An increasingly complex and more volatile MENA economy presents changes and challenges that have altered the context in which companies must undertake planning. These external difficulties are compounded by internal missteps including strained resources and employees; process inefficiencies; unreliable, low-quality data; and, often, a company’s own culture. Given the lack of stability and predictability in the new MENA reality, companies must learn to be as agile and adaptable as possible. 

When talking about strategic planning, the first thing that comes to mind is the traditional meetings where the top management discusses the priorities and come up with a plan reflecting the set directions. Although this old approach still holds true in many businesses, most businesses adopt a more collaborative and flexible approach to strategic management. Yet, the task has neither become easier nor more effective and the flops occur only too often.

The issue about strategic planning is that the process is complex requiring a varied set of capabilities; vision, leadership, change management, continuous knowledge of the environment, communication, resilience, anticipation, creativity to name a few. But, let us focus on the most common issues that were found to hinder the strategic planning process:

Goal setting is not an easy task: 

• Who should set goals?

• What information needs to be considered when defining the company objectives?

• How to involve the staff without undermining their performance in their day-to-day tasks?

• How to ensure that the objectives are realistic and will make sense in the future?

• How to find the right balance between setting very challenging objectives hard to attain and setting objectives too easy to make a difference? 

Evaluating the current situation:  this step is intricate in the sense that company politics may come into play to protect the people currently in charge. A culture that is built on openness, transparency, and accountability is a pre-requisite for undertaking any diagnostic or audit. 

Designing the steps to bridge the gap between the current situation and the objectives is sensitive because its relevance highly depends on the success of the other steps namely objective setting and the diagnosis. Even if this is ensured, the hardest is still ahead. In fact, the researchers have shown that the implementation is the phase during which strategies fail most. The transformation will be achieved only if the management can show strong leadership to drive the team and ensure the appropriation of the strategic project.

Our approach:

Under the uncertainty prevailing today, it is unrealistic to rely on assumptions when it comes to formulating your strategy. At MTC, we protect our clients from embarking on a strategizing project that ends- up being a dead-end. We study all the scenarios possible based on Nobel prize-winning economist John Nash to select the optimal option and formulate an action plan for each outcome based on the Balanced Scorecard Strategy framework. We use scenarios to predict the future with predictive analytics tools, and we use them as a tool to keep managers alert about the alternatives that may arise, thus allowing for more flexibility and resilience if the customer’s business.

Our References:

MSK:  German company specialised in woman ready-to-wear production.

SOBREL: embroidering for export company

LYNDA: embroidering for export company

SARRALUX EXPORT: embroidering for export company

INTEX: pull-over production.

MATRIC: pull-over production

KAVIRA: Dutch company , manufacturer of children ready-to-wear

IDUNA: Dutch company specialised in woman underwear.

FLORITEX: German company of shirt production.

EIKO-Tunisia: German company producing work wear

SOBITEX: Manufacturer of jeans

Samah Confection: Manufacturer of jeans

Fella Confection: Manufacturer of woman ready-to-wear

STCM: manufacturer of children ready-to-wear

Textile City: manufacturer of fabrics

SINUTEX: Manufacturer of sportswear

MMT: production of socks

DHAOU BELGACEM: production of socks

ICAB: manufacturer of fabrics

SOMOBAS: production of socks

SOFA: manufacturer of fabrics

PERSOVET: manufacturer of labels

MET: manufacturer of garment accessories

BECOTEX: Manufacturer of sportswear

DANAMODE: Manufacturer of sportswear

IMETEX: Manufacturer of sportswear

MAMO: Manufacturer of work wear

SOPRODITE: Manufacturer of knitwear

MEUBLENTUB: office furniture.

SOCIETE EPTIKAR: Hotel’s Furniture.

INTERIEUR: office and living-room’s furniture.

SOCIETE NOVAMEUBLE: furniture industry.

MEUBLES NASRA: furniture industry

SOCIETE KERKOUANE MEUBLES : Home  furniture.

INTERDECOR :Home  furniture

TUNICUISINE: kitchen’s furniture production.

ABRA PLAST CONFORT : Office furniture

FERRONERIE D’ART: Metal home furniture

Home  furniture  : INTERMEUBLE; NOUVELLE EPOQUE  NOVAMEUBLE ; KESKES MEUBLES;  TRIKI MEUBLES ;  MEUBLES SIX

SOTRABOIS: Wood production

CHROME DÉCOR: Decoration items

MARSAOUI: Hotel furniture and decoration

SMID CHAMSA : Cereal milling

TUNISIE-LAIT : diary products

ETABLISSEMENT AMEUR BEN AMOR: packaging and export of seafood .

Packaging and exports of dates: SOCOMAD, MEDIFRUIT, UTIQUA FRUIT, BERNABE BIOSCA TUNISIE, AMEUR FRERES, HORCHANI DATTES.

ESSOUANI : cheese production.

OLLE : cheese production.

Agri-Business-Company: canned tuna fish production.

SOSTEM: Mineral water

PRESTIGE TUNISIE: production of cosmetics.

INDUSTRIE CHIMIQUE DE TUNISIE (ICT) : production of cosmetics

AIR LIQUIDE TUNISIE :  French company specialised in industrial gas

SACEM: Public share holding company of Electro-mechanic Construction ( electric transformers production)

SUPER CABLES: electric wire production,

ACEM: electric closet and component production.

ETA:   German company, specialised in electric components.

VEGE MOTEURS: engine production

FCS:  polypropylene bags  production for exports.

MANUFACTURE TUNISIENNE DE MATIERE PLASTIQUE ( MTMP) : plastic pipes, tubes and sanitary articles

COFISAC: polypropylene bag    production

METALPACK: metallic packaging production
Furniture: AYOUBI Steel Furniture, MAANI Specialised Furniture, PROTECH Furniture, JWICO, FORUM, MAANI component furniture.
Food industry: Gulf Food Products: Ketchup, canned fruit and vegetables; Universal Industries: Biscuits and canned vegetables