THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
Prepare for this Application Assignment as follows:
• Based on the information presented in the Learning Resources, what are the key characteristics of strategic planning and management? How would you illustrate the process?
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o What are the main steps of the process that should be included?
o What sub steps do you think should be added?
o Are there variations that need to be reflected, or is the process fairly standard?
o What additional factors—within organizations or surrounding them—shape this process? How should these be included in a graphic?
• What unique aspects of the health care field might influence strategic planning? Consider the various insights you have gained throughout this Master of Healthcare Administration program.
• Do approaches to strategic planning and management vary among health care providers? If so, how? What circumstances might influence how a particular organization approaches this process? Consider issues identified in previous courses as well as developments in current events.
• Select a particular type of health care organization to focus on for this assignment. You may bring to mind a health care organization you examined for the Discussion, or a different one. (You will not need to convey how strategic planning is actuallycarried out in a specific organization, but you should have some organizational specifics in mind as you think through this assignment.)
• As you begin to draft your graphic, consider:
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o How could you use lines or other graphic representations to show connections between various elements?
o How could you use color to convey meaning?
o What labels or text is needed to ensure the graphic elements make sense?