José Luis Ortiz Flores
The strategy is contained in the path between the point where we are and the point where we want to be. The process of designing and executing the strategy in an organization consists in a group of interrelated actions:
- Stablishing the direction of the organization.
- Decision-making process, based on a diagnosis, to reach the stablished objectives.
- Delivering and executing the chosen strategy in an efficient and an effective way.
- Adjusting the strategy
a) Useful tools to stablish the direction of the organization are the mission, vision and core values; b) there are a lot of different methods to obtain a diagnosis, required for the decision-making process (depending on the circumstances and the organization); c) to execute and deliver the strategy in an efficient and effective way involves a series of multi-factor actions and concepts (leadership, resource management, internal controls…); and d) adjusting the strategy, first as a consequence of new conditions (the market changed, the competition made moves…) and new opportunities; and second, requires experience and the humble and intelligent attitude to correct a stablished strategy.
Let´s take for example, the different strategies adjusted by the countries to diminish the COVID-19 effect. In the UK Boris Johnson has changed the strategy at least three times: he started by giving little importance to the virus, a late response to the pandemic; then he gave it more importance and implemented lockdowns and financial supports; then the conditions changed (a new virus variant surged) and the strategy changed again (new tier 4 restrictions) (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/04/england-changing-coronavirus-strategy-timeline).
Let´s briefly analyze the Mexican Strategy to diminish the COVID-19 effect. It also started by giving little importance to the virus, also a late response to the pandemic. In this case, as months passed and deaths continue to rise the statistics, there were very light lockdowns, no financial supports and no tests; in this case, the strategy remained the same, even if the conditions changed. But the Mexican case is different.
We said before that the strategy was the path between where we are and our objectives. The Mexican case is different because, as tests were not implemented and statistics were mismanaged, there is a lack of the required diagnosis for the decision-making process. But even worse, there are no clear objectives (https://redintegralis.live/2020/11/29/los-objetivos-como-engranes-de-la-organizacion/).
Let´s take the new US strategy as a reference. We all know there is an objective to apply 100 million vaccines in 100 days, that´s clear. In the case of Mexico there in no clear budget to even buy the vaccines.
As we stated before, to adjust a strategy it requires experience and the humble and intelligent attitude to correct a stablished strategy; these are elements that the Mexican Government lacks.
As a reference, the budget to build a train that is supposed to link some touristic points in the Yucatan Peninsula (“Tren Maya”) is 36,000 million pesos for 2021 (https://www.forbes.com.mx/negocios-tren-maya-36-mil-mdp-2021-mas/) ; the budget to build an oil refinery in Tabasco for 2021 is 45,000 million pesos (https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/economia/Presupuesto-2021-Infraestructura-Tren-Maya-aeropuerto-de-Santa-Lucia-y-refineria-Dos-Bocas-20200908-0104.html).
But the Mexican Government did not stablish a budget to buy COVD-19 vaccines for 2021 (https://www.infobae.com/america/mexico/2020/12/07/el-gobierno-de-mexico-no-asigno-presupuesto-para-la-vacunacion-contra-covid-19-salomon-chertorivski-senalo-que-las-autoridades-no-van-a-corregir-el-rumbo/) . So, what´s the strategy?
Being the third country with more COVID-19 related deaths, with the worst economic crisis in decades, the Mexican Government does not have an economic and health strategy. It may have a political strategy; a political strategy that will cost millions of closed businesses, unemployment, and human lives. As said, lack of experience and lack of a humble and intelligent attitude.