Strategic Planning and the Mission Statement
Abstract
The article that I chose to review was written by Paul Larson. This article takes a closer look at the first steps in developing a strategic plan. Larson's article discusses the importance of defining your organization and developing a mission statement. As the owner of .....'s Childcare, I was able to apply these concepts to my business. Developing a written mission statement for my business will allow me to stay focused on the direction that I wish my business to continue upon. Taking the first steps to developing a strategic plan has encouraged me to set goals for the future of my business. As discussed in this article, a business with no goals will go nowhere.
Strategic Planning and the Mission Statement
Larson says the first step in developing a strategic plan is to define the business. Defining a business is one of the six steps in developing a strategic plan.
Sample mission statement
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larson coll. Photo_279The other steps are: defining overall mission, set strategic objectives, perform SWOT analysis, formulate strategy, implement strategy, and reformulate strategy. All steps are of equal value. Ignoring one or many of the steps puts an organization in jeopardy. These steps are in constant motion and sometimes require addressing several steps at a time. This article and discussion takes a closer look at developing the beginning stages of forming a strategic plan. (Larson, 1998).
Most managers take part in strategic planning, too often unintentionally. Larson stresses the importance of taking an active role in strategic planning; an organization cannot depend simply on knee-jerk reactions. Too many managers decide a strategy based solely on external influences. Though flexibility is important, a company with no goals for the future will go nowhere. (Larson, 1998).
Larson uses a story about a military group to...