Strategic Planning Example : Analyzing the Situation

UC (Upstate College)
Because it has received state permission to expand from a two-year to a
four-year-program, Upstate College want to develop a strategic communication
plan to deal with student entrollment and retention, financial contributions and
community support.
Tiny Tykes Toys
In the wake of the highly publicized recall of a defective crib toy, Tiny
Tykes Toys needs a strategic communications plan focusing on consumer
confidence and the eventual ex-pansion of its customer base.

Strategic Planning Exercise : Analyzing the Situation

To participate in tihis exercise, select an organization that has both your
personal interest and your firsthand knowledge. For example, you might select
your current business, nonprofit organization or client; a volunteer project; or an
enterprise in which you were once involved. If you are a student, you might select
an issue related to the college or university you attend.
Start with the basic planning questions. Careful consideration of these
may satify your informational needs. You also may find it useful to address the
more complete set of expanded planning questions. Use these to the extent that
they help you get a better understanding of situation facing your organization. If
some of these questions don’t seem to address your spesific planning needs, skip
over them.

Basic Planning Questions

1. What is the situation facing the organization?
2. What is the backgorund of the situation?
3. What is the significance or importance of the situation?
Expanded Planning Questions
A. Existing Information
Answer the following questions based on what you know directly or what you can
learn from your client or colleagues within your organization.
Background on the Issue
1. Is this the first time your organization has dealt with this situation or are you
setting out to modify an existing communication program? If the latter, is this
a minor modification or a major one?
2. What is the cause of this situation?
3. Is there any dispute that this is the cause?
4. What is the history of this situation?
5. What are the important facts related to this situation?
6. Does this situation involve the organization’s relationship with another
group?
7. If yes, what group(s)?
Consequences of the Situation
1. How important is this situation to the organization’s mission?
2. How consistent is this situation with the mission statement or vision
statment?
3. How serious of a response is warranted to the situation?
4. What is the likely duration of this situation :one time, limited/short term or
ongoing/long term?
5. Who or what is affected by this situation?
6. What predictions or trends are associated with this situation? (These can be
organizational, industry related, community relations, nation related, etc.)
7. What potential impact can this situation make on the organization’s mission
or bottom line?
8. Do you consider this situation to be an opportunity (positive) or an obstacle
(negative) for your organization? Why? If you consider this an obstacle, how
might you turn it into an opportunity?
Resolution of tye Situation
1. Might information (quality or quantity) affect how this situation is resolved?
2. How can this situation be resolved to the mutual benefit of everyone
involved?
3. What priority does this situation hold for the public relations/communications
staff and for the organization’s top management?
4. How strong is the organization’s commitment to resolving this situation?
B. Research Program
If there are any significant gaps in the existing information, you may have to
conduct re-search to learn more about the issue. This section will guide you
through consideration of that option.
1. What is the basis for the existing information noted aboved: previous formal
re-search, informal or anecdotal feedback, organizational experience,
personal observation, presumption/supposition by planner(s) and/or
something else?
2. How accurate is this existing information?
3. How appropriate is it to conduct additional research?
4. What information remains to be obtained?
5. If the existing information is not highly reliable, consider additional research,
such as the following:
 Interviews with key people within the organization
 Review of orgaizational literatul/information
 Additional personal observation
 Interviews with external experts or opinion leaders
 Surveys with representative publics
6. What research methods will you use to obtain the needed information?
C. Research Findings
After you have conducted formal research, indicate here your findings as they
shed light on the issue facing your organization, and write a brief summary of the
issue facing your organization.