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.…

A process by which institutions of higher education can plan for change with the times, come to terms with the dynamics of change, and initiate adaptation to a perceived future is presented. This guide is intended to be an outline for action that can be adapted to the diverse range of operations and governance current in American colleges and…

A case study is presented that used the methods of Generic Design Science to conduct strategic planning for the Department of Communication at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. Applied in the context of an academic environment, the methods yielded a comprehensive management and planning design for focusing administration and faculty…

The overall economic well-being of U.S. rural communities is on the decline. Rural America is now dependent on a highly diversified economy, and its problems will not be resolved through improved farm income alone. Various weaknesses in rural development policies must be addressed. The narrow policy focus on attracting manufacturing industries to…

A persistent increase in student, faculty, and administrative demand for information technology has resulted in a sharp rise in the total cost of computing services to universities. In response, universities must develop long-term strategic planning processes and policies to establish priorities for information technology investments, determine…

This study of possible futures for vocational education (the second year of a two-year study) is designed to be of help to those who have the responsibility to set directions for vocational education. It is an attempt to isolate and analyze the factors that are likely to influence the field in the 1980s and to suggest the kinds of decisions that…

Issues in the application of enrollment demand analysis to institutions' pricing policy are discussed, including price change impact on enrollment, the role of enrollment demand models on long-range financial and personnel planning, use of tuition and financial aid policy in optimizing policymakers' enrollment objectives, and the redistribution…

This report presents the results of a qualitative research study at three small independent colleges/universities on how literature-based strategic planning models compare with actual practices. Four critical aspects of strategic planning were identified: first, dealing with the future; second, understanding the organization's external…

While various paradigms exist for planning in two-year colleges, from master planning to quality circles, three major elements invariably appear in planning activities: strategic or formal planning, operational planning, and effectiveness measures. Strategic planning attempts to systematically assess an institution's relationship with its external…

The DeKalb Tech Model for Long-Range Planning provides the framework for a 3-year strategic planning document based on the Georgia State Board of Postsecondary Vocational Education's Evaluation, Planning, and Budgeting (EPB) process. The DeKalb Tech Model consists of five planning segments: (1) pre-planning, which includes the evaluation of…

A case study of Seattle University and its relationship with the City of Seattle--its governmental institutions, community, and policymakers--is presented. A model for viewing the formation of urban-university policy is presented and the roles of key events and actors are discussed. (Author/MLW)

Strategic planning is a technique that has been developed to help managers and leaders address the need for organizational transformation in response to societal change. Its elements include external environmental scanning, internal capacity analysis, participation and involvement, mission and strategic goals, implementation/linkage plans, and…

Policy-impact analysis is introduced as a model to aid higher education in dealing with the significant problems in the decade of the 1980s. The model provides a framework within which a variety of futures research techniques are tied to policy development, implementation, and evaluation. The utility of the model is that it structures…

The 1988 annual conference of the North East Association for Institutional Research focused on strategic choice. Selected papers included: "Fact Books: Paper-Based or Electronic?" (T. Gusler); "Electronic Factbooks" (J. Jacobsen); "A Comparative Analysis of Community College Administrators' and Adult Evening Credit Course…