Keeping score : How ZAC found strategy implementation needed more than joined‐up thinking

Purpose – Reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach – Scans the top 400 management publications in the world to identify the most topical issues and latest concepts. These are presented in an easy‐to‐digest briefing of no more than 1,500 words. Findings – Strategy formulation helps organizations respond to new external challenges by unlocking what they already know about themselves and their markets. The process is an exhilarating one and energizes managers and staff with a new sense of investment in a joint future. However, keeping that energy going in everyday operational realities and measuring the success of strategy implementation is a different matter. The experience of Saudi Arabian manufacturer Zamil Air Conditioners (ZAC) shows what every football coach learns the hard way: you can't just make a winning plan and assume people will stick with it. Practical implications – Provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.