word choice - What's the difference between the adjectives "strategic" and "tactical"?


I recently read this sentence:



It was a strategic move rather than a tactical one.



I have trouble interpreting it. Can someone help?



Answer



Tactics address immediate needs; strategy addresses long-term ones. Somtimes it is worth taking a loss in the short term (what would seem like bad tactics) for long-term strategic advantage.


The terms are used with regard to the military but are broader: business, games, financial planning, etc:




  • A chess player makes the strategic decision to sacrifice a rook in order to consolidate control over the center of the board and maintain a strong pawn structure (this example suggested in comments).




  • A business makes the tactical decision to hire temps for the current push or the strategic decision to hire and train permanent employees for the long term.




  • An investor makes the strategic decision to accept risk of short-term loss for possible gains because he doesn't need the money for another decade anyway.




  • And back to the military: a commander may sacrifice a unit (or put it at risk) to achieve a strategic goal of gaining territory.




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