Most people think of strategy as relating to the future (typified in Dave Aron’s excellent book “The Essence of Strategy” which has a short chapter titled “Strategy is about the future”) – and generally think of “strategic” as relating to the far future.
The idea of strategic timescales can have different interpretations:
- Enduring significance – Something important now that will remain so for some years to come
- Emerging significance – Something that will become important in years to come (but isn’t yet)
In each case, the emphasis should be on the word “important”. If there is a subject that affects the answers to a key strategic question (whichever domain of influence in strategic formulation is affected), then that should be considered as strategic – whether its impact is now and for a long time, not felt for some time, or even if immediate and relatively short term[1].
The quality of being strategic should be assigned based on significance, not timing of impact.
[1] Potentially might even be things in the past. Re-evaluation of the past can shape our view of the present and future.