Research
We ask how strategy turns into action and gather the evidence to answer those questions.
See the research
Institute for Applied Strategy Execution
The science of executing strategy.
The Institute researches how strategies are carried out inside organisations and works with their leaders to apply what the evidence shows.
ResearchPracticeResults
The execution gap
There is a gap between strategy and results. Measuring it is the first step.
The most cited data on execution point the same way: companies realise on average about 63% of the financial value their strategies promise, and only a third of managers can name their organisation's top three priorities.
Other figures circulate without an empirical basis. The claim that 70% of change initiatives fail, for example, does not survive a review of its sources (Hughes, 2011). That is why we measure before we claim, particularly in African contexts, where evidence is still scarce.
63%
of the financial value promised by strategies is realised, on averageMankins & Steele (2005)
1/3
of managers can name their company's top three prioritiesSull, Homkes & Sull (2015)
<10%
of managers say they can always rely on colleagues in other unitsSull, Homkes & Sull (2015)
How the Institute works
One cycle: research, apply, measure.
Each part of the Institute feeds the next. What we measure in the labs returns to the research.
Praxis
We work with organisations on real execution problems, applying what the research shows.
See the Praxis LabsResults
We measure what changed and publish the results, including those that do not confirm our hypotheses.
See the results
Academy
Carries the knowledge to individuals through masterclasses, fellowships and internships.
See the AcademyThe results of each cycle set the questions for the next one.
Current research
Research themes
RQ1
From strategy to action
How strategic priorities lose clarity as they move from the executive committee to middle management.
RQ2
Execution routines
Which management routines, such as review meetings, performance dialogues and decision rights, are associated with better delivery.
RQ3
Culture and execution discipline
How organisational culture shapes execution discipline in public and private institutions.
RQ4
AI-supported execution
How AI-assisted monitoring can support execution without replacing managerial judgement.
Principles
How we work
Evidence before opinion
We start from data and published studies, and we state the limits of what we know.
We publish what we measure
We define in advance what each lab will measure and publish the results, favourable or not.
Context matters
We study execution in Angolan and African organisations, with their own constraints and resources, instead of importing recipes.
Practitioners are co-researchers
The people who carry out strategy take part in producing the knowledge and are the first to benefit from it.
Suricatus Network
An early-alert system made of people
Suricatus is a Human Sensory Network. Members capture weak signals in their everyday work, share them in a WhatsApp community and analyse them together, before they become obvious problems or opportunities.
Insights
Latest insights
The first publications are in preparation
Working papers, research notes and news from the Institute will appear here. Follow the Institute on LinkedIn to stay informed.
Is execution stalling in your organisation?
We'd be delighted to share our views on your challenges.