The common differences between strategies and tactics are as follows:

  • Strategies are often developed at higher level management
  • Uncertainties are usually greater with strategies
  • Strategies are concerned with issues of greater importance
  • Strategies are broad an have fewer details
  • The range of alternatives for strategic choices is usually much wider
  • Strategies are for longer time horizons
  • Tactics may be developed with greater routine and regularity, strategies may be quite ad hoc
  • Strategies require large amounts of diverse data, from many potential sources
  • Strategic problems may be more unstructured

Tactics support strategy and are means by which it is put into effect. Tactics may be specific projects or a continuation of ongoing activities. The difference between tactics and strategies may depend upon one’s position in the organisation hierarchy – one person’s tactics may be another’s strategies. For instance, a choice to finance the firm by new share issues may be tactical to the CEO, but of strategic importance to the Chief Financial Officer

Source: Henley Business School