Jagdish sheth, a respected authority on marketing and strategic planning. Strategic thinking exercisecreating the picture in a small group of 34, select one person to be the client one person is the facilitator one person is the clients recorder the facilitator guides the client through the questions in the strategic thinking. In addition to the lack of common definition of strategic thinking, heracleous 1998 notes that there is no common definition of strategic planning or common understanding of the relationship between strategic thinking and strategic planning. We set out to be ethical at work, and we hope that in pivotal moments we will rise to the occasion. All of the experience that you accumulate should help you to improve strategic thinking. Strategic planning is a disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide what an organization is, what it does, and why it does it, with a focus on the future. The litany of indictments against the types of planning. To put it simply, not every plan is a strategic plan. A strategy or general plan of action might be formulated for broad, longterm, corporate goals and objectives, for more specific business unit goals and objec. Pdf strategic thinking vs strategic planning john pisapia. Strategic planning is not a substitute for strategic thinking, acting, and learning, or for leadership. Develop a learning culture strategic learning in an organization is driven by strategic thinking. Shares an organizations vision with a large internal and external audience. How to master strategic thinking skills in 5 simple steps.
The essence of strategic planning is knowing the opportunities and threats in the future, with the choice of steps needed and more appropriate to achieve the desired situation explicitly related to management of change and includes a series of innovations and changing companies ansoff, 1965 ansoff. One of the greatest tools for strategic thinking is deceptively simple. Collections of strategic planning questions 20 innovative strategic planning questions to prepare for next year and 15 innovative strategic planning. Strategic planning is a disciplined process for making key decisions and agreeing on actions that will shape and guide what an organisation is, what it does, and why it does it.
Ten keys to successful strategic planning for nonprofit and. Pdf an organizations strategy consists of many factors that form a formula or road map to provide guidance concerning the organizations. The positive impact of strategic thinking and planning on. In order to incorporate strategic thinking into planning processes, however, we must recognize three discrete aspects of the process. On a management and leadership level, strategy thinking is the main part of the strategic planning process which involves a wide range of activities such as goals settings, task delegation, developing plans, decision making, analyzing environment, and much more.
Strategic thinking and strategic planning saint leo university. Planning is an important aspect of strategic thinking and management. In simple terms, strategic thinking andor planning consists of three phases that identify and clarify. A tool for strategic thinking among the many tools a manager can use for strategic planning, scenario planning stands out for its ability to capture a whole range of possibilities in. Strategic planning is an organizations process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating resources to pursue this strategy. So, if you want to work in a well strategic manner, better to research. An effective planning process requires really good strategic thinking. Strategic thinking and strategic management strategic planning is only useful if it supports strategic thinking and leads to strategic management and, even more importantly, execution. Pdf strategic management and strategic planning process.
Difference between strategic planning and strategic. In order to advance in your career, you need to demonstrate them. Every strategy starts with a vision, a vision of success, both in the longterm and shortterm picture. This paper disentangles the relationship between the terms strategic thinking and strategic planning as found in the literature, identifying four main varieties of this relationship. To figure out exactly what strategic thinking is, we should look at this quote from consultant glenn ebersole. How does strategic planning differ from strategic thinking. Strategic planning is the channeling of business insights into an action plan to achieve goals and objectives. We recommend this as an excellent guide to all strategic planning processes. Head of business planning strategic planning directorate, qatar foundation. This article describes the characteristics of strategic thinking and planning. Strategic planning activity uses management by plans, whereas strategic management process uses management by results. Strategic thinking and subsequent management must result in action.
Groupthink as strategic thinking and strategic planning are often done in a group setting, its important to recognize the influence of groupthink. This is where the concept of strategic thinking comes into play. The process results in a strategic plan which many times displays hierarchies of goals that cascade throughout the organization all tied to the central plan. For our purposes, we will define planning as the activity of preparing a plan and we will define a plan. Strategy development takes time to focus on new, unproven areas that will bring value to the. Build an organizational competency in strategic thinking. In explaining the difference between strategic planning and strategic thinking, mintzberg argues that strategic planning is the systematic programming of preidentified strategies from which an action plan is developed. However, strategic planning is useful to help in strategic thinking, strategy development, decisionmaking, performance improvement, and to build camaraderie 14. It lays out a series of strategic questions, recommendations, and strategic options. At the end of the day, strategic thinking without strategic planning results in a continuing quest for structure and process, whereas strategic planning without strategic thinking. The strategic planning is an analytical activity because it is related to the thinking.
Planning has been defined in various ways, ranging from thinking about the future to specifying in advance who is to do what when. Groupthink occurs when there is a homogenous group of people with little influence from outside sources and a high level of pressure to conformity. The strategic way of working needs more of thinking process and planning so that work goes in a continuous flow forever. Strategic thinking and planning in a learning culture. Strategic thinking, done right, encompasses ideation, strategic planning and operational planning to help you arrive at the most effective course of action for your given situation. Second, the paper evaluates the strategic management process within the framework of its strategic planning and strategic thinking components. On the contrary, strategic management is an actionoriented activity. In many respects, it is even more important than strategic planning. Liedtka b ashing traditional approaches to strategic planning has become the favoured pasttime of lead ing business authors on both sides of the atlantic. Strategic thinking and planning world digital library. Critical success factors for strategic thinking and planning introduction many organizations have planning processes in place for developing strategies. A key distinction between strategic thinking and strategic planning. In addition, strategic planning does the following. Thinking and planning strategically at the personal level requires similar inputs, questions, and approach, and develops your capacity to participate in planning.
Planning and strategic thinking prepare your organisation and yourself for an uncertain and changing environment. Strategic planning alike, who argue that strategic planning only serves to take the established and make it marginally better. This chapter on the strategic management and strategic planning process provide an insight on the basic knowledge on what is strategy and strategic management. In fact, some organizations roll out a new planning. Strategy refers to a general plan of action for achieving ones goals and objectives. Sometimes strategic planning is confused with other planning modalities, each valid in its own right but geared toward a different end result. The environment is explained in theoretical and practical terms, and the implications for strategic thinking are developed with a distinction being made between strategy and planning. What is strategic thinking strategic thinking is defined as a mental or thinking. How to improve strategic thinking skills at workplace. While you want to avoid using strategic planning in place of strategic thinking, the planning phase is integral to the implementation of strategy. Applying strategic thinking daily using rich strategic questions. Instead, strategic planning is a leadership tool meant to enhance strategic thinking, acting. Developing your strategic thinking skills isnt enough to get you promoted. Pdf there is no agreement in the literature on what strategic thinking is, what strategic planning is, or on the nature of their interrelationship.
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