Objectives of knowledge management

Fragmentation is finally the last of my current worries.
We used to have to con‑
tend with the iPhone and the iPad. Two screen sizes in a universal app. Manageable. 
Suddenly we have myriad versions of iOS, Android, Windows Phone on a continuum 
of screen sizes and very variable device capabilities (processor speed, camera/s, 
GPS, NFC, etc.). This is turning into a big argument for HTML5 and mobile sites. 
Major platform/device combos will continue to be relevant for apps, but I also 
expect the relative size of this group of devices to shrink in relation to the universe 
of mobile devices – serving most of which will only be practical through mobile web.
(Options for reviewing the marketing mix are discussed further at the end of 
Chapter 8 on Digital marketing.)
Strategy
defines the future direction and actions of an organisation or part of an organisa-
tion. Johnson and Scholes (2006) define corporate strategy as:
the direction and scope of an organization over the long- term: which achieves advantage 
for the organization through its configuration of resources within a changing environment 
to meet the needs of markets and to fulfil stakeholder expectations.
Lynch (2000) describes strategy as an organisation’s sense of purpose. However, he notes 
that purpose alone is not strategy; plans or actions are also needed.
Digital business strategies share much in common with corporate, business and market-
ing strategies. These quotes summarising the essence of strategy could equally apply to each 
strategy:
● 
‘Is based on current performance in the marketplace.’
● 
‘Defines how we will meet our objectives.’
● 
‘Sets allocation of resources to meet goals.’
● 
‘Selects preferred strategic options to compete within a market.’
● 
‘Provides a long- term plan for the development of the organisation.’
● 
‘Identifies competitive advantage through developing an appropriate positioning relative 
to competitors defining a value proposition delivered to customer segments.’
Johnson and Scholes (2006) note that organisations have different levels of strategy, par-
ticularly for larger or global organisations. These are summarised within Figure 5.1. They 
identify 
corporate strategy
which is concerned with the overall purpose and scope of the 
organisation, 
business unit strategy
which defines how to compete successfully in a partic-
ular market and 
operational strategies
which are concerned with achieving corporate and 
business unit strategies. Additionally, 
functional strategies
describe how the corporate and 
business unit strategies will be operationalised in different functional areas or business 
processes. Functional or process strategies refer to marketing, supply chain management, 
human resources, finance and information systems strategies.
What is digital business strategy?
Strategy
Definition of the future 
direction and actions of 
a company defined as 
approaches to achieve 
specific objectives.
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Chapter 5
Digital business strategy
Figure 5.1
Different forms of organisational strategy
Business unit
strategies
Functional
strategies
Regional
strategies
Corporate
strategy
Typical digital business
planning
Where does