University of San Diego School of Leadership and Education Sciences Department of Leadership Studies EDLD 511: Strategic Planning and Positioning Spring 2009 Class location: MRH211 Class Days & Time: Mondays, 6 pm – 9 pm Instructor
Mary Mc Donald marymc@sandiego.edu 619 260-2747 (w) 231 740-8884 (c) Office Hours: (MRH 275 D) Mondays 1 pm – 5:30 pm Wednesdays 1 pm – 4 pm By appointment
Teaching Assistant
Lindsey McDougle lindseymcdougle@sandiego.edu 619 260-2684 (w) 937 477-6711 (c) Office Hours: (MRH 267) By appointment
Required Texts* Allison, M. & Kaye, J. (1997). Strategic planning for nonprofit organizations: A practical guide and workbook. New York: John Wiley and Sons. La Piana, D. (2008). The Nonprofit Strategy Revolution. Saint Paul: Fieldstone Alliance. * Occasionally, supplemental readings will be available for download from the library reserve.
Course Content Planning is a fundamental management function. This course focuses on the process of planning and strategic techniques needed to assess and to implement plans successfully. Students will learn basic planning concepts, specific planning methods, and current planning best practices. It is expected that students will develop essential planning skills through course readings, in-class discussions and through the development of a strategic plan for a San Diego area nonprofit (to be assigned by the instructor). Classes will consist of lectures, class discussions and assigned readings. Students should complete the assigned readings prior to each class in order to significantly contribute to discussions. All assignments (including class activities, see Weeks 8, 10 and 13) are expected to be completed by each class meeting. Students should come prepared to discuss the assignments in class. Failure to do so will result in a reduction in the student’s class participation grade. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with either the instructor or the teaching assistant, as needed, during the semester.
General Course Objectives Upon completion of the course students will: ♦ Be able to discuss the essential features of planning as a management function and how it relates to other organizational functions. ♦ Be able to use planning methodologies in the analysis of a substantial planning case. ♦ Be able to discuss the nature of strategic management. ♦ Be able to complete a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOTs) analysis, with special emphasis on analysis of competitive offerings. ♦ Have a working knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology and the use of this technology in strategic planning. ♦ Be able to discuss the role of organizational mission, vision, values, and strategic objectives in developing strategic alternatives. ♦ Know how to identify strategic objectives and develop a plan to alter or create new objectives. ♦ Be able to discuss the supporting role played by several organizational subsystems, including information systems, financial management systems, marketing, human resources management and how all these tie together into organizational-wide strategies. ♦ Be able to discuss the major pressures on nonprofit organizations and how systemically they can be integrated into the planning process. ♦ Be able to discuss the concept of strategic control and its various implementation methodologies.
Code of Academic Integrity The code of academic integrity is not just rhetoric; forms of academic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, or facilitating academic dishonesty, will not be tolerated in this class and may result in suspension or expulsion from the university. To summarize, anything you hand in to us must be written in your own words, exemplifying your own thoughts and ideas, and you must source any references you used in completing your work using the APA format. Although you are encouraged to work and learn collaboratively, both within and outside of class, the work you submit to us should reflect your own thoughts and ideas, and it must be expressed in your own words unless you cite whose words you are using. If you are unsure of what this means, please check with me before completing an assignment.
Note for students with disabilities Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disability Services in Serra 300 (tel. 260-4655) as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
Evaluation Performance will be determined as follows: Class Attendance and Participation Plan to Plan Planning Products Strategic Planning Report
15% 25% 30% 30%
Class Attendance and Participation – You will learn best when you are actively engaged in class discussions. It is helpful to come to class having read and thought about the assigned materials. Bring your unique viewpoint to class and participate in the discussions and other activities. Participation involves more than attendance. Failure to be a part of in-class activities either by absenteeism or avoiding discussions will lead to a reduction of your participation grade.
Plan to Plan – Before an agency can undertake the strategic planning process it must develop a plan for how the work should be undertaken. This is called a “Plan to Plan”. It is a detailed description of the planning steps and the individuals responsible for various aspects of the process. Each student team will be expected to prepare a Plan to Plan for their client agency. The plan must be signed by at least two members of the client organization (a board member and the Executive Director or a designate). The Plan includes worksheets 1-4 and 8 in the Allison/Kaye text.
Planning Products – Each team will be required to prepare three of the following products • • • • •
Marketing survey Key informant interviews Focus group interviews Internal management audit Trend analysis/positional map
Strategic Planning Report – Each team will be required to interpret the planning products in both written and oral presentation form. You are expected to articulate the key trends and issues that your client organization is facing and identify preliminary strategies that the organization can employ to move forward. Grading Scale – 95-100= A, 92-94 = A-, 89-91 = B+, 85-88 = B, 82-84 = B-, 79-81 = C+, 75-78 = C, 72-74 = C-, 69-71 = D+, 66-68 = D, 65 and below = F.
Tentative Schedule Assignments and readings are subject to change
Week
Date
Assignments and Notes Introduction to the Course: • Introduction • Course description • Review of Syllabus/Course requirements • The Nature of Strategic Planning
1.
1/26 Homework for Week One: Stone article “Planning as Strategy in Nonprofit Organizations” Mission and Vision Statements: • Why we need mission statements • Drafting a vision statement • Team assignments
2.
2/2
Homework for Week Two: Chapters 1 and 2 and pages 315-329 in Allison/Kaye Chapter 1 in La Piana Reserve article: Greiner - Evolution and Revolution Assessing the Environment - Gathering Stakeholder Input: • Focus groups • Interviews • Surveys /questionnaires Homework for Week Three:
3.
2/9 Chapter 4, Appendix C, D and E and Worksheet (pgs. 10-17) in Allison/Kaye text Chapters 2 and 3 in La Piana Get client’s previous strategic plan Begin to work with Key Stakeholders within your organization Continue Assessing the Environment- The Beauty of GIS: • External Environmental Assessment • Document assessment
4.
2/16
Strategic Alternatives and Objectives: • Values and Strategic Objectives • Agreeing on Priorities • Setting Your Course • SWOT
Homework for Week Four: Chapter 5 in Allison/Kaye and Appendix J Chapters 4, 5 and 6 in La Piana Continuation of Strategic Alternatives and Objectives: • Selecting Core Strategies • Setting Priorities • Scenario planning 5.
2/23
Homework for Week Five: Chapters 7 and 8 in La Piana Chapter 5 in Allison/Kaye What is the Role of Leadership? Panel to discuss need, process and outcomes of strategic planning in organizations
6.
3/2
Homework for Week Six: Chapter 9 in La Piana; PLAN TO PLAN DUE
7.
3/9
Spring Break Facilitating Strategic Discussions - How to Retreat, to Advance?
8.
3/16
Homework for Week 8: Assessment of Part Two tools in La Piana - come to class prepared to give a critique of these tools So, what do I do with this stuff? • Using data – how to interpret what is gathered • Facilitating consensus discussions
9.
3/23
Homework for Week Nine: Reserve Bryson Chapter 11 Appendix G in Allison/Kaye Putting it Together - Plan Writing
10.
3/30
Homework for Week 10: Chapter 6 in Allison/Kaye Annotated review of two strategic planning websites - come
prepared to share these sites and critique them based on the principles of excellent strategic planning Implementation in the Real World • Strategic Planning that matters-client responsibilities • Expectations about integration 11.
4/6
Homework for Week 11: Chapter 7 in Allison/Kaye
12.
4/13
Easter Break Evaluation of a Plan • What is evaluation anyway? • Who cares and when does it matter? Homework for Week 13:
13.
4/20
Chapter 8 in Allison/Kaye Select a sample strategic plan (many can be found on the internet) and bring it prepared to work in your project team to select one of those produced for presentation and critique in Week 14 What looks good? Is anything right?
14.
4/20
Homework for Week 14: Preparation of critique Balancing strategies • Timing • Politics • Resources
15.
4/27 Homework for Week 14: STRATEGIC PRODUCTS DUE
16.
5/4
17.
5/11
18.
5/18
Lessons From the Field - Strategic Planning Consultants Speak • What are the strengths/weaknesses/opportunities and threats of strategic planning • What makes the process work/not work Class presentations Class presentations