A Strategic Planning Process for Public and Non-Profit Organization

John M. Bryson discusses how strategic planning is crucial and significant for the public and non – profit organizations. The article starts of with two quotes by Wayne Gretzky and George Stedman. Wayne Gretzky is an offensive player in the National Hockey League. George Stedman is a General of the US army and is a defensive strategist. They both believed that strategic thinking and action is what mattered instead of another planning process.

Moving on, Bryson talks about why strategic planning is important for public and non-profit organizations, answering that strategic planning will bring effectiveness and ultimately bring success to the company despite of the challenges they would have to face.

He then breaks down the process of strategic planning in nine different steps, discusses about the different approaches an organization can take, under the strategic issue step. He then goes on to discuss about the benefits of strategic planning, also adding that strategic planning does not guarantee the benefits but if done right, it would help in the success of the organization. Finally, he talks about two cases (Suburban City and Public Health Nursing Service), in which strategic planning did produce the results that were desired by the organization.

The article stresses on the point that strategic management is important in any aspect of a business; whether it is a public, a private or a non-profit organization. Businesses need strategic planning more than ever before since there are so many organizations and companies that are coming up. This increase in competition makes it crucial for an organization to have a strategic plan to distinguish and clear their ideas on the goals of the organization. Strategic planning will also help the organization stand out of the their competitors because the organizations that practice strategic planning will know what they are doing in the market. Their specific strategy may not be the same as the other organizations in...