Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/books Saylor.org

Chapter 2

Strategic Planning

Have you ever wondered how an organization decides which products and services to develop, price,
promote, and sell? Organizations typically develop plans and strategies that outline how they want to
go about this process. Such a plan must take into account a company’s current internal conditions,
such as its resources, capabilities, technology, and so forth. The plan must also take into account
conditions in the external environment, such as the economy, competitors, and government
regulations that could affect what the firm wants to do.

Just as your personal plans—such as what you plan to major in or where you want to find a job—are
likely to change, organizations also have contingency plans. Individuals and organizations both must
develop long-term (longer than a year) strategic plans, match their strengths and resources to
available opportunities, and adjust their plans to changing circumstances as necessary.