Understanding Strategic Planning and the Formulation and Implementation of Strategic Plans as a Way of Knowing: The Contributions of Actor-Network Theory

Abstract

This article has two purposes: first, to take seriously the notion of strategic planning as a way of knowing, and second, to argue that actor-network theory provides a particularly apposite method for understanding whether and how strategic planning works in particular circumstances. Pursuit of these purposes also helps illuminate possible contributions of strategic planning to inclusive, participative, and democratic public management. The paper is illustrated with examples from the 1995 and 2007 strategic planning and subsequent implementation efforts of MetroGIS, an organization created to foster widespread sharing of geospatial information primarily among public organizatons serving the Twin Cities metropolitan area of Minnesota, USA, and further, to enhance their individual and collective effectiveness. The Metropolitan Council, the regional government, is the primary sponsor of MetroGIS, which is comprised of over 300 organizational partners across the region. Conclusions are offered about the importance of viewing and studying strategic planning as a way of knowing and as a potential vehicle for inclusive public management in a democratic society.[A table featuring a complete timeline of the major MetroGIS accomplishments between 1995 and 2008; the controversies, participants, processes, technologies, and artifacts involved; and the outcomes or major consequences resulting from the accomplishment is included as an online supplement on the publisher's website.]

Strategic-Decision Quality in Public Organizations: An Information Processing Perspective

“…While organizational information processes such as strategic planning and performance management are important, this study offers empirical evidence that in order to understand strategic-decision quality in the public sector we cannot oversimplify the context by neglecting the importance of individual behavior within decision-making teams. The extent to which decision makers are allowed to exchange information during decision-making can be expected to be of crucial importance in order to fully comprehend the quality of strategic decisions in public organizations (Bryson et al, 2009;George & Desmidt, 2014).…”

“…strategic-decision quality) are, to our knowledge, lacking (Bryson, Crosby, & Bryson, 2009;Poister et al, 2010). Third, research on rational planning practices in public organizations has typically not included variables that measure the behavior of decision-makers within strategic decision-making processes (Bryson et al, 2009;George & Desmidt, 2014).…”

“…strategic-decision quality) are, to our knowledge, lacking (Bryson, Crosby, & Bryson, 2009;Poister et al, 2010). Third, research on rational planning practices in public organizations has typically not included variables that measure the behavior of decision-makers within strategic decision-making processes (Bryson et al, 2009;George & Desmidt, 2014).However, if we want to assess the main effect of rational planning practices on strategic-decision quality, literature on strategic decision-making processes argues that we cannot disregard the amount of variance in strategic-decision quality already explained by the behavior of decisionmakers (e.g. Olson, Parayitam, & Bao, 2007;Parayitam & Dooley, 2009).…”

Strategic decision quality in Flemish municipalities

“…Bryson et al (2009) argue that this debate is fueled by the fact that empirical studies focused on SP as a rational process that directly results in organizational performance (for example Andrews et al, 2009), thus illustrating a limited attention to 'who was involved', 'how the process was managed' and 'what consequences ensued' (Bryson et al, 2009, p. 173). Hence, to date it remains unclear whether SP contributes to public sector strategic decisionmaking and, if so, which elements of SP account for that contribution.…”

Вопросы Реформирования Системы Государственного Планирования В Республике Казахстан

“…теоретические аспекты исследования стратегического плани ро вания в государственном управлении В настоящее время уровень исследования стратегического планирования в государственном управлении и оценки стратегических планов государственных органов в Казахстане является актуальным вопросом, требующего более детального изучения. В современной экономической литературе этот вопрос раз ра ботан более продуктивно в развитых зарубежных странах.Анализу места, роли и значения стратегического планирования в эффек тивном функционировании различных сфер системы государственного управ ления посвящены работы П. Мизинга, Дэвида Ф. Следует отметить, что различные подходы, методология стратегического планирования и практика в системе государственного управления, были заимст вованы с коммерческого сектора.Анализ функционирования стратегического государственного планирования в зарубежных странах [2,3,4,5,6,7,8] Традиционно в мире выделяют две основные модели планирования. Одна их которых, англосаксонская модель, которая во главу угла ставит бюджетное планирование, а все остальные планы выполняют в большей мере вспомогательную роль.…”