Bridging the Strategy-Execution Gap Through Data Integration: The Stride Framework

Abstract

Research purpose. Contemporary strategic management literature has developed rich but largely specialized streams addressing strategy formulation, resource configuration, dynamic capabilities, execution systems, and data-driven decision-making. Despite these advances, persistent fragmentation remains between strategic intent, operational execution, and analytical validation. The purpose of this study is to develop and conceptually justify STRIDE as an integrative cyclical architecture of strategic management capable of structurally aligning these dimensions.

Design / Methodology / Approach. The study adopts a conceptual theory-building design grounded in structural comparative analysis. Representative strategic management frameworks are examined across six predefined architectural dimensions: strategic intent, tactical translation, resource alignment, implementation mechanisms, data integration, and evaluation. The comparison serves to identify structural discontinuities and integrative gaps within dominant paradigms.

Findings. The analysis suggests that existing frameworks tend to specialize in particular structural components rather than provide a fully integrated governance architecture. Based on this architectural assessment, STRIDE is developed as a synthesis model that embeds strategic direction, operational coordination, analytical validation, and evaluative recalibration within a unified recursive system.

Originality / Value / Practical implications. The study contributes to strategic management theory by introducing architectural completeness as a criterion for systemic alignment. Rather than extending a single paradigm, STRIDE integrates fragmented domains into a coherent cyclical governance framework, offering a structured foundation for future empirical validation and practical application.