ABSTRACT
Strategic thinking helps people to interpret what a pattern of investment decisions means for the capabilities of an organisation. The shape and form of these decisions reveal what the organisation has initiated and institutionalised in terms of tacit knowledge, specialised skills, trust relationships, social capital and the depth of experienced clinical leadership. Strategic activity in healthcare is on the rise worldwide. The increase in strategic thinking in healthcare also includes making decisions about the mix of medical pathologies, patients and care processes, improving the service process and repositioning care programmes aimed at local, regional or international patients. Some healthcare organisations have begun to identify global markets for their brand. Healthcare organisation must confront these issues because they are embedded in a task environment, which refers to anything relevant ‘out there’ that can affect an organisation’s desired long-term goals and performance.
