The contribution of strategic management and strategic thinking processes to organizational performanceStrategic management and strategic thinking processes make a significant contribution to organizational performance. A strategy, according to Robbins and Barnwell (2002) , p. 139) is “the adoption of courses of action and the allocation of resources necessary to achieve the organization's objectives”. It is important for organizations to achieve their goals, as this can help them achieve a competitive advantage, which is a highly attractive position for a company. This essay will examine strategic management processes and how they can be used to improve organizational performance; It will also describe how strategic management processes have the ability to lower organizational performance. Strategic thinking processes will then be assessed, with a comparison between strategic thinking and strategic planning, looking at the similarities and differences between the two. We will also describe the positive and negative effects that strategic thinking can have on organizational performance. Organizational performance is the overall performance of an organization in combination with its goals and objectives. An organization's performance can be high or low, depending on its ability to achieve these goals. The success of an organization's performance can be influenced by a number of factors, including strategic management and strategic thinking processes. The strategic management process works to achieve strategic competitiveness compared to other organizations in the same industry. This happens by successfully producing a value creation strategy. (Hanson, Dowling, Hitt, Ireland & Hokisson et al, 2008) Value can mean different things to different people; it is measured by the performance of the product and the elements that compose it and for which customers are willing to pay. (Hanson et al, 2008) If a company is able to successfully build a value creation strategy, it will have a better chance of gaining a competitive advantage. According to Barney p. 102, “a firm is said to have a competitive advantage when it implements a value creation strategy that is not simultaneously implemented by any current or potential competitor.” Porter argues that no one company can deliver value in all the ways people want value delivered, so they should select a strategy; cost leadership, differentiation or focus. (Robbins & Barnwell, 2002) This indicates the importance of strategic management for organizations in making appropriate decisions and selecting strategies that will help them gain strategic competitiveness and consequently achieve above-average returns. A strategy adopted by an organization indicates in which area the company intends to succeed.