A series of action research projects, conducted by the authors, spanning over a decade, has seen the emergence of an approach to embedding a number of strategic tools and techniques in a simple cyclical framework. These projects have involved strategic, tactical and operational systems in education, health care, construction, banking and other areas of the private sector. Here the attempt is to define a general purpose framework. Thus this research has involved the adaptation and use of a recognised framework for the development of Information Systems (IS) strategy. This strategic framework supports the use of a wide range of established strategic tools, which may be used in one or more stages of the framework as appropriate. The use of Failures Theory, SWOT analysis and PEST analysis has been described here by way of example, but many other tools, techniques and methods may also be usefully employed. Many of the well-established models and methods were originally developed to describe or to model organisations as a whole.