A company strategy refers to the long-term plan formulated by an organization to achieve specific goals, leveraging resources and market opportunities while adapting to competitive and environmental changes.

Corporate Strategy is a comprehensive long-term plan that outlines how a company will accomplish its long-term goals and objectives. It takes a portfolio approach to strategic decision-making by looking across all of the company's activities to decide how to create value and increase profit. It concentrates mainly on the company's resources management as well as risk management.

Corporate strategy is the high-level plan developed by a company’s top management (usually the CEO and board) to guide the organization in achieving long-term goals. It focuses on what businesses to be in, how to allocate resources, and how to maximize value across all business units.

A strategy is a blue- print or plan.. taking into consideration the long - term goals as differentiated to tactics. It could be corporate level because resources has to be allocated for what you intend to achieve (vision). How to achieved it (mission). There are many conflicting views but a plan is better than no plan at all. Sun Tzu's classic The Art of War is still a good primer on Strategic thinking and strategic principles

This is what I teach my MBA students about strategy:

What is Strategy?

Strategy is like a game plan for a business. It’s the big picture of how a company plans to win in the market. For example:

• How will they attract customers?
• How will they beat competitors?
• What makes them special?

A good strategy helps a business focus its energy on what matters most. Without a clear strategy, companies risk wasting resources, losing direction, and failing to achieve their goals.

Why is Strategy Important?

• Focus: Helps prioritize actions.
• Competitive Edge: Identifies ways to outperform rivals.
• Long-Term Success: Ensures sustainability in a changing market.

Alexander Kobylko

What is a corporate strategy?

A corporate strategy is the overarching plan that defines a company's long-term vision and the coordinated decisions necessary to achieve it. It articulates how a firm will create value across different business units, allocate resources, manage risk, respond to competition, and generate sustainable advantage. Unlike operational or departmental strategies, which focus on specific functions, corporate strategy guides the whole organization from the top level, ensuring coherence among all parts.

Goal, method, or behavior?

Corporate strategy is not just a long-term goal, a method, or a behavior—it is a synthesis of all three. It sets a long-term direction (the “where”), outlines methods and choices to reach that destination (the “how”), and defines the strategic posture or philosophy a company adopts in the market (the “how we behave and position ourselves”). It involves making trade-offs between markets, products, geographies, and business models to maintain coherence and competitiveness.

Mental note or written document?

While vision and strategic insight may originate mentally within leadership, an effective corporate strategy must be documented comprehensively. A written corporate strategy provides clarity, ensures alignment across the organization, supports accountability, and facilitates communication with stakeholders. It often includes analyses, scenario planning, KPIs, and governance models to operationalize and measure its impact.

Audience: Top management only or all employees?

Although corporate strategy is usually formulated by top management and the board, it is relevant to all employees. Clear communication of strategy helps each level of the organization understand how their roles contribute to the bigger picture. When strategy is internalized across departments, it fosters alignment, motivates purposeful action, and supports a unified organizational culture.

Fixed or adaptive?

Corporate strategy should not be fixed. It needs to be adaptive to changing circumstances—such as market shifts, technological disruption, geopolitical dynamics, or internal transformation. While the core vision or values may remain stable, the means of achieving strategic objectives must be regularly reviewed and updated through strategic agility and scenario-based planning. Successful corporate strategies evolve with time while maintaining coherence and purpose.