Full Description
Social service organizations are under increasing pressure to strengthen the level of professional management. Reduced government funding, the increasing number of service providers, and growing societal demand for responsible, accountable, and effective social services are causing these organizations to seek ways to enhance organizational effectiveness and service delivery. In particular, strengthening management planning skills and using appropriate planning tools are essential to succeed in an increasingly competitive and under-funded market.
While many professional management practices and techniques have been developed for and implemented in the corporate sector, few of these have been adequately adapted to the specific circumstances of the social service sector. This textbook introduces and demonstrates a systematic approach for undertaking effective strategic planning in this sector. Practical, field-tested frameworks and worksheets for improving an organization's strategic and long-term focus, and enhancing the rigor of its decision-making, supplement the material.
The market-based approach — unique to this book — encourages an organization to examine the current and evolving needs of key stakeholders and identify which client groups it can best serve given its limited resources.
Contents
Section 1: Context and Planning Framework
Chapter 1 - Strategic Planning in Social Service Organizations: What is it and why do it?
Chapter 2 - The Strategic Planning Model: What's all this mission / vision stuff?
Chapter 3 - The Strategic Planning Process: How do you develop a strategic plan you can use?
Section 2: Establishing and Maintaining the Environment for Successful Planning
Chapter 4 - Getting Started: Is the organization ready?
Chapter 5 - Defining Roles: Who does what?
Chapter 6 - Engaging Stakeholders: Is the organization involved and committed?
Chapter 7 - Facilitating the Process: How to make it happen
Section 3: The Steps Leading to a Practical Strategic Plan
Chapter 8 - Situation Assessment: What strategic issues must be addressed?
Chapter 9 - Strategy Definition: How is your organization unique?
Chapter 10 - Agree on Action: How do you turn strategy into action?
Chapter 11 - Implementation and Monitoring Performance: How do you measure up?
Section 4: Beyond the Basics: Tools and Techniques for Advancing Strategic Thinking and Planning
Chapter 12 - Developing a Vision
Chapter 13 - Using Market Research for Strategic Planning Purposes
Chapter 14 - The Art and Science of Segmentation
Chapter 15 - Marketing and Communications Framework
Chapter 16 - Fundraising Planning Framework
Chapter 17 - Technology Planning Framework
Glossary of Planning Terms
Bibliography
Index
