Overview Introduction of Strategic Planning and Facilitation
Strategic Planning
Strategic planning is the continuous and systematic process of guiding members of an organization to make decisions about its future, develop the necessary procedures and operations to achieve that future, and determine how success will be achieved.
Oppenheim (2006) defines Strategic Planning as the methodical process by which an organization anticipates and plans for its future by undertaking an examination of the organization and its environment by those who have a stake in its future success.
Strategic Planning is a long term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal, as differentiated from tactics or immediate actions. It may employ methods like SWOT analysis to help clarify objectives and strategies. Strategic planning uses "the big picture" to pursue large scale, long term objectives. (Wikipedia - Strategic Planning, 2006).
The primary motive for organizations to do strategic planning is to learn and to make decisions about the future of the organization based on that learning.
The basic strategic planning process includes: 1. Identify your purpose (articulate mission and vision); 2. Assess the Situation; 3. Develop Strategies, Goals, and Objectives; 4. Identify specific approaches or strategies that must be implemented to reach each goal; 5. Identify specific action plans to implement each strategy, and 6. Monitor and update the plan.
A challenge in strategic planning is to decide what bits and where bits of information will be used to support business decisions. In general, strategic plans can fail for two types of reasons: inappropriate strategy and poor implementation.
Good strategic planning is typically based on a rich mix of conceptual, qualitative and quantitative information about what works for whom.
The amount of time it takes an organization to complete a strategic plan varies greatly depending on a number of factors, including; the size and complexity of the organization, past experience with strategic planning, accessibility of planning data, and time and availability of board and staff.
Strategic Planning results in a written document that serves as a blueprint to guide the organization towards its future goals, but far more important than the strategic plan document, is the strategic planning process itself.
Facilitation
Wikipedia - Facilitation (2006) defines facilitation as any activity which makes easy the tasks of others. From a business and/or organizational development perspective, Gaffney (2000) explains that facilitation "is the process of enabling groups to work cooperatively and effectively".
In particular, facilitation is important in circumstances where people of diverse backgrounds, interests and capabilities work together.
(Yoder-Wise, 2015) During the process of planning you need to assess your internal and external environment, identify any opportunities and threats. Then you want to create your plan and identify your goals and objectives, implement the plan and lastly you evaluate and make any necessary changes. In strategic marketing, you want to identify your target market and research it. When planning you identify your strategies and objectives you identify what services you will provide and at what cost an how you’re going to market your plan. You can evaluate by getting feedback from consumers through different
Hence, it is opportune to indicate that strategic planning is “[the] organizational planning that includes the establishment of overall goals and positioning an organization’s product or service against the competition” (Robbins and DeCenzo,
The strategic planning process is helpful and very challenging. According to Dess, Gregory G., G.T. Lumpkin and Marilyn L. Taylor, an organizations strategic management process consists of “the analysis, decisions, and actions an organization undertakes in order to create and sustain competitive advantages” (2005, para. 1). A strategic plan is a roadmap, a blueprint that an organization can follow that allows an organization to formulate fundamental decisions by engaging in a long-range view of what it anticipates to achieve and how it will do
A strategic plan is a tool that delivers guidance in achieving a mission or goal with maximum proficiency and control for an organization. Strategic planning is used to transform and revitalize organizations. The plan helps provide an inclusive understanding of opportunities and challenges both internally and externally for the organization. The plan delivers an assessment of the strengths and limitations that are realistic within the company. A well-developed strategic plan will offer a comprehensive approach and empowerment for the stakeholders involved. It is an opportunity for learning and understanding priorities that will drive the business to succeed. Jones (2010), describes how in health care organizations, strategic plans characteristically concentrate on operational and organizational goals such as when to obtain new technology, how to meet competitive challenges, and what staffing, tools, or facilities are needed to ensure organizational survival. The mission and value statements are significant in determining the quality of a strategic initiative. Forcing the organization to look toward the future creates proactive objectives in which both short-term and long-terms plans and goals are necessary in order to succeed.
Another important quality in a successful society is collaboration. Collaboration is the act of wo...
Strategic planning consist of four steps starting from defining the company’s mission. When talking about a mission were talking about a certain phrase or slogan for say, that is intended to draw attention to customers and make them want to be even more loyal to the company. For example Walmart says, “Save money. Live Better”. Therefore, Walmart’s mission would be to let people know that they have low prices all day every day, insinuating that their products are affordable for everyone. This is a good mission because it gets the majority of the people in this world to want to go out and save money on their everyday necessities and even luxuries. The second step would be to set certain objectives and goals for the company as well. For example, CVS did use “Health is everything” as their mission and this didn’t just set out for a name it became a goal as well. Sooner or later you must set goals on your mission to understand the level that you need to get to and reach. Another example of a goal that I believe CVS set was to start selling healthier products. In the chapter it says that CVS stopped selling tobacco and other products that
The strategic planning process is the formulation of the company’s major objectives and execution plans. This process is of particular interest in GE. Strategy formulation is the process of choosing the best methods for a company where customer needs; competitive position and internal capability are the three factors that play the main role in strategic planning. Every manager needs to have at least a simple notion of strategic planning to formulate his strategic plans. Strategic Planning is a wide and complex subject. Strategic Management background is an essential basis of any organization.
Strategic Planning is looking at where you are now, knowing where you want to be in the future and planning the steps to get you there.
Facilitation is defined as “The act of making something easier” (http://www.ica-uk.org.uk/what-is-facilitation) and in a group situation, this would mean that the facilitator works with a group of people to help them work together, define and achieve their goals, as well as overcome any possible challenges in doing so. The focus needs to be on not merely solving each problem as it arises, but rather creating a sustainable, changed organisation, with lasting effects.
Long term planning is essential in a successful organization. This long term planning is known as strategic planning. “During the strategic planning process, organizations usually
The application of developing a strategic plan and goals is by asking the right questions and having mutual engagement. The strategy involved in creating a plan is the best way to create a vision to share with others.
The Strategic Plan of an organization is the most efficient and resourceful plan an organization can implement. Riordan takes immense pride in the strategic plans in place for the manufacturing organization. Through the strategic plan, the organization could improve current business processes, measure the quality of their customer base, review quality assurance and improve their process improvement plan. Through these plans their process has a strategy and direction with the ability to allocate resources in order to generate capital and increase excellent customer satisfaction among their customer base.
If asked what strategic planning is one could interpret it as simply a road map that can guide the organization in the right direction. It is very unlikely that an organization would know which direction to take without a sense of direction. Managers are faced every day with decisions that have a major impact on the direction the organization must take, therefore, strategic planning can play an important role in guiding managers in the right direction. In other words strategic planning is a tool that management can use to give them a sense of direction that will guide them in doing a better job and to ensure that all the members of the organization are working toward the same goals
One of the frustrations I 've had with most of the definitions of strategic planning is that rarely is the concept "strategic" or "strategic thinking" well-defined. (I feel the same way about the use of the term "policies" which is why I 'm drawn to the framework
Strategic planning is an organizational process in which it looks towards developing and sustaining success or balance in its ever changing environment.