The Oliver Wight Class A Standard for Business Excellence, 7th Edition

1Managing the Strategic Planning Process

Purpose

To establish and manage the process for setting vision, strategy, and direction to be a Class A company and improve the company's competitive position. To ensure the strategy is reflected through driving and supporting roadmaps that then direct all programs, projects, plans, and actions throughout the company.

Positioning

Strategic Planning processes mature over time through education, committed leadership, expert guidance, and improved market, customer, competitor, and business analysis. Many companies begin Class A improvement journeys in a disconnected state, marked by functional silos, defensive behaviors, a disproportionate focus on the past, and a lack of clarity about the future.

The ability for businesses to make swift and trusted decisions is essential. This is enabled through an integrated Strategic Planning process that clearly defines the business direction laid out in driving and supporting roadmaps covering a horizon that typically extends out five years or more.

Done well, Strategic Planning enables a growing ownership of the business direction, challenges, and opportunities. With increased ownership comes improved communication and understanding which, in turn, enables improved, focused decision making through Integrated Business Planning.

The standard for Strategic Planning defined in this chapter is implemented through a Class A Milestone that drives the next level of process maturity.

Chapter Content