A contexual model is introduced to simplify planning, to provide an understanding of institutions as interpretive systems, to guide the implementation of better strategic planning, and to provide a research paradigm that may integrate research findings for a better understanding of how the strategic variables are related to one another.…

College and university information is poorly developed for the purpose of making strategic choices and management guidance. A strategic triangle, with critical success factors at each vertex, can help model appropriate information. (Author/MLW)

Recent applications of the strategic planning approach in colleges and universities and techniques necessary for its application are reviewed. In addition, the intellectual roots of strategic planning are traced, and strategic planning is defined and contrasted with long-range planning. It is suggested that strategic planning addresses the total…

Management aids required in strategic planning are divided into three categories: (1) assessing the environment, (2) providing a process for reaching decisions, and (3) presenting criteria to evaluate strategic decisions. A model for scanning the environment has four dimensions that concern economic, social, knowledge-technology, and public policy…

Appropriate and inappropriate uses of the strategic planning concept are identified, and significant literature on the subject is reviewed that gives both conceptual and practical guidelines. Included is a series of very simple to more complex planning models that colleges and universities can adopt or modify, depending on their circumstances, to…

Patterns that emerged from reviewing four syllabi for courses on management information systems are discussed. These courses are offered as part of graduate level studies in the field of higher education administration. A proposed outline for a syllabus is also provided. Courses addressing the information requirements for colleges and universities…