The Twelve Olympians by Monsiau, circa late 18th century Introduction There is no unanimity among scholars and practitioners on the meaning of strategy. Texts on the subject discuss strategy from different and sometimes contradictory perspectives. The only issue, over which there is little debate, is the origin of the term strategy. “In its original sense, strategy (from the Greek word, Strategos) is a military term used to describe the art of the general (Harvard Business School, 2005, p. xi). This art is about plans for troop deployment in battles to win wars. Many writers acknowledge that the concept of strategy has military origins, with Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” being one the oldest treatise on strategy. Businesspersons seem to enjoy using military analogies to conceptualize the running of businesses in the modern world. Indeed, the pressure of keeping a business afloat amidst a very volatile operating environment that the world has become can feel like war. It is the goal of this paper to seek to uncover the essential components of strategy and the process of formulating a coherent organizational strategy in the context of the built environment. Amid the differences that exist as to what strategy is, it seems more beneficial to embrace a wide-angled view of since each of the viewpoints has merit and contributes to the overall understanding of the concept. It is the approach that Mark, (2004, p. 11) advocates for in the context of business when he states, “One of the greatest benefits of a comprehensive approach to strategy is the surfacing and exploitation of multiple sources of attractive growth”. However, this growth should give due considerations the internal resources availability for now and for the future. Essential Components of Strategy The first essential component of strategy is action. The Harvard Business School (2005) states, “Strategy is about doing the right things” (p. xi). Actions reveal an organizations strategy. A deliberate strategy informs its actions. However, actions not based on a defined strategy still qualify for consideration as part of organizational strategy. Secondly, strategy refers to a plan. Henderson (1991) states, “Strategy is a deliberate search for a plan of action that will develop a business’s competitive advantage and compound it” (p. 5). This plan informs the actions undertaken when the strategy is deliberate. Henderson (1991) assumes that all strategy must be formally planned. In the context of strategy, it is not the formalization of a plan but the deliberate choices a business puts in place that counts. Another view forwarded by the Harvard Business School (2005) about strategy is that it is a resource control and utilization plan meant to protect the central interests of an organization. These resources include finances, physical infrastructure, and human resource. This view accomodates the lack of a deliberate centralized conventional business strategy made through a formal process. It simply refers to the arrangement of those resources in a sensible manner towards certain ends. Competitive advantage is the motive behind strategy. Robert (2005) succinctly states, “Strategy is about winning” (p. 4). This view is supported by Porter (1991) who states, “the essense o