Critical review of the academic paper titled "A Strategic Planning Network for Non-Profit Organizations"

SYNOPSISThis paper is a submission of critical review of the academic paper titled “A Strategic Planning Network for Non-Profit Organisations” by Paul C Nutt, Professor of Management Sciences, the Ohio State University, USA. This article was published in the Strategic Management Journal 1984, Volume 5.

The critical review is based on extensive reading about strategic management in non-profit organisations. Efforts are made to study, comprehend and relate the strategic tools to this sector.

A summary of the argument is given in the beginning followed by a brief note on how the argument is relevant to the course of the Strategic Organisation in the Market Place. The part on critical review considers the strengths of the argument, usefulness / relevance to the business, critique of argument and alternative views that could be valid.

Towards the end, different areas of future research are suggested based on the paper under review.

An alphabetical list of resources used, classified as Journals and Books / Other Resources, is presented as Bibliography in the end.

TABLE OF CONTENTS1. Summary of Argument42. Relation to Course Material63. Critical review of argument73.1. Strengths in the argument73.2. Usefulness and relevance to the business93.3. Criticisms of the argument113.4. Alternative Views144. Direction / Area of further research15BIBLIOGRAPHY21Journals:21Books and Other Resources:22Abbreviations:NPO :Non-Profit OrganisationNPOs:Non-Profit Organisations1. Summary of ArgumentThe paper under consideration argues that there is a need for strategic planning network that meets the organisation framework (and goal) of NPOs. Nutt (1984) argues that in NPOs, “the goals are always vague and often contentious” and this makes it necessary to search for new strategic planning tools.

The paper presents a strategic planning network based on the planning process and the expected outcome of the strategic planning. The suggested planning network is essentially normative. The planning network allows for choice of methods to meet the...