Strategic Planning for Organizational Success

Frequently Asked Questions

What is strategic planning? Strategic planning is a framework that equips organizations with the ability to develop, adapt and align organizational vision, mission and goals to achieve and sustain competitive advantage. What is this course about? In this course, you gain the knowledge needed to formulate, execute and monitor strategic planning initiatives for your organization based on proven analytical techniques and models. What background do I need? A general understanding of business practices is helpful. No prior knowledge of strategic planning is assumed. Who will benefit from this course? This course is valuable for all managers, senior executives, business analysts and anyone involved in planning or implementing strategic initiatives at an organizational or business unit level. I am only involved in the execution of strategies in my organization. Will this course benefit me? Yes! This course helps you to see your role in the context of your entire organization. It is designed to provide an understanding of the inter-working relationship and elements of strategic planning at all levels. I do not have strong analytical or finance skills. Will I still benefit from this course? Yes! This course is based on identifying and valuing information, not on complex financial tools. No prior knowledge of finance is assumed. Will this course help me write a strategic plan? Yes. In this course, you are provided with an end-to-end process for the analysis, planning, execution, and monitoring of strategies. Strategic plans at different organizational levels are discussed. What specific tools and techniques are discussed in this class? SWOT analysis Porter's five forces model for analyzing industry factors Value chain analysis Balanced scorecard Low cost leadership strategy Differentiation and specialization strategies Other strategies well suited to specific circumstances I am not responsible for preparing strategic plans in my organization. Will I benefit from this course? Yes! If you are responsible for preparing or executing on planning initiatives such as new products, new services, or new markets for your organization, you will benefit from the creative and multi-disciplinary approach to strategic planning that this course provides. You learn to make meaningful contributions to your organization and tailor products that are aligned to your company's strategy. You also gain insight into the implementation of strategy by senior management. How much time is spent on each topic? Content Hours Fundamentals of strategic planning 2.0 Detecting opportunities and threats 2.0 Recognizing strengths and weaknesses 2.0 Identifying strategic options 2.0 Formulating your strategic plan 2.0 Executing your strategy for success 2.0 Monitoring and controlling implementation 2.0 Times, including the workshops, are estimates; exact times may vary according to the needs of each class. How does strategic planning differ from other types of planning such as project planning, budgeting, etc.? This course outlines a broad set of organizational issues and applies specific tools to develop strategic plans for long term competitive advantage in the marketplace. Strategic plan horizons are typically longer than project plans and budgeting cycles. I have an advanced business degree/MBA. Will this course be of any benefit? This course will demonstrate timely, real-world examples and apply the current thinking and theories of strategic planning tools. It will serve as a good refresher course and update your skills to coincide with current practices in the area of strategic planning. What kind of workshops does this course offer? Approximately 60 percent of this course is spent on interactive workshops to provide practical experience in strategic planning. These workshops include: Determining mission, vision and core competencies Identifying opportunities and threats through SWOT analysis Assessing strengths and weaknesses of your internal environment Establishing differentiators to position your strategy Formulating an effective strategy for competitive advantage Crafting an action plan to implement strategy Designing dashboard metrics to monitor progress Is this course applicable to a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification? Yes. Although this course is not designed as preparation for the exam, it is beneficial to anyone working toward PMI's PMP certification. For those who are currently certified, completion of this course counts as 17 professional development units (60 units must be completed every three years to maintain certification). For more details, please see the Learning Tree PMI Registered Education Provider Q&A. If you are an experienced project manager intending to take the PMP exam, you should take Course 276, Preparing for the Project Management Professional (PMP®) Exam. In this course you learn essential PMBOK® Guide terminology, tools and techniques. You gain practical test-taking experience through PMI-style practice exams and create your own personal study plan for continued use after the course. How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses? The following courses can help you expand your skills as a strategic planner: 247, MBA Essentials: Enhancing Organizational Performance , provides you with the fundamental skills and proven management tools typically taught in MBA programs 281, Finance and Accounting for Non-Financial Managers , transforms financial and accounting language and concepts into business tools the non-financial manager can use successfully every day 284, Critical Thinking and Creative Problem Solving , provides the skills needed to foster innovation in the workplace, systematically analyze problems and transform creativity into practical business solutions 196, Introduction to Statistics: Making Better Business Decisions , provides participants with the techniques to support your business decisions using well-established quantitative methods Learning Tree also offers courses in the following related areas: Project Management Management and Leadership Skills Communication and Time Management Business Analysis

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