The document introduces strategic doing, a new approach to strategy that focuses on designing and guiding loosely connected networks. Strategic planning, which was developed for large hierarchical organizations, does not work as well for networks. Strategic doing emphasizes agility, collaboration, and continuous practice to link diverse assets and drive innovation. The Purdue Center for Regional Development is testing and deploying strategic doing to regenerate regional economies. It is building a national network of universities to teach and develop strategic doing so communities can form productive collaborations.

1. STRATEGIC DOING
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION
WHY WE NEED NEW APPROACHES TO STRATEGY
Ed Morrison
Economic Policy Advisor
Center for Regional Development | May 2013
Monday, May 6, 13

2. THE EMERGENCE OF NETWORKS
WEALTH EMERGES FROM OUR ABILITY TO LINK AND LEVERAGE
We are moving into a world in which wealth is produced by networks: global supply chains, open
innovation, customer networks energized by social media, and so on.
We need new strategy disciplines to design and guide these loosely joined networks.
Strategic planning, born in the 1950’s and 1960’s met the needs of large, hierarchical organizations.
Strategic planning does not work well to guide networks. We need new ways to build complex
collaborations quickly. We are moving from a world of command and control to a world of agile
collaboration.
From
command
and
control...
Monday, May 6, 13
To agile
collaboration...

3. AGILITY LEADS TO RESILIENCE
AND AGILITY HAS BECOME THE CORE OF COMPETITIVENESS
At the Purdue Center for Regional Development, we are deploying and testing a new approach to
deigning and managing the complex networks that generate wealth in a regional economy.
This new approach involves agile strategy, a discipline we call Strategic Doing. We need agility because
conditions are continuously shifting. Economic turbulence has become a fact of life.
Economic Turbulence
Regional
Strategy
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4. STRATEGIC DOING IS A DISCIPLINE
NEW LEVELS OF PROSPERITY REQUIRE CONTINUOUS PRACTICE IN COLLABORATION
Strategic Doing is a simple -- but not easy -- discipline to link, leverage, and align assets in a network.
The process takes about a year to master with continuous practice and 30 day reviews. The approach
accelerates “open innovation”.
Prosperity
Productivity
Open
Innovation
Strategic Doing
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5. A NETWORK IS FORMING
WHERE WE HAVE INTRODUCED STRATEGIC DOING
Interest in Strategic Doing is exploding.
Purdue is developing a national network of colleges and universities to support, teach and develop the
discipline of Strategic Doing -- agile strategy for open, loosely joined networks. Purdue has been
conducting workshops all around the country in regions seeking to regenerate their economies.
Location of Purdue presentations and
workshops in Strategic Doing
2009-2012
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6. TAKING THE NETWORK TO SCALE
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ANCHOR AN EMERGING NATIONAL NETWORK
We are developing a national network of colleges and universities to anchor the Strategic Doing network.
These anchor institutions are providing the training and support needed to form complex collaborations
quickly and keep them on track with measurable outcomes.
Purdue, Michigan State and The University of Akron form the core of this network, and we are working
with other universities as we build out this network.
For more information, contact:
Peggy Hosea
phosea@purdue.edu
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