Strategic Planning Practices: Are they what they should be?

Abstract

This study extends research on strategic planning practices in nonprofit organizations by examining executive director perceptions of both actual and desired practices in their organizations. Fifty three (53) usable questionnaires returned from 150 randomly sampled church, museum, and human service directors were analyzed. Six factors of the strategic planning process (SPP) were assessed by the questionnaire: participation, organizing mechanisms, inputs and analysis, responsibilities for developing the plan, substantive elements in the resulting plan, and elements in promulgating the plan. The results indicated that although non-profits are engaged in strategic planning, the strategic planning process is not being used to the degree executive directors desire. Directors appeared to perceive the inputs and analyses in the SPP to be particularly deficient. In addition, the degree of perceived participation in the SPP appeared to be less than one might expect in nonprofits. Implications of the findings for research and practice are discussed.