Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Publication
    Revealing the chief strategist's hidden value : How CEOs can measure their CSOs' performance - Chief Strategy Officer Survey 2016
    (University of St. Gallen/Roland Berger, 2016) ; ;
    Barnbeck, Fabian
    ;
    Zimmermann, Tim
    ;
    Uhr, Jens
    ;
    Fronzek, Alexandra
    ;
    Geissler, Cornelia
    The work of strategy departments and all who are responsible for the strategy planning process has not got any easier in recent years. The context in which strategic plans must be formulated has grown less stable. Volatility and uncertainty make business decisions more difficult. Given this situation, it is not a bad idea to critically review what have traditionally been the key pillars of strategy work. Many years' experience with research and project work in relation to strategy in general and chief strategy officers (CSOs) in particular help us identify and visualize gaps between ideal and reality. At a time when belts are being tightened all around, we see companies thinking twice about highly qualified and expensive corporate functions. And strategy departments are no exception. Challenged to make their work more transparent, CSOs are themselves being forced to look closely at how they see their role and how they approach their assignments. Nor can business managers and CEOs simply pass the buck: They too are responsible for ensuring that the resources set aside for strategy work are deployed in a way that genuinely adds value. This year's analysis of our CSO study focuses on precisely this topic: the value added by CSOs and strategy departments. How does valuable strategy work get done? And where in the company does that happen? What part do CSOs play - and what part should they play? How do companies measure the performance of their chief strategists? This year's theme dovetails seamlessly with those of previous years, in which we examined the requirements placed on CSOs in a volatile environment (2013) and the role of CSOs in transformation processes (2014).
  • Publication
    The Strategist's Change - How successful CSOs transform their Companies : Key Findings of the Chief Strategy Officer Survey 2014
    (University of St. Gallen/Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, 2014) ; ;
    Zimmermann, Tim
    ;
    Uhr, Jens
    In a world where business parameters are constantly changing, where uncertainty and geopolitical instability are on the rise, successful corporate transformation is one of the most critical - and most difficult - tasks for the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). Adjusting to new conditions, which in an age of digitalization and hypercompetition often has to happen in real time, is akin to open-heart surgery. Strategies have to be developed, support organized, resistance overcome, patterns broken, exemplary behaviors demonstrated, routines rehearsed, successes (or failures) measured - while the operation is in full swing. How does the CSO position himself in this environment? What role does he adopt? What priorities does he set, how does he interact with other stakeholders? What makes him succeed - and what lets him fail? These questions stand in the limelight of our fourth CSO Survey, the leading international study of chief strategists and strategy departments. This year, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants and the University of St. Gallen asked nearly 600 companies from more than 15 countries for a self-assessment. About 160 participated in the survey, and this 27% response rate testifies to the high degree of acceptance that the CSO Survey has achieved in its target group.
  • Publication
    Masters of Paradoxes - Key Findings of the Chief Strategy Officer Survey 2013
    (University of St. Gallen/Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, 2013) ; ; ;
    Zimmermann, Tim
    ;
    Lattwein, Christian
    ;
    Lang, Andreas
    The results of the third edition of our Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) Survey, now with more than 150 participants from 14 different European countries, paint a clear picture of the role of the chief strategist. To add value at the firm level, today's CSO must above all be a master of paradoxes. In times of uncertainty, it is no longer a question of "either/or" but of "both/and": both growth and efficiency, speed and rigor, openness and leadership, short-term success and long-term prospects.
  • Publication
    CSO's Role in Times of Uncertainty, Report of the CSO Survey 2012
    (University of St. Gallen/Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, 2013) ; ;
    Zimmermann, Tim
    ;
    Lattwein, Christian
    A new study by the IfB-HSG and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants reveals how chief strategy officers deal with the current uncertainty. A leaner strategy process, long-term strategic planning, and cross-functional collaboration are particularly important.
  • Publication
    The Role of Chief Strategy Officers 2011
    (University of St. Gallen/Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, 2012) ; ;
    Reineke, Björn
    ;
    Henkel, Carsten B.
    This study report summarizes the results of the first systematic survey of chief strategy officers (CSOs) in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, a research project jointly conducted by the University of St. Gallen and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. The study aims at deepening our understanding of the CSO's roles, background, working relationships, strategic decision-making, and agenda. We define those executives as CSOs who are leading their firms' strategy function or have a similar role. This typically includes executives with titles such as VP Acquisitions, VP Corporate Development, SVP Corporate Planning, Managing Director Corporate Strategy, Head of Planning, and VP Strategic Initiatives.