This paper argues that a framework for strategic planning in universities in Sub-Saharan Africa can be developed with the background of global, regional, and institutional realities. Using the specific case of the University of Buea in Cameroon, the paper attempts to expose the global trends of polarization in knowledge production capacity as an…

In 1996, the New York State legislature passed a new statute that significantly alters the organization and governance of the New York City Public Schools. The Act weakens the authority of the (decentralized) community school boards, giving the chief executive officer, the schools' Chancellor, more latitude and responsibility for hiring,…

After DePaul University initiated program review, a new strategic plan, learning goals, and outcomes assessment, the decision was made to extend the data provided to manage departments and colleges. Rather than initiating yet another new project, meeting the need for more information was accomplished by creating a program portfolio. This paper…

States that strategic planning has become ubiquitous at Livermore Lab, where the technical information department has been a resource for help with publications for over 30 years. Finds that a strategic plan focuses management attention and allows an organization to examine and improve its operations; each year's plan serves as the foundation for…

Observations of and discussions with four Scottish farmers showed that learning processes were more effective than classic planning processes in dealing with change in farm management. Their stages of learning resembled stages of the strategic planning process. (SK)

Studied the perceptions of chief financial and information officers of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software implementation best practices. Usable responses from 159 respondents show consensus for the most part between the perceptions of the two groups and describe some best practices that represent common ground. (SLD)

Shares some high-yield questionnaire items that school practitioners can use to design strategic-planning surveys to be conducted at the start of a five-year planning cycle. Recommends two basic types of quantitative questionnaire items focused on program evaluation and needs assessment. Recommends three qualitative questionnaire items allowing…

Generalizes the corporate mission, values, strategy, tactics model and applies it to basic personal life questions based on experiences at the Performance Development group of Walgreens. (Author/LRW)

Describes the development of a mission statement for the biology department at Morehouse College, and discusses how mission statements at the departmental level can frame strategic planning and assessment efforts, build community, and focus teaching and research activities. (EV)

Addresses six information technology (IT) questions that should be answered by college presidents, providing illustrations from campus experience and offering advice from experienced presidents: "How much should we spend?"; "Which processes should receive funds?"; "Which capabilities need to be company-wide?"; "How good do our services need to…

Offers a structured method, the management summit, to help administrators generate a true mission and vision and implement them in the organization. The method includes understanding needs, building futures scenarios, pointing out hurdles, and deciding on action items. (JOW)

Defines appreciative inquiry as a change model that uses traditional organizational development processes (team building, strategic planning, business process redesign, management audits) in a new way, both as a philosophy and as a process. Emphasizes collaboration, participation of all voices, and changing the organization rather than the people.…

ORIGINS (Oklahoma Resources Integration General Information Network System) is electronic database used for strategic planning by community leaders, educators, businesses, and government agencies. Survey of 540 online users (150 responses) and focus group data indicated 78% overall level of satisfaction, 82.5% satisfaction with data quality, 95%…

Relates the marketing concept to library reference services. Highlights include a review of the literature and an overview of marketing, including research, the marketing mix, strategic plan, marketing plan, and marketing audit. Marketing principles are applied to reference services through the marketing mix elements of product, price, place, and…

Differentiates between activity planning, which does not produce demonstrable outcomes, and impact planning, which does. Impact planning is characterized by a matching process with the appropriate methodology, organizational fit, clarity, linkage to the college's ongoing organizational systems, and substance over style. Contains 11 references. (CK)