Strategic Planning: The Managerial Agenda

Strategic Planning: The Managerial Agenda

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

"An article by Beecroft (1999) entitled "The role of quality in strategic management" discusses the significance of quality considerations in the development of effective strategic plan. One primary concern the author saw was the relationship between quality, short and long-term objectives, and bottom line profits. According to the author, "Conformance to design and customer requirements translates to quality, therefore higher conformance is higher quality. Higher quality results in lower costs and increases competitiveness, leading to an increase in sales and market share, more jobs and improved profitability" (p. 499). In relation to strategic planning and implementation, the consideration of quality as an overall dynamic for future success must be included in any given strategic plan. Regardless of the direction that is chosen for strategic planning, matters of quality must be taken into account to initiate widespread change and acceptance (Beecroft, 1999).

Managers should have a strategic agenda to follow if they are to accomplish short term and long term goals. If the organization does not have a clear understanding of what needs to be done to achieve a specific goal regardless if its short term or long term then its efforts will more than likely fall short. In short, strategic planning is an effort to produce essential decisions and measures that shape and guide what an organization is, what it does, and why it does what it does, with a focus on the future outlook of the organization.

One important thing to understand about strategic planning is the name itself - Planning.

A strategic plan must indeed be planned. Managers must include in their agenda clearly defined goals and objectives. These goals must be realistic and the objectives must reflect the mission of the organization. All employees working within the organization must understand the strategic plan. Once the goals of the strategic plan are established, positive achievement for the success of the organization will begin to take place. (Ragland, 2007)

There are several key principles that should guide an organization in strategic planning. Willging 2006, believed in order for the organization to be successful that there must be a single vision and a single mission within the company and that all company activities must be organized and operate accordingly. He also felt that many organizations were guilty of embarking on a major journey without a road map which he considered to be the organization strategic plan. In his eyes a strategic plan is a way for the organization to step back from its day-to-day events and think about the future, how the organization wants to prepare for its future and achieve the vision resulting from strategic planning. If the organization is to continue to enhance and improve its overall operations then it must have a strategic plan to guide the organization in the right direction (Willging, 2006).

It’s obvious that in order for managers to put in place an agenda for strategic planning the organization must have a mission statement which outlines a brief written description pertaining to the purpose of the organization. Mission statements can vary in nature from being brief to comprehensive. The mission statement should list the overall priorities on how the organization will operate in the present and the future.

Strategic planning is defiantly a good management tool that is used for the purpose of helping the organization to do a better job. In reality being strategic means being clear about the organization's objectives, being aware of the organization's resources, and incorporating both into being consciously responsive to where the organization wants to go.