NM 949 – STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND PLANNING
Spring 2011 Syllabus1
Instructor: Shiko Gathuo, Ph.D.
Graduate Assistant: Alex Salcedo
Class sessions: Thursdays, 6:00 PM – 9.00 PM
Location: S 119
Contact: Tel. 508-929-8892
agathuo@worcester.edu
Office hours: Tuesdays: 11:30 – 12:00 & 5:30 – 6:00 PM
Thursdays: 11-30 – 12:00 & 5:30 –6:00 PM
Course Description
During the last decade, the nonprofit sector has undergone revolutionary changes. These changes
have been precipitated by changes in the outer environment including global politics, globalization,
social-cultural changes, and the technological revolution. Factors in the external environment have
not only affected the direct operations of nonprofit organizations, they have also transformed the
nature of the “publics” that nonprofits must deal with including, clients, volunteers, donors, staff
members, board members, government agencies, and the communities within which nonprofits
operate. As a result of the changing dynamics in the external and internal environments, nonprofits
have been forced to come up with creative solutions in order to survive. Such solutions include
increased collaboration with other nonprofits and for-profit organizations, creation of for-profit
ventures, and the identification and creation of specialized niches. It has also become necessary for
nonprofit organizations to make strategic plans in order to proactively identify future opportunities
and challenges, and deal with both effectively.
This course will critically examine the external and internal environments of nonprofit organizations
through the exploration of the strategic planning process, and discussions of various strategic
leadership decisions and managerial skills necessary to design and implement a successful plan.
Course Goals and Objectives
The primary goal of this course is to focus on the strategic planning process for nonprofit
organizations and the leadership decisions involved in designing and implementing a strategic plan.
Students will be able to:
Develop an awareness of the external environments within which nonprofit organizations
operate;
Acquire the skills necessary to identify and analyze the internal environment of a nonprofit
organization;
Acquire an understanding of the strategic planning process and the leadership and managerial
skills necessary to successfully initiate and implement the plan;
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This syllabus is only a guide. The content and the scheduling of lecture content, presentations and other aspects of this
syllabus may change in the course of the semester as deemed appropriate by the instructor, and without prior notice to
students.
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Appreciate the internal and external constraints on the practical application of the strategic
plan.
Approaches to the course
Practical Approach: The course takes a practical approach, providing students with the opportunity to
critically examine strategic decisions within specific organizations in the nonprofit sector.
Seminar Approach: This course will be conducted as a seminar, expecting students to review all the
assigned reading materials, actively participate in classroom discussions, and encouraging students to
draw upon their prior knowledge and everyday experiences.
Academic Honesty
Students are expected to follow the policies of the college with regard to academic honesty; produce
and submit original work; and properly credit the work of others when it is used. Please review the
college’s official policies and procedures with regard to academic dishonesty as laid out in the
Student Handbook.
Attendance
In accordance with the expectations of the Graduate School, all attendance to all scheduled classes is
mandatory. Missed classes may lead to a lowering of the student’s grade.
Use of electronic gadgets
Students may not use any electronic gadgets during class, apart from laptops. Laptops may not be
used for any other reason other than taking notes, or as directed by the instructor. If you must use any
other electronic gadget for any form of communication, please leave the classroom.
Writing
The Writing Center provides free assistance to students in the areas of research and writing. It is
located on the third floor of the Sullivan Academic Building, S306. To schedule an appointment,
please call 508-929-8112 or email the Center at writingcenter@worcester.edu. To find out more
information about the Writing Center including the Center’s Hours and the Center’s Online Writing
Lab, visit their website at www.worcester.edu/writing
Worcester State University Library:
The Worcester State Library has access to many articles through online data bases including J-STOR.
Many articles and book chapters are also available to students through Inter-Library Loan (ILL). With
a little advanced planning, ILL expands your ability to access credible information sources about
topics you pursue in your course work. In addition, Worcester State University students are free to
use many of the library resources within the consortium. Given all the resources available to
students, you should not have to pay for access to individual articles. Please work with the reference
librarians to find the appropriate way to access materials you need. You have already paid for these
resources through your fees – please make use of them.
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Required Text
Bryson, John M. (2004) Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass. [An older edition of the book is also acceptable]
Additional readings
Adelson, B. (1999). Developing Strategic Alliances: A Framework for Collaborative Negotiation in
Design. Research in Engineering Design, 11(3), 133. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete
database.
Bonstingl, J. (2009). Strategic planning during tough times. Leadership, 38(3), 8-10. Retrieved from
Academic Search Complete database.
Evans, R. (2007). The case against strategic planning. Independent School, 67(1), 92-104. Retrieved from
Academic Search Complete database.
Harback, H. (1992). Practical leadership--the 20/80 rule. Engineer, 22(3), 48. Retrieved from Academic
Search Complete database.
Kadlec, D. (2007). Rethinking nonprofits. Time, 169(10), 74. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete
database. .
Wijnen, R., Walker, W., & Kwakkel, J. (2008). Decision Support for Airport Strategic Planning.
Transportation Planning & Technology, 31(1), 11-34. doi:10.1080/03081060701835670.
Zweibel, N., & Golden, R. (2007). What Foundations and Nonprofits Can Do to Foster Productive
Relationships. Generations, 31(2), 41-46. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
Presentation of Assignments
All written assignments should be typed in 12-font size, and one and a half line spacing. All materials
should be referenced appropriately, using the APA-style of citation. Wikipedia is not an acceptable
source of material.
Handing in and Distribution of Assignments
It is the student’s responsibility to hand in the assignment on the due date. If you happen to miss class
on a day that an assignment is due, you may give it to your classmate to bring it in. Alternatively, you
should put it in the instructor’s mail-box in the Urban Studies department suite at least two days before
the following class (Tuesday for a Thursday class). Late assignments will not be accepted once the rest
have been returned. PLEASE do not email your assignments unless directed to do so.
Graded assignments will be handed out during the class session that follows the day the assignments
are turned in (barring unforeseen circumstances). If you are absent on the day the graded assignment is
returned, you may pick it up from outside my office door. Uncollected assignment will go into the
recycle bin after two weeks.
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Assignments and Grading
Attendance & Classroom Participation – (15%)
Discussion Questions - (15%)
There will be several short discussion questions during the semester.
Final Exam (40%)
The final exam will test the application of knowledge of concepts and processes learned in the course.
Case Study Analysis – (30%)
Working in teams of three, identify a specific nonprofit organization. The organization should be one
that you are familiar with or one in which you have access to information that may not be publicly
available, OR one which has a lot of publicly available information. Gather information from the
organization (use the professionals that work in the organization, as a resource as well as documents
from the organization). Use the following questions to guide your critical analysis of the organization.
1. What is the organization’s stated mission? In your opinion why is the mission
appropriate/inappropriate? How might it be improved? Rewrite it if you think it could be
improved.
2. What is the vision of the organization? What objectives are articulated in the vision?
3. Consider the organization’s wider “macro” environment. How might factors in this
environment impact the organization in the short term (3-5 years) and in the long term (10
years and more)?
4. What competition is the organization currently facing? Likely to face in the next five years?
Consider all types of competition including competitors for resources, competitors for the
provision of services and organizations with conflicting missions.
5. What useful collaborations might the organization engage in?
6. What are the organization’s “publics” and how might each be served best?
7. Consider the organization’s internal environment. What are its resource attraction activities?
What potential resource attraction activities exist? How does the organization allocate its
resources?
8. What are the strengths of the organization? What unique innovations does it have that put it at
a competitive advantage? What innovations has the organization made to make it more
relevant in today’s world?
9. What databases/information does the organization keep, which support its strategic
decisions?
10. What are the organization’s weaknesses? In what areas does the organization’s competitors
do better? What weaknesses characterize the internal workings of the organization?
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11. What are the major opportunities that the organization might seize in the next three years? In
the next ten years? (Consider new ideas or new audiences that the organization might
embrace).
12. What are the major threats facing the organization? What major changes in the external
environment might threaten the survival or success of the organization?
13. Consider the above information in totality. What direction should the organization follow for
the next five to ten years? Provide recommendations.
14. What are the likely stumbling blocks in following those recommendations? What can the
organization do to overcome the blocks?
Grading Scale
85+ – A
80-84 – A-
75-79 – B+
70-74 – B
65-69 – B-
60-64 – C+
55-59 – C
50-54 – C-
45-49 – D
44- - F
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COURSE OUTLINE
DATE ACTIVITY
September 8 Introduction
September 15 The ever-changing nonprofit environment: Factors likely to affect the
operations of nonprofits organizations in the future; the importance of
strategic management.
Readings:
Bryson, Chapter 1
September 22 What is strategic planning? Why develop a strategic plan? Benefits and
limitations of formal planning; Overview of strategic planning process.
Step 1: Getting organized: Initiating and agreeing on a strategic planning
process
Readings:
Bryson, Chapters 2 and 3
September 29 Step 2: Taking stock: Situational and environmental analysis; Identifying
strategic issues facing the organization.
Readings:
Bryson,Chapters 4, 5 & 6
Kadlec, D. (2007). Rethinking nonprofits. Time, 169(10), 74. Retrieved from
Academic Search Complete database.
October 6 Step 3: Setting Direction – Formulating and Adopting Strategies and Plans –
developing a vision for the future; determining how to move the organization
toward the future; developing a first draft of the plan
Readings:
Bryson, Chapters 7 & 8
October 13 Step 4: Refining and Adopting the Plan
Readings:
Bryson, Chapter 9
Evans, R. (2007). The case against strategic planning. Independent School, 67(1), 92-
104. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
October 20 Step 5: Implementing the Plan. Reassessing and Revising Strategies and Plans
Bryson, Chapters 10
Zweibel, N., & Golden, R. (2007). What Foundations and Nonprofits Can Do to
Foster Productive Relationships. Generations, 31(2), 41-46. Retrieved from
Academic Search Complete database.
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DATE ACTIVITY
October 27 The People in the Plan: Leadership Roles in Making Strategic Planning Work.
Readings:
Bryson, Chapter 11
Harback, H. (1992). Practical leadership--the 20/80 rule. Engineer, 22(3), 48.
Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
November 3 The People in the Plan: Group Decision and Negotiation in Strategic Decision
Making
Readings:
Adelson, B. (1999). Developing Strategic Alliances: A Framework for
Collaborative Negotiation in Design. Research in Engineering Design, 11(3),
133. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
Bonstingl, J. (2009). Strategic planning during tough times. Leadership, 38(3), 8-10.
Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
November 10 Strategic Decision Support Systems
Readings
Wijnen, R., Walker, W., & Kwakkel, J. (2008). Decision Support for Airport
Strategic Planning. Transportation Planning & Technology, 31(1), 11-34.
doi:10.1080/03081060701835670.
November 17 Case Study presentations and discussion
November 24 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY – NO CLASS
December 1 Case study presentations and discussion
December 8 Case study presentations and discussion
December 15 Final exam due
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