Text 2. Types of analyses used in planning activity

The purpose of strategic planning is vary wide and includes thorough analysis.

There are various kinds of analyses, which help a company to plan its activity.

The situational analysis examines the company’s positioning in a market with regard to internal and external marketing environment. It deals with the factual market position, customer behavior, competitors, suppliers and intermediaries. It is a kind of “a snap-short” of company’s actual activity  

STEEP  analysis investigates the s ocial-demographic, t echnological, e conomic, e cological, e thical and p olitical factors; in other words, it is the analysis of company’s macro- environment.

SWOT  analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, reveals the strong and weak features of a company, its market opportunities and threats. The Strengths and Weaknesses represent the internal characteristics, which a company can control, whereas the Opportunities and Threats represent the external characteristics; these factors are beyond company control.

All these analyses prepare the process of planning. The environmental analysis and marketing audit lead to the objectives as the starting point of the marketing plan.

Some examples of objectives are as follows:

- profitability objectives;

- objectives for survival;

- market share objectives;

- objectives for growth, etc.

All of them must be very SMART:

- S pecific;

- M easurable;

- A chievable;

- R ealistic;

- T imed.

Text 3. Typical Phases in Planning

Whether the system is an organization, department, business, project, etc. the basic planning process typically includes similar nature of activities carried out in similar sequence. In a large corporation, the following phases would be carried out in the corporate offices, in each division, department, group, etc. However, these phases do not comprise the complete, ideal planning process.

Reference Overall Singular Purpose (“Mission”)

During planning, planners are to have in mind (consciously or unconsciously) some overall purpose or result that the plan is to achieve. For example, during strategic planning it’s critical to reference the mission, or overall purpose of the organization.

2. Take Stock Outside and Inside the System.

This “taking stock” is always done to some extent, whether consciously or unconsciously,. For example, during strategic planning, it’s important to conduct an environmental scan. This scan usually involves considering various driving forces, major influences that might effect the organization.

3. Analyze the Situation. For example, during strategic planning, planners often conduct “a SWOT analysis”. During this analysis, planners also can use a variety of assessments, or methods to “measure”, for example, the health systems.

4. Establish Goals. Based on the analysis and alignment to the overall mission of the system, planners establish a set of goals that build on strengths to take advantage of opportunities, while building up weaknesses and warding off threats.

5. Establish Strategies to Reach Goals.  The particular strategies (or methods to reach the goals) chosen depend on matters, affordability, practicality and efficiency.

6. Establish Objectives Along the Way to Achieving Goals.  Objectives are selected to be timely and indicative of progress toward goals.

7. Associate Responsibilities and Time Lines With Each Objective. Responsibilities are assigned, including for implementation of the plan, and for achieving various goals and objectives. Ideally, deadlines are set for meeting each responsibility.

8. Write and Communicate a Plan Document.  The above information is organized and written in a document which is distributed around the system.

9. Acknowledge and Celebrate Accomplishment of the Plan. This step is frequently forgotten, which can lead to increasing frustration and skepticism on the part of those people who are responsible to carry out the plan.