The strategy and tactics which are closely interconnected among themselves often confuse concepts. If to speak in brief, then tactics is a more detailed and purposeful part of strategy. They have approximately the same relations among themselves as the purpose and tasks.
What is strategy?
Strategy – the term which is most often applied in military science, but can be used in any other human activity. It is the general, large-scale plan made with a definite purpose for the long period of time. This word is often applied at the description of plans of commanders during the war: for example, there is a strategy of destruction, the strategy of a starvation, intimidation, indirect actions and others. It is possible to use this term in any sphere: in gaining love, in achievement of career heights, in economic planning, in the organization of business.
When developing strategy only the definite, large-scale purpose which is not divided into small tasks is set. Strategy does not include the detailed description, it only builds the approximate plan, to be exact, the direction of actions.
Strategy is necessary when the available resources are not enough for fast and simple achievement of a goal. Therefore it is necessary to think over the action plan economically and effectively to spend these resources and to receive the necessary result depending on a situation.
What is tactics?
Tactics differs from strategy in the narrower orientation. In fact, it is the part of strategy having certain, closer and exact purpose. Tactics solves one of the tasks necessary for achievement of the necessary result. It is called also the instrument of strategy implementation. In military science tactics is a theory and practice of conducting fight by various divisions in different conditions. But it is used also in any other spheres. Tactics is always more concrete, detailed and short-term in comparison with strategy, but actually these two concepts exist only in the ratio with each other. Better than all distinction are shown in time intervals. For example, at the organization of week the plan for day will be tactics in relation to strategy, but at the same time the list put at the next two o'clock - it is tactics in comparison with the strategy of day. Also it is possible to distinguish these two concepts on degree of their specification. For example, the woman sets before herself the purpose to draw attention of the man. Analyzing a situation – the resources (appearance, intelligence, merits and demerits), environmental conditions (situation, behavior of the man, his preference), she develops a strategy of achievement of the purpose, for example, by means of beauty. And its specific actions will be tactics in that case: use of certain cosmetics, the clothes drawing attention, a package of measures for improvement of a figure. But if to consider the last task as the separate purpose – for example, it is necessary to lose weight, then the chosen direction will be strategy in that case: by means of a diet or sport. And certain physical exercises or the plan of food per day, week or month will be tactics.