Tackling uncertainties in infrastructure sectors through strategic planning: the contribution of discursive approaches in the urban water sector

Water Policy ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 299-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damian Dominguez ◽  
Bernhard Truffer ◽  
Willi Gujer
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Existing Structures ◽  
Conflicting Objectives ◽  
Planning Approaches

Several strategic planning approaches have been proposed for dealing with future uncertainties in the urban water infrastructure sector. We identify three well established perspectives that address uncertainties in strategic decisions: an adaptive perspective, focusing on an incremental adaptation of existing structures as a reaction to unforeseen developments, a modeling perspective, focusing on an improved characterization of future context conditions and a managerial perspective, focusing on increasing the flexibility of the infrastructure organization. Despite their virtues, these approaches have definite weaknesses in their approach to uncertainty: they often consider a restricted scope of alternatives, they face substantial difficulties in predicting context conditions over time periods of decades and often consider objectives and tradeoffs only implicitly. We elaborate and illustrate with a case study a fourth perspective that may compensate for these specific weaknesses and complement the established strategic planning approaches. This perspective is based on a discursive, qualitative assessment of key elements in the strategic planning process among a selected set of local stakeholders and decision makers. We maintain that this approach leads to a more explicit and reflexive treatment of future uncertainty, conflicting objectives and a broadening of the considered alternatives and therefore to a more robust decision-making process.

scholarly journals Strategic Planning to Advance Equity on Campus: A Case Study at Portland State University

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marisa Zapata ◽  
Stephen Percy ◽  
Sona Karentz Andrews
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Board Of Trustees ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Institutional Racism ◽  
State University ◽  
Diversity And Inclusion ◽  
Portland State University

Propelled by many factors, including a newly appointed Board of Trustees responsible for governance of our university, resource shortages, and enrollment swings, Portland State University embarked on a strategic planning effort in 2014 with the intent of reunifying a divided campus and creating a bold vision for moving forward in the next five years. While committed from the start to goals of diversity and inclusion, the planning process itself generated greater awareness of and commitment to equity—a bolder vision of empowerment that creates a responsibility to understand and mitigate negative, but often unintended consequences of, campus decisions and action—particularly as they impact groups that have experienced institutional racism and injustice. Equity emerged not only as a goal, with intendant initiatives for action, but also as a commitment to conscientious ongoing attention to decision-making that embraces utilization of an equity lens.

Manipulating Structure in Institutional Complexity Scenarios: The Case of Strategic Planning in Nonprofits

2020 ◽  
pp. 000765032092733
Author(s):  
Ziva Sharp
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Nonprofit Organizations ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Structural Components ◽  
Institutional Complexity ◽  
Shape Structure ◽  
Social Logic

Emergent structural approaches to institutional complexity tend to inhibit the role of agency in addressing logic multiplicity scenarios. Prior studies of logic multiplicity have documented a diverse set of outcomes, ranging from domination through hybridization, and characterized by various levels of conflict. A new stream of research has emerged that seeks to explain this heterogeneity through the structural components of complexity. These studies tend to minimize the role of agency in institutional complexity scenarios, positing that outcome diversity, and the organization’s ability to exert agency, can be accounted for by the interaction of exogenously determined parameters, such as centrality, compatibility, prioritization, and jurisdictional overlap. This article revisits the role of agency in these models, suggesting that agency is not only framed by, but may itself shape, structure. The article draws on a comparative case study in five Israeli nonprofit organizations, focusing on the introduction of the business logic through a strategic planning process, and the challenge that this represents for the legacy social logic. The case studies demonstrate that organizations regularly use a set of distinctive mechanisms to manipulate the structural components of complexity, and, in so doing, agentically regulate logic multiplicity outcomes.

scholarly journals Collaborative open strategic planning: a method and case study

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 832-852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Amrollahi ◽  
Bruce Rowlands
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Formal Method ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Level ◽  
Open Strategy ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to show how collaborative information technology (IT) tools and a crowdsourcing model can be leveraged for the purpose of strategic planning. To achieve this objective, a formal method of open strategic planning (OSP) is proposed. Design/methodology/approach Based on a review of the literature a set of activities, stakeholders, and governing rules are identified in the form of an OSP method. The proposed planning method is implemented in a case study of strategic planning in an Australian university. Observations by the research team, and archival records were used to ascertain the relevance of the used method. Findings A method for OSP is presented and assessed. The method contains four phases: pre-planning, idea submission, idea refinement, and plan development. These phases cover the activities required from conceptualization to preparing and publishing the strategic plan. The findings clarify how the principles of OSP helped the organization to include more stakeholders and provided the opportunity to make the planning process transparent through use of a collaborative IT tool. Practical implications The study provides managers and planning consultants with detailed guidelines to implement the concept of open strategy. Originality/value This study is among the few to propose a method for OSP based on empirical research. The study also shows how collaborative IT tools can be used for high-level organizational tasks such as strategic planning.

scholarly journals Institutionalizing Transformative Learning: The Trees, then the Forest, then the Realization

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ed Cunliff ◽  
Jeff King
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Authentic Self ◽  
Strategic Planning Process ◽  
Central Focus ◽  
Relevant Today ◽  
Learner Centered ◽  
The University

The Challenge Finding a sense of authentic self as an institution, a true sense of mission, and the means to live that mission were the central focus of a strategic planning process addressed by the University of Central Oklahoma about fifteen years ago. As the institution grew within a metropolitan-serving mission, the goal to transform students from adolescents to adults and find new potential in their lives led to an exciting journey that is still vibrant and relevant today. Potential Consequences The theoretical base provided within transformative learning has helped students, staff, and faculty align efforts. Description This case study provides replicable processes and specifics that may help others find a clearer path for fulfilling their mission. The study describes how the University of Central Oklahoma’s (UCO’s) transformative learning focus coalesced and became the point of distinction for a UCO education, helping to ensure that all activity supported our mission—helping students learn. Reflection The compelling, lived sense of mission developed from the initial strategic planning process has helped to strengthen the learner-centered culture of the campus while providing a structure that facilitates implementation and assessment.

scholarly journals THE ROLE AND PLACE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING IN THE SECURITY AND DEFENSE SECTOR OF UKRAINE

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (4(106)) ◽  
pp. 59-66
Author(s):  
А. Л. Бейкун ◽  
І. В. Євтушенко
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
The State ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Its Analysis ◽  
Security Environment ◽  
External Threats ◽  
The World ◽  
Relevant Field

The article analyzes the interpretation of the essence and content of the concept of the security and defense sector of Ukraine, examines in detail the scientific positions of scientists and the legal definitions given in the current legislation of Ukraine on this issue. The main directions of functioning of the security and defense sector of Ukraine are analyzed and determined and it is established that this institute consists of many state bodies that have security and defense of Ukraine within their powers. It is established that the National Security and Defense Council is one of the main bodies in the relevant field, coordinating all others. Regarding strategic planning directly, the author presents the main scientific ideas and positions of scientists to define the concept of this phenomenon, gives an example and distinguishes it from ordinary planning, characterized by its unique features, explores the position of one of the scientists to define the planning process and interprets its from its own point of view in the form (stages) of planning. It is argued that the regulatory framework of the sector refers to its competence as preventive and directly active measures within the activity. They consist both in obtaining information about the "security environment" in the world and in Ukraine and in its analysis, as well as in making further strategic decisions. It is established that the essence of strategic planning and its separation from the usual planning is to clearly define, in accordance with the state guidelines the direction of development in the field of security and defense of Ukraine, indicating the ultimate goals. At the same time, strategic planning involves the development, coordination and adoption of plans that reflect the specific activities, methods, tools, as well as the timing and main executors of relevant activities. It is concluded that the security and defense sector is one of the priority areas among all vectors of state policy, which in the conditions of armed aggression should function smoothly and systematically. The normative-legal basis of the respective sector refers to its competence both preventive and directly active measures within the activity. They consist both in obtaining information about the "security environment" in the world and in Ukraine and in its analysis, as well as in making further strategic decisions that will allow the state as a whole to function effectively and respond to internal and external threats to Ukraine's security and defense.

Data Mining in Human Resources

2008 ◽  
pp. 2371-2378
Author(s):  
Marvin D. Troutt ◽  
Lori K. Long
Keyword(s):  
Data Mining ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Human Resources ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Transaction Processing ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Strategic Planning Process ◽  
Manual Processing ◽  
Related Transaction

In this paper, we briefly review and update our earlier work (Long & Troutt, 2003) on the topic of data mining in the human resources area. To gain efficiency, many organizations have turned to technology to automate many HR processes (Hendrickson, 2003). As a result of this automation, HR professionals are able to make more informed strategic HR decisions (Bussler & Davis, 2002). While HR professionals may no longer need to manage the manual processing of data, they should not abandon their ties to data collected on and about the organization’s employees. Using HR data in decision-making provides a firm with the opportunity to make more informed strategic decisions. If a firm can extract useful or unique information on the behavior and potential of their people from HR data, they can contribute to the firm’s strategic planning process. The challenge is identifying useful information in vast human resources databases that are the result of the automation of HR related transaction processing.

scholarly journals Efficiency Analysis of Public Transportation Subunits Using DEA and Bootstrap Approaches -- Dakar Dem Dikk Case Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oumar Sow ◽  
Amar Oukil ◽  
Babacar M. Ndiaye ◽  
Aboubacar Marcos
Keyword(s):  
Public Transportation ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Returns To Scale ◽  
Transportation Systems ◽  
Data Envelopment ◽  
Bootstrap Approach ◽  
Scale Characterization ◽  
Constant Returns To Scale

Transportation is a sector which plays an important role in the process of development of countries around the world. A crucial step in transportation planning process is the measure of the efficiency of transportation systems in order to guarantee the desired service. This paper investigates the relative efficiencies of lines of the main public transportation company Dakar Dem Dikk (DDD)\footnote{\textit{Dem Dikk} meaning \guillemotleft Go-Return\guillemotright} in Dakar (Senegal). The objective is to apply Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and bootstrapping approaches in order to identify opportunities for improvement. In this study, we examine technical efficiency for the 24 lines of DDD using Constant Returns to Scale (CRS) and Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) DEA output oriented models. We apply bootstrap approach for bias correction and for confidence intervals creation of our estimates. Finally, we examine the returns to scale characterization of lines. The results establish that there exist possibilities for improvement for the lines and also shown that there are potential for restructure for some lines.

Healthcare Strategic Planning as Part of National and Regional Development in the Israeli Galilee: A Case Study of the Planning Process

2009 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 43-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronit Peled ◽  
Jerry Schenirer
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Regional Development ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Local Residents

This article describes a systematic process of geographic and strategic planning for healthcare services as a part of a regional development plan in the Israeli Galilee. The planning process consisted of three stages: (a) assessment of needs, demand and existing resources; (b) prioritisation of initiatives; and (c) scheduling of theoretical priorities. For many years the region has suffered from inequities and inequalities regarding the availability and accessibility of a regional healthcare system, resulting in high mortality and morbidity rates and low quality of life. The aim of the healthcare strategic plan was to suggest initiatives and actions to be taken in order to improve healthcare provision and the health and wellbeing of local residents.

scholarly journals The relation between the organizational culture and the process of strategic planning: a case study in a North American Company

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-79
Author(s):  
Mauricio Fernandes Pereira ◽  
Juliane Ines Di Francesco Kich
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Real Relationship ◽  
Strategic Planning Process ◽  
Ski Resort ◽  
Strategic Thought ◽  
Unites States

The present study intends to appraise how the real relationship between organizational culture and process of strategic planning is in practice. Therefore, besides the bibliographical exploratory research, an in loco case study with a ski-resort, in Unites States, was carried. It has been noticed that, for the company in question, it is important the alignment of the strategy with its culture, the definition and clear disclosure of its values, as well as its culture turned to the apprenticement. The strategic thought of its members were fundamental for the efficacy from its Strategic Planning. Moreover, it was estabilished that culture influences the strategic planning process. It also influences the culture. So, the strategic planning is used as a mean of disseminating the culture of the company and for its modification. 

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