Strategic Planning

Many businesses are created to take advantage of a specific set of circumstances, economic, social and political. They may prosper, and even grow, as long as these circumstances remain substantially unaltered, or if they change in a slow and predictable way. Faced however with unanticipated changes in circumstances, such businesses may contract or even fail. A vision for business growth that does not take account of these considerations is doomed to failure. Business sustainability is associated with the ability to foresee a range of outcomes for the future and to develop business plans that will be robust and flexible enough to withstand threats as well as to take advantage of opportunities.

Hoptoad Enterprises can provide support in this area, as well as training for middle and senior-executives. Training can be tailored to individual company – or government department needs. A typical 5-day module is detailed below, and can be offered as a package, and it can be fine-tuned to suit specific needs. Shorter courses, concentrating on specific elements can also be provided.

This module aims to introduce participants to a range of tools that will allow them to see business undertakings in a wider social, political and economic context, to recognise alternative ways in which that context could change, and to identify potential threats and opportunities which may arise in the future and which must be taken into account in strategic planning. Methods of progressing from a long-term vision to concrete plans, while building in flexibility to cope with external change, and for identifying such change early enough to take decisive action, are key elements of this module.

Business Enterprises, Medium in size, or Small, with ambitions for growth: Middle Managers and above
Government – Middle Managers and above from Commerce, Finance, Education and Health Ministries
Non-Governmental Organisations: Staff concerned with activities of Business and Industry
University Students: Graduate students in Business, Engineering, Economics and Sociology

To introduce participants to the strategic business-planning tools required to ensure long-term sustainability and growth, the topics to be covered will include:

Vision for profitability, growth and sustainability and its essential elements;
The concept of Alternative Futures and how current trends, strong or weak, may shape them;
How Scenario thinking can make a potentially bewildering range of alternative futures manageable;
Using scenarios to test the flexibility and robustness of long-term business plans;
Informal “Licences” - the concepts of “Licence to Operate” and “Licence to Grow”;
What are Issues and how can they impact on long term profitability and sustainability;
Identifying Stakeholders and understanding their power of influence;
The dynamic nature of the interaction between stakeholders and issues;
Extent and limits of Business’s power to influence;
Creating Alliances with Stakeholders;
Developing a Strategic Plan, and highlighting flexibility, vulnerability and opportunities;
Taking account of Risk and Uncertainty;
Monitoring and Mapping Change – and responding to it.
Selling the Strategic Plan – internally and externally

A series of 45-minute lectures followed up in almost every case by workshop-type assignments for the participants. All lectures will make use of real-life examples of the principles under discussion, drawing on actual cases, primarily in Business and Politics and, where relevant, in science and medicine. A fictional business venture will be introduced at the very first session and participants will be asked to apply the insights gained from each lecture in relation to this venture, thereby building up, step-by-step, a robust strategic plan for this sustainable growth of this venture.

Participants will work in syndicates of typically 3-5 members, and will stay in these groups throughout the module. The only exception will be during a half-day role-playing simulation which will be used to illustrate the extents and limits of freedom of action of business in a multi-stakeholder environment.