Text a planning process Part 1.Strategic Planning

As mentioned above managers create and maintain an internal environment, commonly called the organization, so that others can work efficiently in it. A manager's job consists of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling the resources of the organization. Every organization must plan for change in order to reach its ultimate goal. Effective planning helps an organization adapt to change by identifying opportunities and avoiding problems. It sets the direction for the other functions of management and for teamwork. Planning improves decision-making. All levels of management engage in planning to start with strategic planning.

Strategic planning is the process of developing and analyzing the organization's mission, overall goals, general strategies, and allocating resources. A strategy is a course of action created to achieve a long-term goal. Goals focus on desired changes. Traditionally strategic planning has been done annually. However, many companies are doing away with annual business plans altogether and moving to a system of continuous planning, to permit quicker response to changing conditions. Thus, the strategic plan involves adapting the organization to take advantage of opportunities in its constantly changing environment. The planning process is rational and amenable to scientific approach to problem solving. The tasks of the planning process include:

• Define the mission.

• Conduct a situation or SWOT analysis by assessing strengths and weaknesses and identifying opportunities and threats.

• Set goals and objectives.

• Develop related strategies (tactical and operational).

• Monitor the plan.

Define the mission.

A mission (see “Commentary on the texts”) is the purpose of the organization. The mission statement is broad, yet clear and concise, summarizing what the organization does. It directs the organization, as well as all of its major functions and operations, to its best opportunities. Then, it leads to supporting tactical and operational plans, which, in turn leads to supporting objectives. A mission statement should be short - no more than a single sentence. It should be easily understood and every employee should be able to recite it from memory. An explicit mission guides employees to work independently and yet collectively toward the realization of the organization's potential.

Conduct a situation or SWOT analysis

by assessing strengths and weaknesses and identifying opportunities and threats. A situation or SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis is critical to the creation of any strategic plan. SWOT is the assumptions and facts on which a plan will be based. Analyzing strengths and weaknesses comprises the internal assessment of the organization.

Assess the strengths of the organization. What makes the organization distinctive? (How efficient is our manufacturing? What is our market share?)

Assess the weaknesses of the organization. What are the vulnerable areas of the organization that could be exploited? (Are our facilities outdated? Is research and development adequate?) Analyzing opportunities and threats comprises the external assessment of the environment.

Identify opportunities. In which areas is the competition not meeting customer needs? (What are the possible new markets? Are our rivals weak? )

Identify threats. In which areas does the competition meet customer needs more effectively? (Are there new competitors? Are market tastes changing?) The best strategy is one that fits the organization's strengths to opportunities in the environment.

Set goals and objectives.

Strategic goals and objectives are developed to bridge the gap between current capability and the mission. They are aligned with the mission and form the basis for the action plans. Objectives are sometimes referred to as performance goals. Generally, organizations have long-term objectives for such factors as return on investment, earnings per share, or size. Objectives elaborate on the mission statement and constitute a specific set of policy, programmatic, or management objectives for the programs and operations covered in the strategic plan. They are expressed in a manner that allows a future assessment of whether an objective has been achieved.