Planning and facilitating strategy process for an online travel agency

The purpose of this study is establishing strategic goals and selecting a business strategy by facilitating strategy process in a case company. The research concludes which kind of qualities are needed to operate the case company, an online travel agency on a local and global level. The objective of the study is to recognize the commissioner’s key resources and core competences applicable for strategic advantage, differentiation and positioning in the market. Different tools of strategic analysis and planning are introduced both in theory and in practice. Action research was the research strategy of this study. A variety of educational books, research articles and classics of strategy studies were used as the basis of the theoretical framework. The theoretical framework was used in action on an analytical level as well as in a practical intervention. A scope of strategy tools were used in practice and information was gathered through document analysis from educational books, research articles and internet sources. The used strategy tools were PESTEL framework, Five Forces analysis, TOWS matrix, VRIO analysis, and Blue Ocean Strategy tools such as the Four Action framework. A workshop was held as an intervention to highlight the importance of participative methods in a strategy process. This study follows a zipper structure where each chapter includes a theoretical framework of the topic, followed by empirical part and finally implementation. The study begins with an introduction to strategy, strategic management and strategy process as concepts. Strategy consists of multiple elements far beyond goals and future outlooks. The first part of the research is of strategic environment and introduces external analysis tools. An analysis of the strategic environment was conducted and future forecasts were drafted. Implementation of the results were introduced as suggestions of concrete strategic actions for the commissioner. The second part includes internal analyses in the point of view of resource based strategies and resource analysis. A workshop was conducted as a development method of resources. The syntheses chapter includes analyses that combine both internal and external information. SWOT analysis and TOWS matrix were conducted as syntheses. Finally a strategy selection was conducted based on the results of the theory and development methods, document analysis and workshop. The last chapter includes a discussion of the research project and the results. The study was conducted in the commissioner’s premises in Marmaris, Turkey in autumn 2018. The brief conclusion of the study is that regarding strategic choices the commissioner should mainly focus on growth strategies, user experience development, stakeholder values, branding and marketing as well as financial stability