ABSTRACT
Strategy deployment (SD) is the component of the lean management system that integrates improvement activities with companywide strategic objectives and plans. Lean philosophy motivates continuous improvement efforts, but those efforts should in some way be connected to each other and to organization's vision, goals and strategies. The SD process identifies the few most-critical improvement goals or objectives each year and develops corresponding strategies. Seven common themes pervade SD as practiced in most companies: vision, strategy, long- and medium-term goals; cascade goals and objectives; catchball and cross-functional management; goals, actions, and targets; objectives linked to daily work; review and control; and plan-do-check-act. Based upon the organization's identified strengths, weakness, opportunities, challenges, capabilities, and culture, senior management develops a five-year vision and three- to five-year strategic plan for what it wants the organization to be. Senior management develops a one-year plan to define specific activities in the upcoming year to achieve the high-level strategies.
