Glossary

Corporate Social Responsibility

Definition: Social Responsibility, specifically, Corporate Responsibility is the concept that businesses and organizations are obligated to make a positive impact on their stakeholders, including:

Customers Suppliers Employees Shareholders Communities Other stakeholders, including the environment

With climate change and other concerns taking a priority in public opinion, CSR has increasingly focused on organizations’ treatment of the global environment. Resources: Everyone’s talking Corporate Social Responsibility, [...]

Functional Approach

The Functional Approach to leadership is a perspective that defines a leadership role by the functions or responsibilities of the person holding that role, rather than a list of traits or behaviors. See Integrating Mission and Strategy for Nonprofit Organizations for more information.

Vision Statement

Definition: A declaration of where you are headed – your future state. To formulate a picture of what your organization’s future makeup will be and where the organization is headed. Ask: What will your organization look like 5 to 10 years from now?

Values Statement

Definition: To explain what you stand for and believe in.

Value Chain

Definition: A path that products take, from raw materials to finished product to the consumer, along which they continually gain value as they move down the chain.

Tactical

Dealing with or related to the accomplishment of tasks that support the strategic vision of the organization.

SWOT Analysis

Definition: To access the particular strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are strategically important to your organization

Strategy Map

Definition: A macro-view of an organization’s strategy, the map divides a company’s objectives into 4 focuses: financial, customer, operations and people.

Strategies

Definition: To establish a guide that matches your organization’s strengths with market opportunities to position your organization in the mind of the customer. Ask: Does your strategy match your strengths with how you will provide value to and be perceived by your customers?

Strategic Planning

Definition: The process of an organization deciding their corporate direction, objectives and priorities, and then aligning their resources to accomplish the actions necessary to meeting them.

Strategic Objectives

Definition: Strategic Objectives are long-term, continuous strategic areas that get you moving from your mission to achieving your vision. What are the key activities you need to perform to reach your vision?

Strategic

Definition: Dealing with or related to higher-level priorities that will meet the objectives an organization has decided to accomplish.

Stakeholders

Definition: Any party who is affected by or could affect the actions of your organization.

Short-term goals/priorities/initiatives:

Definition: Goals that convert the strategic objectives into specific performance targets. Effective goals clearly state what, when, how and who and are specifically measurable. Ask: What are the 1 to 3 year goals that you are trying to achieve to get to your strategic objectives?

Scorecard

Definition: A representation of how a company is doing in Key Performance Indicators, presented graphically so that management and employees can easily ascertain the company’s current position. Your scorecard is used to measure and manage your strategic plan. Ask: What are the key performance measures you can track in order to monitor whether you are achieving your [...]

Priorities

Definition: Objectives or tasks that have been determined to be essential to meeting a company’s strategic direction and or time-sensitive.

Positioning

Definition: The space, as observed by target consumers, where a particular organization or brand is located in comparison to competitors.

Performance Management

Definition: A process by which organizations align their resources, systems and employees to strategic objectives and priorities.

Organization-Wide Strategies

Definition: While strategies are embedded in all elements of your strategic plan, consider listing the top one to two strategies or long-term activities your company needs to pursue in order to achieve its vision. Your strategies are the general methods you intend to use to reach your vision. A strategy is like an umbrella. It [...]

Mission Statement

Definition: A declaration of an organization’s core purpose. A mission statement answers the question, “why do we exist?”