ABSTRACT
This chapter explains how one can use themes in their strategy, describes typical theme structures and explains how themes solve the problem of representing different aspects of strategy. Strategic themes work together with perspectives to create the whole strategy. Themes are important in describing strategy, communicating strategy and aligning the organization. They represent the natural tensions that exist in strategy. The chapter shows how strategy maps are structured to explain some of the most common strategic tensions, and also how they are used to manage those tensions. Many balanced scorecards are ruined by replacing perspectives with themes, because in doing so one can replace the cause and effect model with a simple taxonomy of measures of objectives. Customer-based themes are useful where the programmes of change in the organization are quite separate or address distinct customer groups. Reorganizations consume time and resources, cost money and distract the organization from dealing with its customers.
