An Exploration of Strategic Planning Perspectives and Processes Within Community Colleges Identified as Being Distinctive in Their Strategic Planning Practices - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook An Exploration of Strategic Planning Perspectives and Processes Within Community Colleges Identified as Being Distinctive in Their Strategic Planning Practices write by Lisa Jeanne Augustyniak. This book was released on 2015. An Exploration of Strategic Planning Perspectives and Processes Within Community Colleges Identified as Being Distinctive in Their Strategic Planning Practices available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Community college leaders face unprecedented change, and some have begun reexamining their institutional strategic planning processes. Yet, studies in higher education strategic planning spend little time examining how community colleges formulate their strategic plans. This mixed-method qualitative study used an expert sampling method to identify three AQIP-accredited community colleges in one Midwestern state that were viewed as leaders in strategic planning. Using their AQIP Systems Portfolios and interviews with their senior leadership, this study examined these colleges’ strategic planning perspectives (i.e., the “point of view” that an organization has chosen to use as a basis for formulating their strategic plan) and processes (i.e., the series of actions, changes, or functions to achieve a desired result). This study also examined the extent to which these institutional leaders perceived that their strategic planning process added “value” to their institution. To examine strategic planning perspectives and processes at these institutions two different theoretical frameworks (i.e., Goodman and Willekens (2001) and Mintzberg et al.'s (1998) 10 strategic perspectives) were used. Goodman and Willekens’ research was updated to reflect the AQIP accreditation pathway, and a crosswalk was created to determine which, if any, of Mintzberg et al.'s 10 strategic perspectives were present at these community colleges. Key findings revealed both familiar and distinctive elements of strategic planning processes across the institutions under investigation. Instead of the three phases of strategic planning suggested in the literature, these institutions exhibited five phases, adding phases to advance their institutions from strategic planning to strategic thinking. All participating institutions relied on Mintzberg et al.'s (1998) configuration perspective rather than the positioning perspective indicated as more common in the literature. The institutional leaders interviewed all saw value in planning strategically, and noted it allowed their organizations to align priorities, perceptions, perspectives, processes, and personnel. Overall, this study revealed no specific recipe for strategic planning within these community colleges, but that successful strategic planning is contextual. It is a function of practices and models customized to fit a college’s unique setting (i.e., organization, leaders, and members).
Building Communities Through Strategic Planning
Building Communities Through Strategic Planning - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook Building Communities Through Strategic Planning write by Kay McClenney. This book was released on 1991. Building Communities Through Strategic Planning available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Using the conceptual framework outlined in "Building Communities: A Vision for a New Century," a 1988 report of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges, this guidebook explores eight phases in the development and implementation of a strategic plan. Chapter I provides an overview of the planning process and the essential elements and conditions of strategic planning. Chapter II discusses organizational and logistical issues in the "planning to plan" phase, focusing on the planning council, staff support for planning, the role of the governing board, and the use of outside consultants. In chapter III, methods for reviewing and clarifying the college's mission are explored. Chapter IV looks at the process of articulating the values shared by the college and its community, and chapter V presents different approaches to environmental and institutional scanning. Chapters VI and VII explain the processes of identifying strategic issues and formulating the strategic plan. After a discussion in chapter VIII concerning the presentation, approval, endorsement, and dissemination of the strategic plan, chapter IX considers the implementation and follow-up phases and ways of linking strategy to operations and resources. Each of the chapters dealing with particular phases of the strategic planning process concludes with a list of suggested activities and resources. The final chapter presents a guide for discussion and evaluation of the goal of building communities. Appendixes include a self-assessment instrument and Owensboro Community College's (KY) strategic plan, which was developed using the eight-phase process presented in the guidebook. (WP)
Strategic Leadership
Strategic Leadership - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook Strategic Leadership write by Richard L. Morrill. This book was released on 2010-04-16. Strategic Leadership available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Strategic Leadership addresses deep and continuing issues relating to strategy, governance, management, and leadership in higher education during a period of rapid change. Each of these themes is at the heart of current debates about the capacity of universities to respond to new expectations, market realities, reduced state funding, globalization, technology, and a long list of other challenges. Dealing with these issues can immobilize colleges and universities, or it can cause them to become so market-driven that they will sacrifice their own legacy of academic values. This book places strategic planning in a new conceptual framework that is oriented to interactive leadership rooted in human agency and values. It will assist academic professionals, stakeholders such as trustees, and students of higher education to better understand and use strategic planning as an effective process and as a method of collaborative leadership.
Staff Perceptions of a Participatory Strategic Planning Process at One Community College
Staff Perceptions of a Participatory Strategic Planning Process at One Community College - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook Staff Perceptions of a Participatory Strategic Planning Process at One Community College write by Eve L. McDermott. This book was released on 1998. Staff Perceptions of a Participatory Strategic Planning Process at One Community College available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of participants involved in one community college's strategic planning process in which faculty, administrators, and staff at all levels of the organization were encouraged to participate. Data were collected through direct observation, focus group interviews, analysis of institutional documents, and a pen and paper questionnaire. Data were analyzed through a constant comparative method. Reduction of the data produced themes exploring the reaction of participants to the new strategic planning process. This qualitative study generated four hypotheses that relate to these research questions: 1. Staff participation in an organization's strategic planning process results in a deeper staff understanding of the organization's mission, a higher staff commitment to the organization's goals, and a demonstration of greater staff energy and vitality. 2. Community college departments will interpret and implement institutional strategic planning processes in ways that are unique and congruent with their academic discipline; a single process cannot be successfully dictated. 3. When managers serve as facilitators or use others to facilitate strategic planning processes, staff will self-organize, a process will emerge, and leadership will take a variety of forms. 4. Community college staff who encounter change in strategic planning processes can be categorized as Guarded Optimists, Curmudgeons, Crusaders, or Along for the Ride, based on levels of frustration and optimism. Recommendations for Practice: 1. Obtain acceptance of terminology from all units before beginning the participatory strategic planning process. Use acceptable terms in form/templates and in facilitation. 2. Do not dictate a single process for strategic planning across all disciplines. Design forms and processes that are adaptable to differences in styles of critical thinking. 3. Use facilitators to assist units in the participatory strategic planning effort. Train the facilitators to work in ways that empower participants. 4. Reduce participant frustration and increase optimism by providing sufficient time, creating sustainable feedback loops, both of which demonstrate that the unit manager has thought through the process. 5. Increase participation in strategic planning processes to gain deeper understanding of the organization's mission, higher commitments to organizational goals, and a demonstration of greater energy and vitality.
Strategic Planning and Resource Allocation as a Road Trip
Strategic Planning and Resource Allocation as a Road Trip - read free eBook in online reader or directly download on the web page. Select files or add your book in reader. Download and read online ebook Strategic Planning and Resource Allocation as a Road Trip write by Douglas A. Smith. This book was released on 2013. Strategic Planning and Resource Allocation as a Road Trip available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Rural community colleges are unique in many ways including the students served, local community needs, geographic location, and funding. Simply having a strategic plan is not enough to meet the increasing calls for public accountability. Funding is the primary key to taking the strategic plan off the shelf and placing it on center stage. This can be accomplished through integrated planning efforts to incorporate strategic planning considerations in the budgeting process and decisions. This case study provides a better understanding of how this is being done at one medium sized rural community college. The research questions for this study focused on understanding the process for preparing the strategic plan and budget. They also examined how strategic goals and resource demands are established and prioritized. The research questions additionally identified systems, documents, and processes to integrate strategic planning and resource allocation and specifically examined the impact of leadership. A qualitative case study design was used to describe, understand, and interpret these complex real world processes. Interviews were conducted with 13 institutional leaders directly involved with strategic planning and resource allocation to provide a rich description from a variety of perspectives. Documents were also collected and used in the data analysis. Hill Valley Community College (HVCC) serves approximately 4,600 credit students and 1,000 non-credit students annually on two main campuses. The service area of the college encompasses over 11,000 square miles and a total population of approximately 90,000. The HVCC service area is larger than 9 states including Maryland and Vermont. HVCC is the only higher education provider in the service area in this rural part of a Mountain West state. The findings of this research at HVCC identified four primary themes and included (a) respect for the organizational environment, (b) addressing changes with flexibility and responsiveness, (c) commitment to leading and communicating the vision, and (d) establishing trust in budgeting. These four themes collectively described how this one rural community college integrated strategic planning and resource allocation processes. Over the course of this research an interpretation of four conditions essential for successful strategic planning and resource allocation integration emerged and were synthesized by a senior administrator. These conditions were (a) a strong unified leadership, (b) a focused and clear strategic plan, (c) effective followers, and (d) the availability of funding to support the plan. These conditions were each necessary and together they were described as sufficient for successfully integrated strategic planning and resource allocation. Some conditions may be more important than others at times, but in the end they are all collectively responsible for progress towards the future vision of the college. Like any road trip, many elements are necessary for progress and success in integrating strategic planning and resource allocation. A well-planned successful road trip requires someone to take the lead, forethought, a reliable vehicle, money for gas and adventures, and friends willing to go along for the ride. Likewise, strategic planning has essential conditions that are necessary for success. Individually these conditions are not sufficient but collectively they are sufficient for successfully integrated planning.
