METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO STRATEGIC PLANNING OF PUBLIC SECTOR INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

In order to implement strategic planning institutions confront with a great number of problems the basic of which is the choice of methodological approach. In this article particularity of strategic management approaches within institutions is revealed. Special literature does not provide clear methodological recommendations for strategic planning of institutions. Opinions of strategic management commentators are more polemic than recommendations. In the literature two essential approaches to strategic planning are provided, i.e. prescriptive and emergent. Fulfilled researches create preconditions to specify and systematize essential characteristics of approaches. Prescriptive strategic planning can be defined by sufficient foresight of future, systemic complexity, necessary definition, large possibilities of formalization, one‐sided adaptation of strategic decisions with organizational structure, petty stimulation of initiative, stable consistency of planning steps. Emergent strategic planning can be defined by petty foresight of future, fragmentary complexity, weak definition, limited formalization, double‐sided adaptation of strategic decisions with organizational structure, large creativity, unstable sequence of planning steps. This characteristics are being handled as assumptions. According to the prescriptive approach they are favorable for preparing decisions, which are oriented to increase opportunities of institution strategic accordance with its environment demands. According to the emergent approach ‐ they are favorable for preparing decisions which are oriented to emerge institution potential for opportunities used. With regard to inside and external environment factors of institution which predetermine the choice of methodology, the regularities of coherency of factors and methodologies which are suggested to apply for integral combination of approaches in specific institutions situation are defined.