Key Elements of Strategic Planning Processes
Plans are the backbone of action plans. A plan is typically any chart or list of events with specific details of time, resources and intentions, intended to accomplish an end to perform something useful. It is also commonly called a linear set of predetermined steps through which one hopes to reach a certain goal. The typical plan is drawn up on paper for many weeks or months in advance. It contains specific instructions for what should be performed and what should not be. For example, if a person plans to go on a vacation, the vacation plan will likely be contingent upon the amount of money available for travel.
Key Elements of Strategic Planning Processes
While it is not required by law that agencies develop comprehensive plans, many do; and, as a result, many have a number of them already in place. Such agencies have been in existence for years and it has become almost common for agencies to develop a number of detailed plans covering various areas within their operational areas of responsibility. These plans are generally classified into two categories: those that are used for internal operations and those that are used for external operations.
Short-term objectives of particular employees
- Internal plans are more flexible than those that are designed for external reasons. Internal plans are created to address specific, short-term objectives of particular employees or departments within an agency. They may, for example, be developed to increase the department’s efficiency at meeting goals set by upper management or to address concerns over the effect of new policies on employee productivity. These plans are usually not extensive but rather quite brief and direct.
On the other hand, there are two main types of plans that are used at the administrative level: those that are formal plans and those that are institutional-level plans. Formal plans are required under most circumstances and must be drawn up by a committee before they can be implemented. Formal plans are more formal than technical core plans because they require extensive written evidence and debate before the implementation date. They usually also include formal written objectives that outline the plan’s key points.
Institutional-level plans differ from formal plans in that they are established by higher-level officials. The reasons for these changes are intended to encourage the development of more sustainable processes and practices and to assure the effectiveness of the overall organization. While they are not formally required by law, most organizations use formal plans as part of their strategic planning procedures. These plans cover all aspects of the organization, from the topmost management down to the most intimate relationships between employees and customers. Institutional-level plans are usually considered long-term projects, because their success is often dependent on the continual growth of the organization. These plans also provide for long-term planning and execution strategies, as well as revisions to the plans once they have been finalized.
It is important that the plans that make up an organizational strategy be carefully evaluated in light of the organization’s current needs and requirements. The planning process involves the assessment of these needs and demands, so that the necessary changes can be incorporated without negatively impacting other parts of the business. When organizations choose to evaluate their organizational plans, they first need to establish the aim or purpose of their strategic planning. Some strategic planning is aimed at meeting short-term goals like increasing profitability. Other plans, however, may be set to build long-term organizational structures, such as the structure of the company’s power structure or the production process of its products.
Since different types of plans to address different types of organizational activities, managers must work closely with all stakeholders and the entire staff in order to select plans that address the most critical issues. In addition to reviewing the plans themselves, managers should also perform a risk assessment in order to ascertain how likely future events will affect the plans. This assessment is useful in determining which plans should be updated and why. The selection of the appropriate updating plan depends greatly on how important the issues actually are to the health of the enterprise.
While some plans are more elaborate than others, the overall structure of them remains consistent. All types of plans begin by outlining the general objective and the time scale for achieving it, followed by describing the different types of plans that will support this purpose. The next section provides a brief description of each type of plan, followed by a description of the various kinds of plans that comprise the overall organizational scope. Finally, all the different types of plans are characterized by a “scope” and “linkages,” which allow managers to specify which plans are required for implementing each objective.
