Week 4 Discussion: Strategic Planning Challenges and Improvement

Organizations must build upon strengths, take advantage of opportunities, and attempt to reduce or lessen the effect of weaknesses and potential challenges. Successful organizations use these weakness and challenges as a driving force for organizational improvement. In this Discussion, you examine challenges that organizations may encounter during the strategic planning process and consider ways to overcome them to improve results.

ASSIGNMENT:
Write an explanation of at least two potential challenges within the strategic planning process. Include how you might identify these challenges during planning. Then, with an organization of interest in mind, explain how you might overcome these challenges and improve organizational results. No real essay needed. Just answer the questions good. No title page needed either.

READINGS
Bryson, J. M. (2018). Strategic planning for public and nonprofit organizations: A guide to strengthening and sustaining organizational achievement (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

• Chapter 5, “Assessing the Environment to Identify Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Challenges” (pp. 144-184)

This chapter explains the importance of identifying organizational strengths and weaknesses through environmental assessments. It also examines this assessment process, including external and internal environmental assessments.

• Chapter 6, “Identifying Strategic Issues Facing the Organization” (pp. 187-218)

This chapter provides examples of strategic issues organizations commonly face. It also offers ways to identify these issues within an organization.

• Resource B, “Using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Social Media in the Strategic Planning Process” (pp. 423-459)

This resource examines Web-based tools that might benefit organizations. It also provides examples of their use in the strategic planning process.

Case Western Reserve University. (n.d.). AI and nonprofit/NGO: The GEM initiative. Retrieved June 14, 2014, from http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/practice/nonprofit.cfm

This website provides links to resources for appreciative inquiry, as well as the Global Excellence in Management (GEM) initiative website.

Case Western Reserve University. (n.d.). AI in the non-profit & NGO sector. Retrieved June 14, 2014, from http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/practice/organization.cfm?sector=23

This website lists links to case studies, field stories, articles, and books on appreciative inquiry.

Case Western Reserve University. (n.d.). Outstanding cases. Retrieved June 14, 2014, from http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/intro/bestcases.cfm

This website offers over 20 case studies on using appreciate inquiry in a variety of settings.

Cooperrider, D., Barrett, F., & Srivastva, S. (1995). Social construction and appreciative inquiry: A journey in organizational theory. In D. Hosking, H.P. Dachler, & K. Gergen, (Eds.), Management and organization: Relational alternatives to individualism (pp. 157–200). Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing. Retrieved from http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/uploads/SocConst%20and%20AI.pdf

This text excerpt examines the theory and practice of appreciative inquiry in organizations.

Whitney, D., Cooperrider, D. L. (2000). The appreciative inquiry summit: An emerging methodology for whole system positive change. Journal of the Organization Development Network, 32, 13–26. Retrieved from http://www.davidcooperrider.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/The-AI-Summit-Methodology-x.pdf

This article explores a framework for the appreciative inquiry methodology. It also outlines conditions for successfully using appreciative inquiry on a large-scale. Note: To view the article, follow the link “The Appreciative Inquiry Summit Method (a pre-publication draft) (doc)” on this webpage.

Optional Resources
Kotlin, A. D. (2008). What does it take to have a successful strategic plan?! CPA Practice Management Forum, 4(1), 20–21.

Malik, S. A., Al Kahtani, N. S., & Naushad, M. (2013). Integrating AHP, SWOT and QSPM in strategic planning—An application to College Of Business Administration in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Academic Research, 5(5), 373–379.

Millett, S. M. (2006). Futuring and visioning: Complementary approaches to strategic decision making. Strategy & Leadership, 34(3), 43–50.

Yoder, E. C., Long, W. E., & Nix, D. E. (2013). Phase zero contracting operations—Strategic and integrative planning for contingency and expeditionary operations. Defense Acquisition Research Journal, 20(3), 349–372.

Lega, F., Longo, F., & Rotolo, A. (2013). Decoupling the use and meaning of strategic plans in public healthcare. BioMed Central Health Services Research, 13(5). Retrieved from http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/13/5