The history of strategic planning begins in the military. According to Webster's New World Dictionary, strategy is “the science of planning and directing large-scale military operations, of maneuvering forces into the most advantageous position prior to actual engagement with the enemy” (Guralnic, 1986). Although our understanding of strategy and the application of strategic planning in management has been transformed from a military maneuver point to one that aims to achieve and provides a structured framework for achieving competitive advantage. Taking its name and roots from the military model, early models of formal strategic planning "reflected the hierarchical values and linear systems of traditional organizations. Undertaken by the planning functions at the top of the organization, its structure was highly vertical and time-bound. A certain period would be set aside to analyze the situation and decide on a course of action. This would result in a formal document, the actual implementation work, which was considered a separate and discrete process, could begin." (Wall & Wall, 1995). Although individual definitions of strategy vary. between each author, traditionally, theorists have considered planning an essential part of organizational strategy. “Strategic planning in organizations originated in the 1950s and was very popular and widespread between the mid-1960s and the mid-1970s, when people believed it was the answer to all problems, and major American companies were obsessed with strategic planning. Following that boom, strategic planning failed and was put aside for over a decade. The 1990s brought about the rebirth of strategic planning as a process with particular benefits in particular contexts” (Mintzberg, 1994). In Here is a brief account of several generations of strategic planning. “The analytics model dominated strategic planning in the 1950s. The 1960s brought qualitative and quantitative models of strategy. During the early 1980s, the shareholder value model and the Porter model became the standard. The remainder of the 1980s was dictated by strategic intent, core competencies, and market-focused organizations. Finally, business transformation became a necessity in the 1990s” (Gouillart, 1995). The new strategic planning models consisted of phases of work to address the identified problems. However, having noted some of the benefits that strategic planning can produce, it is important to note that it is not a panacea. Strategic planning is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process that is not suitable for all organizations. It is simply a tool that can be used to help a busy entity work to become more effective. Strategic planning should never be considered an end in itself or a one-off affair. It is not simply a written document detailing the activities and outcomes of the planning process. It is also more than just the process of analysis, strategy, implementation and benchmarking. No planning process, strategic or otherwise, can be successful without the commitment of key stakeholders and organizational leaders. Strategic planning, to be truly effective, means that organizational staff or community residents must think and act strategically every day. Through such daily strategic thinking and action, “planning” and “process” can be transformed into individual and collective strategic actions that increase value and.
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