1.5. Research problem and research design

The object of the research is the system of strategic planning (SSP).

The subject of the research is the case study of introduction of project management approach into SSP in the Russian Federation.

Problem statement

The problem to be dealt with in the thesis is whether the introduction of project management principles into SSP will help overcoming key obstacles to establishing efficient mechanism of goal-setting within the SSP.

Purpose

The aim of the research is to investigate the place that project management takes in the state strategic planning system under current regulations and conditions under which project management could become a necessary and efficient part of the national system of strategic planning.

Hypotheses

The starting hypothesis is that the project management approach is an efficient supplement to the SSP, but current regulations supporting this approach are insufficient to reach the objectives set for given administrative innovation.

Insufficiency hypothesis draws on two main propositions:

a) attempts to implement projects into the SSP reveal certain flaws in the emerging system:

- new regulations further complicate the SSP, make it costlier, instead of shaping more transparent and manageable structure;

- strategic planning documents do not secure consistency in goal setting;

- strategic planning documents still lack sufficiently specified updating procedures;

b) incorporation of key "players" affecting long-term social-economic processes into the SSP (representing business community and civil society) is still inadequate.

Research method

The research is based on the case study method. The structure of the case description and assessment is defined on the basis of literature review on strategic planning, the federal law “On strategic planning in the Russian Federation”, the regulation “On the organization of project activities”, the decree of the president “On the Council under the President of the Russian Federation on strategic development and priority projects”.

Analysis of international experience is conducted in two stages:

1. A chosen country’s strategic planning system is analyzed with the help of the given below structure. It is explored, what differences under consideration and the following conclusions lead to.

2. On the same structure it is considered, how international experience may help to improve Russian experience in this sphere.

The structure of the analysis consists of:

а) strategic goals and priorities definition, role of project principle in strategic planning

b) priority projects initiation, projects analysis and selection, portfolio formation

c) projects implementation, analysis and assessment of project and strategy implementation

d) administrative support of strategic planning

Sources of information

Project management in the strategic planning system is a new phenomenon for the Russian public administration, that is why this topic is hardly developed. The thesis is based on the following sources: Russian sources include: official documents: the federal law "On the strategic planning in the Russian Federation", regulation “On the organization of project activities”, the decree of the president of the Russian Federation “On the board under the President of the Russian Federation on strategic development and priority projects”; report of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation on the report on execution of the Federal budget for 2015, CSR report, interviews with experts, civil servants, RSPP, business representatives, that were conducted during the forums, working groups of the Ministry for economic development of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Russian Federation. Theoretical background of the topic relies upon the literature on corporate strategic management (I.Ansoff, H. Minzberg, M. Porter, R. Christensen, K. Andrews, J. Bower, R. Hamermesh, D. Collis, S. Kaplan, etc.); literature on projects management in public sector (D. Kassel, J. Bryson, D. Wirick, etc.), elaborations on differences between public sector and private sector (J. Veldman, P. Nutt, R. Backoff, etc.), literature on stakeholders involvement in goal–setting process (A. Hillman, G. Keim, R. Luce, A. Marzuki, etc.), while international experiences are analyzed on the bases of normative documents and official governmental websites of relevant countries, including annual reports of the National Audit Office of the UK, the National Planning Policy Framework of the UK, Government Performance and Results Modernization Act (Law, 2010) of the USA, Canada’s Economic Action Plan and other resources, etc.

Structure of the thesis

The thesis consists of Introduction, two chapters, Conclusion and Supplement.

The first chapter is devoted to the analysis of problems characterizing the current state of the strategic planning system with a focus on building a (unified) priority system as a core of strategic planning. This chapter also gives preliminary assessment of decisions on project management as attempts to cope with the given problems. Also this chapter contains short historical outline of strategic planning and management concepts: on the principles of uncertainty, goal setting, and organizing strategic activities. Since basic ideas on strategic planning come from corporate planning literature, main similarities and differences between public and private sector are also considered.

The second chapter deals with the goal setting problems in Russia taking into account project management approach and referring to the best international practices analysis. Recommendations are made using the analytical structure.

The last chapter is devoted to issue of stakeholders’ participation in the strategic planning process, also with regard to international lessons.

Supplement provides details of relevant normative documents, as well as specifies legal, political and economic contexts of international practices considered in the main text.