Use Of Strategic Planning Research Articles

Innovation Strategy of Raw-Materials Companies in Conditions of Uncertainty on European Market of Gas (illustrated by the company ‘Gasprom’)

Today's international and national companies develop in conditions of high uncertainty, which requires flexible strategies, fast decision-making and spread of adopted strategy to all levels and spheres of the company work. Thus it is necessary to develop a non-standard combination of strategic decisions and to use more energetically theoretical achievements in the field of theory of forecast in such conditions. Support of Russian raw-materials companies that have a serious export component depends greatly on successful foresting of the market situation. The article analyses the evolution of price strategy of the company 'Gasprom' after adoption of the Third Power Package by the EU in 2009 and proposes theoretical tools for devising the effective price strategy in the long-term period. The authors ground the necessity to formulate a new long-term price export policy of the company 'Gasprom' in conditions of uncertain future demand on European market. They describe in detail and put forward for practical use in strategic planning of the company the model of making efficient managerial decisions for different levels of uncertainty of gas market, which could strengthen 'Gasprom' standing on European market and cut finance losses in tough competitive struggle.

Food security across the enterprise: a puzzle, problem or mess for a circular economy?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the use, applicability and relevance of strategic planning as a process and tool when applied to exploring food security challenges, in the context of existing research on food security and food waste in the food supply chain. The issues associated with robust and resilient food supply chains within a circular economy are increasingly being seen as supportive of creating enhanced levels of food security but the authors argue that this is only sustainable when strategically planned as part of a cross-enterprise, information-rich and complex supply chain. The relevance of the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental (PESTLE) strategic planning tool is explored to establish whether it can play a role tacking the complexity of food insecurity (i.e. a lack of food security).Design/methodology/approachThis is a viewpoint piece therefore as a result, thought, normative literature and supposition are used as a means to ground and orientate the views of the authors.FindingsThe authors identify and conclude that strategic planning tools like PESTLE across enterprises may not be relevant in supporting the reduction of food insecurity. This conclusion is predicated on the heightened level of complexity surrounding the pursuit of food security and the simplistic categorisation of PESTLE factors in a linear fashion that underpin this tool. Rather, the authors’ call for the use of strategic planning tools that are able to capture a large number of inter-related factors holistically.Practical implicationsThis insight to the inter-related factors that contribute to food insecurity will allow policy developers, decision makers and others to develop their understanding of how strategic planning can support increased levels of food security within a circular economy and across cross-enterprises.Originality/valueThe authors contribute to the literature through a new insight of how normative strategic planning tools need to evolve in a complex, inter-connected world of international business and geo-politics. In doing so, it is expected that this research will motivate others to develop their line of enquiry around uncovering and exploring those inter-relationships connecting PESTLE factors.

The Relationship between the Market Value Added of SMEs Listed on AIM Italia and Internal Measures of Value Creation The Role of Corporate Strategic Planning

Objectives - In saying that measurement of financial performance plays an important role in the capital allocation choices, the aim of this study is to test the relationships between Market Value Added (MVA), stockholders value measures and presence of formal strategic plan.Methodology - The study is among descriptive and correlational researches and using panel data methodology on sample of SMEs listed in AIM Italia. The time under study was from 2010 to 2015. In addition, the hypotheses of the research have been tested using Rahavard Novin software for data collection and SPSS 20.0 for data analysis.Findings - The results indicate that Refined Economic Value Added (REVA) has more correlation with Market Value Added (MVA) than Economic Value Added (EVA); in addition, the results obtained using panel data methodology shows that the use of strategic plans influences the relationship between value performance measures and MVA.Research limits - Data used for this study need to be subjected to more statistical tests in order to establish a more robust validity and reliability. It is necessary to acquire further strengthened data and assume a variety of conditional situations. It is expected that subsequent studies can use larger samples and diversified by sector, a broader geographic base and a multi-faceted analyses.Practical implications - This work offer necessary evidences in order to help capital market participants to make rational decision in investment process.Originality of the study - The originality of this study is the correlation between MVA, financial measures and use of strategic planning for value management.

Controllership artifacts in the management process: The use of strategic planning for decision making in Brazil

The aim of this study is to check the applicability of strategic planning for decision making between different segments professionals in Brazil. Based on the assumption that strategic planning is an effective tool to aid in the decision-making process at any organization, the research was conducted through a scenario composed of two groups of professionals where the application of strategic planning influence future decisions of the organization. The study was directed to professionals acting in the public and private areas in order to see if the features found between these professional performance targets correspond to an influence factor for different treatment in the final decision of the respondents. The results found in the study showed statistically significant differences between the groups of the sectors investigated in concerning the comprehensibility and applicability of strategic planning for the purpose of organizational decision making, although there is convergence in all the answers about the value assigned to strategic planning tool as a sufficient activity for the implementation of decisions. Although not ruled out the hypothesis of the research on the importance of strategic planning for organizational decision, the results of the practical effectiveness of this tool for future decisions vary between organizations, indicating there is less understanding of the professional group of the public sector in terms the sense of usefulness of strategic planning for decision making. These results support the influencer character of the features found in public organizations in Brazil that interfere with the usual clarity of strategic planning as an effective tool in decision-making, and combined with little spread of its benefits, constitute a great challenge for the consolidation of this instrument whose main core guidance for organizational objectives. Keywords: Strategic planning, decision-making process, applicability.

Managing a Complex Public Organization under Resource Dependency: The Case of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Metrorail System

This article offers a timely and empirical case study of the effects of political influence from governing stakeholders on the management of a major inter-regional public transportation system in the greater Washington, DC area. It demonstrates the critical importance of intensive cooperation between federal, state, and local authorities for the sustainment and effective delivery of a vital public service, and documents the significant challenges for public managers charged with administering public organizations in an organizational environment characterized by resource dependence, principal-agent conflicts, and dysfunctional governance structures. Solutions recommended include institutional entrepreneurship, lobbying for stronger federal oversight, and greater use of strategic planning and strategic communications to shape public and legislator perspectives.

Performance Management: Confronting the Challenges for Local Government

Performance management, the use of performance information in strategic daily decision making, has not infiltrated local governments to the same degree as state or federal agencies. This article uses the capacity/performance paradigm as a framework to build a theoretical synthesis of the obstacles to local government use of performance management. It identifies and elucidates a series of challenges local governments face in successfully implementing performance-based management approaches. Among the obstacles identified are: insufficient administrative capacity, limited fiscal resources, insufficient economies of scale, absence of comparable entities for benchmarking, inadequate use of strategic planning, complex implementation environments (intergovernmental, intersectoral, cooperative, and collaborative), strings attached to state or federal grant awards, the illusion of control created by proximity to decision makers and citizens, task simplicity, and the cacophony of reform expectations (strategic planning, program evaluation, performance measurement and management, evidence-based practice). Because of these challenges, these small local governments are less likely to encounter demands for performance information, or to develop an a priori appreciation for its value to day-to-day administration. The essay concludes with a look at what can be done to inspire increased attention to performance in local government administration.

Strategic management in universities as a factor of their global competitiveness

PurposeModernization of Russian higher education is carried out with the purpose of its successful integration into the global educational environment. However, the contemporary management model of most Russian universities demonstrates a low efficiency level. The purpose of this paper is to identify the problems of organizing the universities’ strategic development and to seek the opportunities to achieve strategic competitiveness of Russian universities.Design/methodology/approachThe basic research methods included the following: content analysis, expert evaluations, analysis of the modern concepts of universities strategic management, comparative analysis of high school practice of strategy development, and government regulations in historical perspective.FindingsThe major result of the study is the conclusion that the most important problem of the competitiveness of Russian universities is the lack of strategic flexibility. We can say that there is a structural nature of the management crisis affecting the whole system of university education. Over the past 25 years, there has been a radical change in the basic institutional conditions for the development of higher education institutions in Russia: the volumes and changed model of financing; the market landscape and the regional environment; the conditions and the nature of the interaction with international partners, etc. At the same time, in most cases, the platform of this system and standards of internal policy have remained unchanged. Russian education practically lost its individuality. This paper shows the experience of strategic management at leading federal and regional universities of Russia, analyzes the implementation of their development programs, and gives examples of best practices in the use of strategic planning tools.Originality/valueThe relevance and value of the paper is the following: for the first time, thorough attention has been paid to the accumulated potential of Russian universities, which has been formed over a long evolutionary path and now can be positioned as an important management resource in the organization of strategic management for enhancing the global competitiveness of the national system of higher education.

Fatores críticos de sucesso em uma pequena empresa

Os Fatores Críticos de Sucesso (FCS) são definidos como as áreas, departamentos, processos ou atividades mais relevantes de uma organização. Sua identificação e utilização no planejamento estratégico possui grande influência no alcance dos objetivos empresariais, independente do porte ou segmento da empresa. Assim, a presente pesquisa tem por objetivo identificar os FCS de uma Pequena Empresa, além de analisar os resultados de sua utilização em seu desempenho organizacional. Justifica-se a pesquisa sobre FCS em micro e pequenas empresas (MPE’s) devido à relevância desse tipo de organização para o Brasil. Apenas a título de exemplo, entre 2000 e 2011, de cada R$ 100 pagos aos trabalhadores no setor privado não agrícola, cerca de R$ 40, em média, foram pagos por MPE’s. Metodologicamente o estudo foi suportado por um estudo de caso em uma pequena empresa (PE) do comércio varejista de artigos médicos e ortopédicos e suas filiais, utilizando-se a Metodologia Delphi como técnica de coleta de dados. Obteve-se com resultados finais nove FCS, dos quais se destacam a informatização de sistemas, o treinamento de funcionários e a diversificação de produtos. Por fim, o trabalho concluiu que a compreensão dos FCS impactou diretamente em desdobramentos positivos para a estratégia e gestão da empresa alvo do estudo.

ACTIVIZATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF MOUNTAIN TERRITORIES OF THE REGION

Prospects of activization of the development of mountain territories of the region which are focused on providing social and economic development of regions of Ukraine are considered in this article. For this purpose the analysis of a current state and features of the development of mountain territories of the region in Ukraine is carried out in the article, the experience of EU countries concerning the special policy of the development of mountain territories is investigated. As a result of the conducted research, the main directions of activization of the development of mountain territories of the regions in Ukraine are allocated. They include: the use of strategic planning and program and target approach, the improvement of institutional system and general infrastructure, the creation of conditions for the development of entrepreneurship and business, the planning of social and economic development for the purpose of ensuring of the competitiveness, the input of innovative approach to the social and economic development, the providing of modern social standards for the population, the implementation of actions concerning environmental protection and rational use of natural resources, the activization of the participation of mountain territories of the region in the international cooperation, the development of cross-border cooperation.

Fiscal Crisis and Expenditure Cuts

The Great Recession resulted in fiscal crises for governments across the Western world. Significant cuts in government programs and in public administration itself were initiated as many governments scrambled to reduce their growing budget deficits. We are interested in how European governments have reacted during the most recent crisis. In particular, our article explores whether rationally oriented management approaches are associated with targeted and efficiency cuts rather than across-the-board cuts. The theoretical part of the article outlines the predictions about how the use of rational approaches will affect the types of cuts used by public agencies. In the empirical part of the article, we use the survey of 7,077 senior government officials in 19 European countries, undertaken within the framework of the Coordinating for Cohesion in the Public Sector of the Future (COCOPS) project. We find that several rationally oriented approaches—use of strategic planning, focusing on outcomes and results, rewarding goal achievement, and increased relevance and use of performance measures—are positively associated with the use of targeted and efficiency cuts. These findings suggest that rational management techniques adopted by governments over recent decades might be used by managers to help them make strategic decisions, even during times of crisis.

Reducing Waits for VHA Services Through Use of Tools of Governance

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has been plagued by one of the largest scandals in its history since receiving cabinet level status: scandal regarding veterans experiencing excessive wait times for needed health care services. This paper explores the current crisis within the VHA and the agency’s response to public outcry through use of both traditional and innovative tools of governance. Through use of strategic planning, contracting, and public information campaigns, the VHA is placing a focus on the outcomes and effectiveness of these tools to resolve the current wait list problems. This paper explores the aforementioned tools of governance and the steps currently being taken within the VHA to ensure effectiveness, equity, and efficiency in countering some of the largest challenges existing with application of the governance paradigm to the delivery of public services.

The Implementation of Performance Management in European Central Governments: More a North-South than an East-West Divide

Abstract This article presents the first country-comparative evidence on the importance and use of performance management in European central governments, based on an executive survey conducted in 17 countries. The data confirm that performance management has made its way into European central governments and continues to constitute a major reform trend. At the organizational level of ministries and agencies we find a consistently strong use of strategic planning, performance appraisal and management objectives, along with only a partial institutionalization of a performance-management logic. Scepticism towards measurement and the difficulty of acting upon performance information are persistent challenges. We also find that performance-management implementation is significantly stronger in agencies and larger organizations, and that it varies strongly between different countries. Implementation is substantially higher in Scandinavian countries and Anglo-Saxon countries than in Continental and Southern European countries, with a rather varied pattern for Central and Eastern European countries. The findings thereby confirm the need for a more context-sensitive understanding of performance management, along with the need for more extensive research and evidence to further develop this cross-comparative European perspective.

Making Strategic Planning Work in Local Government: An Empirical Study of Success And Failure

Since the 1990s, local governments all over Europe have launched reforms to improve local democracy, public management and efficiency in the provision of local services. Some of these reforms are inspired by what previously has worked in private management and some of them have also a macro-level approach, whose main aim is to introduce institutional reforms and reorganizations to ensure contextual problem solving by strengthening governance within the local public sector. In this context, Strategic Planning in public organizations has attracted interest among academic researchers and practitioners as an instrument for dealing with a complex environment and for the achievement of higher performance and the attainment of greater democracy. But the decision on how to introduce Strategic Planning might follow a different rationale. The hypothesis maintained in this paper is that those that are based in an endogenous rationale are more likely to succeed. To test our hypothesis this paper draws on a comparative empirical analysis concerning the design and implementation of a Strategic Planning process within two Spanish city governments: one considered to have been a failure and the other a success. Focusing on the way in which the use of Strategic Planning has to face the trade-offs between urban and economic development and democracy, the paper explores how this formal mechanism of citizen´s and business’ participation serves to establish relational processes to reinvigorate local economic development, democracy and administrative modernization only when a strong political and administrative leadership is put into motion. Overall, the study yields evidence consistent with the notion that a successful Strategic Planning at the local level has to take into account not only institutional issues, but also the communal, social and political resources that frame the deliberations propelled by the Strategic Planning process.

The practice of strategic planning: Managers’ perception of its usage by non-profit organisation in the Western Cape

This paper investigates strategic planning to understand managers’ perception of its benefits to Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs). The investigation was preceded by a review and repertoire of theoretical evidence of NPOs integration of strategic planning in support of management function: a management tool designed for and used mainly by businesses. The study was based on the application of quantitative data collection and analysis to understand respondents’ perceptions. The paper found considerable increase and popularity in the usage of strategic planning by NPOs having learned about its benefits from prior working experience in businesses. Even though, there is an increase in NPOs’ usage of strategic planning because of envisaged benefit, other NPOs’ Managers simply do not have enough time, skills and resources to deploy them in their respective NPOs. With limited and competitive funding, the use of strategic planning becomes competitive imperatives for NPOs seeking to attract the much needed funds to support and promote their operations in South Africa.

Strategic Planning for Community-Based Small Nonprofit Organizations: Implementation, Benefits, and Challenges

IntroductionFacing the sluggish economic recovery, most nonprofit organizations are experiencing the unprecedented challenges of seeking sustainable funding and donations, retaining high- quality staff, effectively providing services, and attracting qualified volunteers (Mosley, Maronik, & Katz, 2012). Community-based small nonprofit organizations are more vulnerable to the constantly changing political, economic, financial, and demographic environment (Mara, 2010). Strategic planning can serve as management tool for capacity building of small nonprofits and help organizations develop strategic thinking and adapt to environmental changes (Bryson, 2011). Yet, strategic planning takes time and costs extra human capital and monetary resources that small nonprofits do not have (Mara, 2010). To address this dilemma, this study examines the application of strategic planning to small nonprofit organizations, which has been less studied.A large number of studies have examined the organizational and environmental factors influencing the use of strategic planning, strategy formulation and implementation, and the impact of strategic planning on organizational performance outcomes (Crittenden & Crittenden, 2000; Poister & Streib, 2005; Poister, Pitts, & Edwards, 2010; Siciliano, 2006; Stone, Bigelow, & Crittenden, 1999). Strategic planning has demonstrated potential for improving social performance and financial performance for small nonprofit organizations (Siciliano, 2006). Yet, most of the existing studies on strategic planning in the nonprofit sector have focused on the well-established nonprofit organizations, while few case studies have explored the benefits and challenges of utilizing strategic planning and management in smaller, less established organizations (Mara, 2000). Knowledge remains limited about the use of strategic planning in small nonprofit organizations. Hence, it is worthwhile to identify the role of strategic planning and management for small nonprofit organizations in their management and capacity building.This research examines the following questions: Can strategic planning help small nonprofits improve management and performance? What are the major challenges facing small nonprofit organizations when using strategic planning in their management practice? To answer these questions, we conducted an online survey and focus group studies of executive directors and senior staff of small nonprofit organizations in southeastern state in the United States. This research suggests that with leadership and other organizational support, small nonprofit organizations can use strategic planning to develop and sustain in an uncertain economic environment.Literature Review & BackgroundConsiderable literature has focused on the adoption and implementation of strategic planning in public, private, and nonprofit organizations (Allison & Kaye, 2005; Bryson, 2011; Moore, 2000; Morrisette & Oberman, 2013; Poister et al., 2010). This section begins with reviewing the impacts of strategic planning on public and nonprofit organizations, and then addresses the potential benefits of strategic planning for small nonprofit organizations. Next, it identifies factors influencing the use of strategic planning in nonprofit organizations and discusses the challenges facing strategic planning for community-based nonprofit organizations.Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit OrganizationsSince the 1980s, strategic planning has been widely adopted by public, private, and nonprofit organizations (Bryson, 2011; Heriot, & Loughman, 2009; Mintzberg, 1993; Moore, 2000; Poister & Streib, 1999; 2005; Poister, et al., 2010). According to Bryson (2011), strategic planning is a deliberative, disciplined approach to producing fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide what an organization (or other entity) is, what it does, and why (p. 7-8). There are core steps of strategic planning across large number of studies (Allison & Kaye, 2005; Bryson, 2011; Moore, 2000). …

Impact of Strategic Planning on Management of Public Organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Modern public organizations should be familiar with the internal and external factors that affect their business. Striking a balance between these factors is the main prerequisite for building a successful business model in the current conditions of rapid change and increased competition. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of strategic planning on management of public organizations. An empirical research was conducted in public organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The results of the research indicate that the use of strategic planning in public organizations enables more rational, efficient and effective management of organizational resources. Strategic planning defines certain aspects of the performance measurement, which reduces the possibility that managers allocate resources on the basis of their subjective preferences or feelings, ambitions or as some kind of response to certain political pressures. This contributes to a transparent, rational, more efficient and effective management of the organization in providing quality public services.

Development of territories of municipal formations with use of a program method

The perfection of a system of local self-management and the transition to effective development of territories of municipal formations assumes specification of principles and methods of measures’ realization. In the work, the analysis of the reasons restraining the development of local self-management through the development of the relations of a civil society is carried out, the approaches to the development of the successful model of development of municipalities are offered, the role of a program method of the budgets is shown, the initial principles of a substantiation of prospects of economic development of territories of municipal formations are revealed. The system of target indicators of strategic municipal development is offered. The problem of processing of household dust is considered as one of the essential projects in activity of municipalities. The following conclusion is made: use of strategic planning (the creation of the document of the public consent) and program (program-design) method will ensure complex development of territories of the municipalities and development of the relations of a civil society.

The Choice and Use of Strategic Planning Tools and Techniques in Turkish SMEs According to Attitudes of Executives

In the field of strategic management, the researches carried out about strategic planning tools and techniques used by business managers in Turkey is almost negligible. However, in the other countries, the researches revealing the similarities and differences in use of strategic tools and techniques in various countries are often carried out.In this research we aim to investigate the tools and techniques used in strategic planning and determine the attitudes of executives towards the use of strategic planning comparatively in Turkish SMEs operating in different firm size and sector. Data were collected from SMEs operating in Antalya Organized Industrial Zone (OIZ). The tools and techniques used in strategic planning in literature and the attitudes of executives towards the strategic planning process have been tested.

Self-Regulation in the Learning Process: Actions through Self-Assessment Activities with Brazilian Students

Learning a foreign language is, among other factors, based on the perception of one’s own development and on undertaking strategies for greater communicative competence, which are founded in autonomous procedures that span the necessity for greater responsibility. As learning a language demands constant study, even after the school period – when there are no more teachers as mediators - the development of self-regulated learning skills becomes relevant. One option revealed in literature as a trigger for greater autonomy for learning, is the use of self-assessment. This study aimed at identifying and analyzing the potential of self-assessment for students to plan strategies and control their own actions, procedures which are part of self-regulated learning practice. The research adopted a qualitative approach in the form of a case study, and involved 25 students in the 8th grade of a public school in Northern Paraná, Brazil. Information from the instruments for data collection was subjected to thematic content analysis. The results reveal that self-assessment encourages the use of strategic planning and monitoring of one’s own learning only if joined to teacher intervention and motivational strategies.

A systems change: Leading the way to meeting health needs

Demonstrating the efficacy of our practice requires a paradigm shift. Becoming an effective leader and clinician can facilitate opportunities for program development and clinical research. The use of strategic planning strategies, such as needs assessment and SWOT analysis, can help lead the way to such change. The following illustrates the use of strategic planning to develop The Carpal and Cubital Tunnel Syndrome Program (CCTSP) within a growing orthopedic practice.