Strategic Planning Is a Systemic and Elaborate

Strategic planning is a systemic and elaborate plan of action expressing the future move or plans a company plans to take. It is a long-term plan that a company puts down in an attempt to shape or build the future. It gives an organization the direction and a goal. This plan can be laid down to cover the near future, but it can run longer depending on the organization's plans. For most organizations, the strategic plan usually focuses on the entire organization. However, a strategic plan can focus on a department or on one product only. This is referred to as a business plan. Strategic planning involves different models, perspectives and approaches, and this depends on the organization leadership, its culture, the planners and also its size, Boyd & Reuning-Elliott, 1998()

The Sweet Peas Catering services company has the objective of not only delivering their products to the customers but also improving the children eating habits. SWOT is the assessment of the company's Strength, Weaknesses, Threats and Opportunities. This analysis helps one to know how the company is fairing and from here, we see that the company can build on its strengths. Its compliance to the laws governing businesses in its location provides the company a better position to associate well with the government and also the people of the community.

Strategic planning is a process, and it involves certain steps such as formulating the values for the planners, developing a mission and a vision statement, determining the objectives to guide the planning process, defining the activities and the responsibilities then implementing the plan. Sweet peas catering services have taken decided to build a relationship with the community by providing services that will benefit the society. By being community friendly, Sweet Peas catering services are eliminating any resistance from the community. For example, they offer organic food to students suffering from obesity and this way, they are sensitizing the community on the advantage of organic food.

Marketing and information technology strategies and tactics

A marketing strategy is a plan that market for a specific product or service so as to achieve the goal set. This strategy looks at the strength that the product has and any threats that it faces in the market and from here a clear tactic is developed to market the product. A good marketing strategy is able to foresee any problems that a product may face and here a solution is offered. It also states how the product should be introduced into a market or how it should be improved so as to improve on the sales. This affects the pricing of the product too. Sweet Peas catering services should be ready to study the economic trend and the market available. This will help them to maximize on the profits. This is done by comparing the already established businesses. Any risks are identified and necessary measures taken, Powell, 2001()

Information technology strategy focuses on long-term technology demands that could arise as per the projected future growth and revenues. It is sometimes regarded as unnecessary, but it saves on money, time and resources. The current technology systems are reviewed then the company's future is projected to see if it will still serve the company or not. Any necessary changes are put into consideration and plans are made in regards to this. Sweet peas should adapt any necessary technology, and this will facilitate in the smooth running of the business. The most recent technological tool could be utilized to ensure that the organization is up-to-date. This will impact change and lead to profit maximization.

Methods to monitor and control a proposed strategic plan

After a strategic plan has been implemented, the results should be assessed, or the impact of the plan should be monitored. This is usually done so as to measure the impact of the strategic plan and if there are any changes supposed to be made. This is done to make sure that the plan is still on track. Any action necessary to facilitate the success of the plan is then taken. This involves the collection of the information available and its analysis is carried out. This focuses on the set goals, the outcomes, and performance.

Sweet Peas catering services must use benchmarking management system. This monitors the progress made in the implementation of the plan. One method of monitoring a strategic plan is through monitoring project against the plan. This is done by monitoring the strategic planning parameters. A record of the performance is made, and any significant deviation is noted. All this is done as per the plans records and the stakeholders should be involved. Any milestone is reviewed and recorded and any risk noted. This is usually done as the plan is ongoing. This is a continuous form of evaluation that is carried out throughout the course of the strategy or at certain points of implementation.

There is also another form of assessment carried out at the completion of the strategy implementation. This is known as summative analysis. This is usually effective when there are no major milestones that can be noted or when the plan is short-term. The type of evaluation carried out depends on the nature or type of the organization and their goals. An organization may also decide to carry out its evaluation at the start of the plan. This is done by experts so as to assess if the program is feasible and if it's going to be a success or if it's a failure. This assists an organization not to waste time on programs that are not practical or one that does not have any relevance to the organizations goals.

These assessments should not be done as per the financial gains only but also other goals and objectives such as the organization's effectiveness, decision-making, their performance, reporting back to the stakeholders, and so on. This can be done through process performance analysis, productivity analysis or operations metrics analysis where you assess the operations of the company. Process performance is done through a survey, which is a benchmark evaluation. Productivity and operations review are a continuous process. Productivity is done through survey and equipment downtime records. Operation review is done through internal review.