Strategic Foresight : Scanning And Planning For The Future

A strategic vision thus points an organization in a particular direction, charts a strategic path for it to follow in preparing for the future, and molds organizational identity. A clearly articulated strategic vision communicates management’s aspirations to stakeholders and helps steer the energies of company personnel in a common direction. For instance, Henry Ford’s vision of a car in every garage had power because it captured the imagination of others, aided internal efforts to mobilize the Ford Motor Company’s resources, and served as a reference point for gauging the merits of the company’s strategic actions.

Strategic planning within a company is a tool used in companies that help mature areas in total quality management. This type of planning creates a cohesive management system for lower level employees to better adapt in. “Strategic planning determines where an organization is going over the next year or more and how it 's going to get there. Typically, the process is organization-wide, or focused on a major function such as a division, department or other major function”(McNamara, 2008). In order to plan effectively one must first make a clear assessment of the plan and have an analysis on the corporations mission statement and objective.

Strategic planning is designed to leverage the strengths of a firm while minimizing the effects of its weaknesses.  It is difficult to know the potential advantage a firm may have unless external analysis is done well.  For example, a company may have a talented marketing department or an efficient production system.  However, the organization cannot determine whether these internal characteristics are sources of competitive advantage until it knows something about how well the competitors stack up in these areas.

Organizations that want to survive, thrive and do important and valuable work must respond appropriately to the challenges they face (Bryson, 2011). Bryson defines strategic planning as “deliberative, disciplined approach to producing fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide what an organization is, does, and why” (Bryson, 2001, pg.8). There are many benefits that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Water Resources could gain from strategic planning. These benefits include:

Strategic planning can dictate the success of any organization if properly planned as well as the failure of an organization if not implemented as planned. Strategic planning is all about making choices. It is a process designed to support leaders in being intentional about their goals and methods. Simply stated, strategic planning is a management tool, and like any management tool, it is used for one purpose only—to help an organization do a better job. This portion of the strategic plan will explain why an

It is the first basic element in strategic planning. It is a process of cautious monitoring of external and internal

For a goal-oriented person, a strategic plan can set direction and serves as a template for consistent decision making that moves the organization toward its envisioned future (Zuckerman, 2013). On the other hand, Zuckerman (2013), poses a different perspective that states that strategic planning may not be strategic after all, becomes as I explained before, it can become a checklist technique that lacks innovative practices. However, the outcome of the strategic planning process relates further to the mission and vision of those who are developing the strategies than in the planning within itself. Therefore, the reality is that strategic planning can be as straightforward and complex as an organization wants it to be. Therefore, if an organization envisions growth, the proposal needs to provoke that, and if a team is only planning to organize itself; then, the plan can be subtler. Therefore, organization can review plans as often as yearly and can last as long as five

In his article, “The Fall and Rise of Strategic Planning,” Henry Mintzberg (1994) provides his views on the process of strategic planning. He offers that most companies and organizations start a strategic planning process with little understanding of the definition or actual purpose of planning. He tends to admonish much of the conventional understanding concerning strategic planning and proposes his interpretations. He states that “the most successful strategies are visions, not plans” (Mintzberg, 1994, p. 107).

Environmental analysis is largely strategic thinking and strategic planning and consists of understanding the issues in the external environment to determine the implications of those issues for the organization (Ginter,2013). Strategic management does not replace traditional management activities such as budgeting, planning, monitoring, marketing, reporting, and controlling. Rather, it integrates them into a broader context, taking into account the external environment, internal organizational capabilities, and your organization's overall purpose and direction. With having a strategic plan and someone to administer the plan, the organization can flow

Carttar, P., 2014. Strategic Planning and Evaluation: Tools for Realizing Results. [Online] Available at: http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/strategic_planning_and_evaluation_tools_for_realizing_results [Accessed 14 November 2014].

Strategic Planning is one of the most fundamental factors in the success of an organization. This research project will discuss the importance of strategic planning as well as the different components of strategic planning. Many organizations fail to accomplish their goals and tasks due to the lacking of strategic planning. In order for their businesses to be successful, organizations need to be well informed about how the strategic planning process works.

The challenge is to open my mind and grow from a tactical/operational perspective to that of a much more broad, open minded and all-encompassing perspective, that of a strategic leader. Two mission specific outcomes of my training, experiences and self-assessment that I see in my future are strategic advisor and senior leader at the strategic level. I will describe where I believe I stand now in regards to my goals and the path I have yet to embark upon. I believe I am on course to accomplishing my goals of transforming into a strategic leader who scans the environment’s horizon, assesses the available information and decides how best to use it for the benefit of the organization and its future.

With changes in the environmental factors it will be necessary to review organization’s strategy in terms of its long-term and short-term goals. Some of these will remain same, but others might need to be amended or removed with fresh goals. (Bywater & Glennon, 2009)

Per John M. Bryson, strategic planning, if properly conducted, can help the leaders and managers of public and non-profit organizations think, learn and act tactically. Strategic planning enables organizational leaders and managers to first identify their organization’s mission and/or purpose. Thereafter, the planning process permits these leaders to pinpoint the actions and activities that will enable the organization to achieve its mission. Finally, the planning process requires the organizational leaders to synthesize objectives and activities into a blueprint or concrete plan of action under which the organization will conduct its business.

36). Today, the increased attention for strategic planning is a response to rapid and extensive changes in society such as the introduction of market economies and privatization, increasing environmental awareness, more attention for sustainable development, decentralisation issues and structural adjustments in public spending (Davidson, 1996).