A. G. Lafley; Roger L. Martin; Jan W. Rivkin; Nicolaj   Siggelkow

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Article | Harvard Business Review | September 2012

Bringing Science to the Art of Strategy

by A. G. Lafley, Roger L. Martin, Jan W. Rivkin and Nicolaj Siggelkow

Abstract

For all its emphasis on data and number crunching, conventional strategic planning is not actually scientific. It lacks the hypothesis generation and testing that's at the heart of the scientific method. To produce novel and successful strategies, teams need to adopt a step-by-step process in which creative thinking yields possibilities, or hypotheses, and rigorous analysis tests them. They should ask what must be true for a given possibility to succeed—and explore whether those conditions hold.

Keywords: Strategic Planning; Science;

Format: Print

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Citation:

Lafley, A. G., Roger L. Martin, Jan W. Rivkin, and Nicolaj Siggelkow. "Bringing Science to the Art of Strategy." Harvard Business Review 90, no. 9 (September 2012).

About the Author

Jan W. Rivkin

C. Roland Christensen Professor of Business Administration
Senior Associate Dean for Research

Strategy

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Supplement | HBS Case Collection | March 2018

Amazon's HQ2 (B): Utah

Karen Mills, Manjari Raman and Jan W. Rivkin

Citation:
Mills, Karen, Manjari Raman, and Jan W. Rivkin. "Amazon's HQ2 (B): Utah." Harvard Business School Supplement 718-503, March 2018. View Details

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Case | HBS Case Collection | February 2018

Amazon's HQ2 (A)

Karen Mills and Jan W. Rivkin

Citation:
Mills, Karen, and Jan W. Rivkin. "Amazon's HQ2 (A)." Harvard Business School Case 718-494, February 2018. View Details

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Case | HBS Case Collection | October 2016 (Revised January 2018)

BlackRock (A): Selling the Systems?

Ranjay Gulati, Jan W. Rivkin and Kelly McNamara

As the case opens in 1999, several key leaders at BlackRock, Inc., then a relatively small asset management firm, are trying to convince CEO Larry Fink and others that the firm should begin to offer Aladdin—its proprietary analytics and trading platform—to other asset managers. While some members of the senior team see “selling our systems” as an opportunity, others liken it to “selling weapons to the enemy” or “giving away the crown jewels.” What should Fink do? The case provides an overview of the asset management industry, the beginnings of BlackRock, and details around the Aladdin platform.

Keywords: Strategy; Competition; Technology; Asset Management; Competitive Strategy; Financial Services Industry; United States;

Citation:
Gulati, Ranjay, Jan W. Rivkin, and Kelly McNamara. "BlackRock (A): Selling the Systems?" Harvard Business School Case 717-404, October 2016. (Revised January 2018.) View Details

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Bringing Science to the Art of Strategy

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