Background

Organisations often face Systemic Issues when it comes to effectively integrating strategy and delivery – including agreeing direction, priorities and managing trade-offs between benefit today (operations) and benefit tomorrow.. Some of these issues include:

unsatisfactory strategy formulation, implementation planning, and delivery
difficulty balancing and prioritising BAU, Change, and Value Creation
a lack of business support and assurance resources to orchestrate governance operations
inadequate information infrastructure for agile decision making
cultural difficulties in achieving accountability for strategic outcomes and
disappointing results from strategy delivery workloads

Furthermore – it is becoming more widely accepted that our organisations must focus on sustainable wellbeing as well as our traditional financial motives. – See more here (watch it to the end): “Quality Governance …will fix an un-sustainable world”. Executive summary here.

Given these points, it makes practical sense today and for our future existence to improve our ecosystems for governance related to integrating strategy and delivery – at all levels.

This is referred to as Business Integrated Governance (BIG).

What is BIG?

Business Integrated Governance (BIG) is a framework that aligns governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) with business strategy and operations to enhance decision-making and drive sustainable performance.

Key Aspects of Business Integrated Governance (BIG):

Alignment with Business Strategy: Governance frameworks are designed to support and drive business goals rather than just ensuring regulatory compliance.
Risk Management Integration: Governance processes include proactive risk management, identifying and mitigating risks that could impact business performance.
Performance-Driven Governance: Decision-making is data-driven and focused on improving efficiency, effectiveness, and business outcomes.
Stakeholder-Centric Approach: Governance considers the interests of all stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, customers, and regulators.
Technology & Automation: Digital tools and AI are often used to streamline governance processes, ensuring transparency and real-time monitoring.
Agility & Adaptability: Governance frameworks are flexible and adaptable to changing market conditions, regulatory requirements, and organizational needs.

Figure 7. Business-as-Usual, Value Creation and Change underpin Strategy

To address the Systemic Issues above, and to leverage the Key Aspects of BIG, organisations consider culture change which involves integrating governance principles, practices, and structures throughout business operations and decision-making processes.

The challenge of BIG is to shift from relying on a patchwork of governance practices to defining and managing fully integrated governance operation with the necessary Capability.

For any organisation, a well-defined (BIG) Capability primarily enables the effective communication of strategic expectations, followed by ongoing systematic performance oversight, decision making, re-steering, and course corrections, leading to greater strategic outcomes and agility.

Figure 6. Illustration of a Strategic Process Cycle

BIG Capability achievement requires the consideration of several crucial elements, including a strategy information model, integrated operating models, and a governance regime. Clear accountability management, suitable enablers (tools, processes, standards), business support and assurance (orchestrating the operation), data / information solutions and leadership are all essential for success.

BIG is described fully in the BIG Body of Knowledge (BoK).

Figure 16. How BIG connects example operating models

Within the BIG BoK, the BIG Framework provides key concepts, principles, and capability component definitions to facilitate the development of integrated governance and strategy delivery capability. It also addresses culture needs, offers example deliverables, and references methods and models.

BIG is particularly relevant to stakeholders involved in strategy management, change delivery, value creation, governance, risk, compliance, assurance, business support, and line of business leadership. It is especially valuable for potential sponsors and programme managers seeking to improve governance practices within their organisations.

Figure 20. BIG Principles and core connections

BIG can be applied:

tactically – to solve specific governance, assurance and accountability issues, or
strategically – to improve strategy delivery outcomes

The first step in a strategic BIG Journey is to engage a suitable sponsor in a small project that seeks to develop consensus on the problem and opportunity at hand. This project aims to build desire for improvement at the most senior levels of the organisation.

Following this initial step, the BIG Journey offers a pathway to determine the desired state of governance, agree on a vision, initiate a roadmap, make a compelling case, build enablers, and ultimately achieve lasting culture change within the organisation.

Get an Introduction to the materials, and access the public materials and PDF Chapters through the Knowledge Outline.

Who is BIG for?

Leaders responsible for strategy and strategy delivery

Senior executives and management teams responsible for strategies.
Heads of strategy, overseeing the strategic process.

Leaders responsible for running and changing the organisation

Transformation directors, leading strategic transformation delivery.
Sponsors, programme managers, and stakeholders involved in initiating a BIG initiative.
Operations heads who are stakeholders in Business-as-Usual and Product Management.

Key support functions, governance, and internal consultants

Existing support offices, such as strategy execution offices and project/program management offices, participating in the operation of integrated governance.
Governance, risk, and compliance teams responsible for integrated governance.
Enterprise, business, and solution architects responsible for operating models and information/data infrastructure.

Why is BIG Important?

Reduces governance silos and inefficiencies.
Enhances accountability and transparency.
Improves strategic decision-making and performance.
Ensures regulatory compliance while driving business success.

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