Distinction between STRATEGY and TACTICS

• Significance


  Strategies have more significance or greater consequences for an organisation than tactics as strategic decisions generally affect the entire organisation or a significant part of the organisation. Tactics may affect only a particular supplier or a particular sale or a customer.
• Level of formulation or conduct


  Strategies are formulated at senior or top management level and within overall strategy, tactic are employed by middle and lower levels of management.
• Information base


  As strategies have significant impact on an organisation, these are framed with extensive information relating to the company’s resources, operations, environment, competitors, customers etc. For tactical decisions the information requirement are lesser and only relates to a smaller part of the organisation
• Objectivity/Subjectivity


  Strategies are generally framed by teams and not by individual managers as these are based on detailed analysis of information or data, which renders enough objectivity to strategies. Tactics are more subjective and are sometimes left to the discretion of individual managers.
• Periodicity / Time Horizon 


  Strategies are generally long-term, are not made or changed frequently. It takes time to formulate strategies and to determine their effectiveness; therefore, strategies have larger periodicity or time frame. Tactics, on the other hand, can change quite frequently.