An Empirical And Qualitative Study Of The Strategic Planning Process Of A Higher Education Institution

Abstract

This paper discusses whether there are differences in performance based on differences in strategy. First, an attempt was made to determine whether the institution had a strategy, and if so, did it follow a particular model. Major models of strategy are the industry analysis approach, the resource based view or the RBV model and the more recent, relational model. The next step was determining whether the institution actually implemented the strategy by allocating resources. Finally an attempt was made to find out whether any of the models influenced the performance of one higher education institution and whether one model resulted in greater performance than another. Performance was defined as improvements in enrollment, operating surpluses, investments in physical assets and capital structure. The research design was the case study approach. The methods of analysis were qualitative, using content analysis, as well as quantitative. The results showed that there were significant differences in performance between the institution with the well-defined and implemented strategy and other institutions in the same religious and geographic classification. This research should add to the knowledge base in seeking to improve Higher Education.

Strategic Planning in an Educational Development Centre: Motivation, Management, and Messiness

“…However, perspectives changed by the late 1980s. By then, strategic planning had emerged in universities as a potential solution for developing a proactive stance in environments of increasing competitiveness and fluctuating enrollments, changing student demographics, inconsistent funding and spiraling costs, and calls for greater accountability, including the rise of accreditation standards (Aleong, 2007).…”

“…Throughout the 1990s, perspectives on strategic planning changed dramatically in academia as university leaders realized that in a rapidly globalizing and increasingly competitive world there was no longer a "status quo for a campus" (Wilkinson, Taylor, Peterson, & de Lourdes Machado-Taylor, 2007, p. 12). Instead, laying claim to institutional distinctiveness, finding a unique niche in the higher education marketplace, and being able to attract and keep the best students, faculty, and staff became critical for long-term viability (Aleong, 2007;Keller, 1999). However, despite great effort and improved efficiencies through technology, strategic planning left many universities fragmented, unable to cope effectively with societal change, responding reactively rather than proactively to challenges, and incapable of transforming how they functioned as educational institutions (Baer, Duin, & Ramaley, 2008).…”

“…Skepticism aside, Dooris et al (2004) strongly suggest that the success of strategic planning is mostly process-related: done poorly, strategic planning is ineffective; done well, it can be a powerful tool to help universities thrive. Strategic planning efforts at Pennsylvania State University (Dooris, 2002), Eastern University (Aleong, 2007), the University of Minnesota (Baer et al, 2008) and the University of British Columbia (University of British Columbia, 1998) offer some insight into the positive impacts that strategic planning has had in university contexts. Significantly, the quality of teaching, learning spaces, and the student experience emerge in these examples as important indicators of improved institutional performance.…”

“…Decisions regarding strategic focus seem in continuous flux, resourcing for the unit is ambiguous and remains in the hands of senior management, and the availability of personnel to implement action plans in areas such as faculty development is very limited. The dynamic nature of our environment and a willingness to plan with uncertainty continue to characterize our strategic planning efforts (Aleong, 2007;Hardy, 1991;Hinton, 2012;Walker et al, 2013). Despite these obstacles we believe strongly in the importance and value of the work of the OESD in supporting the Faculty's educational mandate and continue to implement and report on many aspects of the draft plan.…”

“…UBC is a global centre for research and teaching, comprises two campuses and 20 Faculties, employs over 15,000 faculty and staff, enrolls 60,000 students, and is consistently ranked among the 40 best universities in the world. The challenges of institutional-level strategic planning in university contexts such as this are particularly complex and emphasize the critical importance of well-established planning and implementation processes(Aleong, 2007;Hardy, 1991).…”