How is it done?
The strategic planning process is specifically tailored for your business and its goals. The process begins with a meeting in which your own needs and your business needs are mapped out. After this meeting, we'll conduct a strategic analysis to acquire a profound understanding of the environment in which your business operates, focusing on transpiring changes and the relevant competition, we'll study opportunities and threats posed by these changes, and we'll get to know the strengths and weaknesses of your business. Following this analysis we will present you with potential leverages by which you might obtain your strategic targets, such as: growth in existing markets, new market entry, protecting yourself from the competition, and so on.
What results can I expect, and when will I see them?
The immediate result of this process is a strategic map of your business and the environment in which it operates. The analysis and mapping stage typically take a few weeks. Once the map is completed, we begin formulating alternative action plans to achieve your goals and your business goals in the medium and long run. After the alternatives are agreed upon and possible action plans are approved, a work plan is compiled detailing the steps required to achieve the strategic goals. Forming alternative action plans and prescribing a detailed work plan also takes several weeks, so a typical process would last a few months. Implementation of the action plan and realization of its goals is usually a prolonged process, and the extent of our involvement in this process is dependent upon your discretion and needs.
Is this for me?
The strategic planning process demands substantial involvement of management. This is a cooperative process during which extensive organizational knowledge is amassed into an orderly structure that facilitates a clear view of the dilemmas faced by the business and the available alternatives. While the success of this process is directly linked to the extent by which the business and its managers are committed to this planning process, infinitely more important is the implementation phase, the stage where most organizations face difficulties. Is your business ready for this process? It is advisable to undertake such a strategic planning process only if you can afford to invest a substantial amount of your own time in this process.