<p>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Companies sometimes fail to take effective action even when they know what they should do. Recent research shows that this surprising situation is more common than one would expect. How can the track record of companies in achieving the outcomes targeted by manufacturing strategy be improved? This article proposes a set of eight principles to improve the chances of taking effective action to turn intentions into outcomes. Rooted in the literature, the principles have also surfaced in case based research and commented on in the context of international consulting activities.</p><p>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit gebeur partykeer dat maatskappye nie doelgerig optree nie, ook al weet hulle wat hulle moet doen. Onlangse navorsing dui aan dat so 'n verrassende situasie meer algemeen is as wat mens sou verwag. Hoe kan die baanrekord van maatskapye verbeter word om doelwitte wat in bedryfsstrategie gestel word werklik te beryk? Hierdie artikel stel ‚n reeks van agt beginsels voor om die kans dat effektiewe aksie geneem word om wense in uitslae te omskep, te verbeter. Die beginsels, gewortel in die literatuur, het ook in gevallestudie-gebaseerde navorsing ter sprake gekom en word hier bespreek in die konteks van internasionale raadgewende werk.</p>