Strategy Survival Guide

Economists
Operational
Researchers
Scientists
Social
Researchers
Statisticians
Economics is concerned with macro issues of the economy as a whole – inflation,
interest rates, employment, taxation, government spending etc, as well as micro issues
such as resources allocation, labour supply, pricing, and consumer behaviour. Much of
the work of economists is concerned with bringing an analysis of these issues to bear in
determining the nature of economic and social problems and their causes, establishing
the rationale for government intervention and the role of markets, and designing and
appraising policy options. A chief economist in each department heads the economics
specialism. See the Government Economic Service website for details of the kind of
roles that economists play in each department
Operational Research is the application of scientific methods to management problems.
It aims to provide a rational basis for decision-making, by understanding and structuring
complex situations. Often this involves building mathematical models to predict system
behaviour and thereby assist the planning of changes to the system. Contact the
Government Operational Research Service.
The Office of Science and Technology leads for government in supporting excellent
science, engineering and technology and their uses to benefit society and the economy.
The OST also hosts ForeSight which aims to increase UK exploitation of science by
either identifying potential opportunities for the economy or society from new science
and technology, or considering how future science and technology could address key
future challenges for society.
Social research is about measuring, describing, explaining and predicting social and
economic phenomena. In government, this relates to policy development,
implementation and delivery and to the estimation of policy impacts and outcomes.
Social research explores social and economic structures, attitudes, values and
behaviours and the factors which motivate and constrain individuals and groups in
society. Contact Government Social Research.
National Statistics provides up-to-date, comprehensive and meaningful data on the
UK's economy, population and society that can be used to create evidence-based
policies and monitor performance against them.
Data Sources
The data and knowledge that inform strategy development and strategic thinking can and should come from
a wide range of sources. Specific arrangements may be required in each situation to benefit from more
informal sources such as the first-hand experience of front life professionals, but for more systemised data,
there are a large number of readily accessible sources.
Learning from experience
There are many of ways of ensuring that up-to-date data and learning from the front-line is fed back into
strategic thinking, including:
• Publishing early drafts of proposals to elicit challenge and feedback
• Using pilots and controlled experiments to test out options
• Engaging stakeholder communities in ongoing dialogue
• Identifying best practice and looking for lessons that can be learned
• Encouraging horizontal networks of professionals, operating units and front-line staff to enable
experience to be quickly shared
• Responding to informal information and gossip (the NASA lesson from the Shuttle disaster)
• Granting flexibility to innovate and break the rules (e.g. Health Action Zones) with "venture capital"
equivalents to finance promising new ideas
• Establishing contestability in public services to encourage new entrants and innovation (as in prisons
and welfare)
• Commissioning real time evaluations as well as formal ex-post evaluations
Learning from systematised data
Strategy work should make full use of the enormous volume of data that is routinely captured and
systemised for publication by a wide range of institutions. Much of this data is readily accessible, often
without charge via the internet. Techniques such as systematic reviews and meta-analysis (explained further
Strategy Survival Guide – Strategy Skills
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