First develop the required culture, then deal with the strategy!

If strategy is seen as a pattern in a stream of actions, then every organization has a strategy. We may think of a continuum where one end represents strict formal planning, while the other end reflects learning by doing approach, with no planning activities whatsoever. Of course, these extremes are for theoretical purposes only because most of the organizations fall somewhere between them. But what factors determine where will an organization find itself on this continuum? In my experience, organizational culture is the most influential factor. Beliefs, values, and priorities within an organization determine the time allocation and facts that will be taken into consideration by the key decision-makers, thus affecting decisions and resulting actions. Organizational culture does matter a lot. First develop the required culture, then deal with the strategy!