Operational Planning: An Extroverted Approach

An operational plan can be defined as a strategy planned by an organization that clearly defines action that it will take to support objectives of upper management.

Strategic planning requires all levels of an organization, from the head of the company to the most junior member, to think about where the organization is today and how they can influence the organization to move forward in a “positive” manner to attain its goals (profit, growth, downsizing, etc.). One method used in strategic planning is for an organization to conduct a “Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats” (SWOT) analysis. Just as the name implies, a SWOT analysis looks at the four dimensions that can affect an organization. One business that can benefit from a SWOT analysis is Lennar Home Builders, Inc. This assignment will focus on one of the largest national offices for this company, located in Miami, FL. First, the paper will describe the history, products, and major competitors of one of the largest home builders in the country. Next, the focus shifts to create a SWTO analysis detailing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that may affect the organization. The assignment begins with a brief discussion on Lennar Homes, one of the most successful home builders in Florida and the United States.

Strategic planning within a company is a tool used in companies that help mature areas in total quality management. This type of planning creates a cohesive management system for lower level employees to better adapt in. “Strategic planning determines where an organization is going over the next year or more and how it 's going to get there. Typically, the process is organization-wide, or focused on a major function such as a division, department or other major function”(McNamara, 2008). In order to plan effectively one must first make a clear assessment of the plan and have an analysis on the corporations mission statement and objective.

Strategic planning is designed to leverage the strengths of a firm while minimizing the effects of its weaknesses.  It is difficult to know the potential advantage a firm may have unless external analysis is done well.  For example, a company may have a talented marketing department or an efficient production system.  However, the organization cannot determine whether these internal characteristics are sources of competitive advantage until it knows something about how well the competitors stack up in these areas.

An organization’s top management most often conducts strategic planning” (Web Books Publishing, 2010, para. 4-8). Tactical planning is designed to provide specific means which help with the proper implementation of strategic planning. Operational planning is designed to provide specific steps and actions to be taken in order to achieve strategic and tactical planning (Web Books Publishing, 2010).

Dissimilar sources plan altered steps involved in the planning process, but in this case I will discuss on seven steps that are involved in the entire process. The first step is goal setting. This basically involves coming up with the main objectives and goals that the company wishes to establish within a particular period of time. It is a very important section because the company will operate with a view of the goal in mind, if it is not clearly established, and then the business could lose direction along the way. After goal setting, we have development of the planning premises, where the plans are prepared and any underlying conditions defined. This is where there is an assessment of the environment and any constraints or

An operations plan is a manual for operating your organization. Designed, to ensure that you or me accomplish the goals. By using a process of determination in advance of setting short-range objectives. What, and how, will the steps will be accomplished? It’s a major or minor key piece of a puzzle, for any goal-oriented team.

Operational planning is used mostly by lower level or front line managers. These are the routine tasks of scheduling, human resource tasks, and daily statistics which are looked at when planning for future staffing and projects. Although these tasks are carried out by lower level management or supervisors, they upper management still has a say in these tasks. The upper level management or leadership team more than likely made those tasks as a part of the employees daily routine; so again, all hands of management play a roll in the operational planning as well.

The strategic management tool also includes on this paper. The tool that I used in the organisation is SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis, and also noted the advantage and disadvantage of the said analysis. The SWOT analysis is usually use by the organisation because it can easily detects the strength and weakness in the internal environment and the opportunities and threats outside the organisation. I also included some advantages and disadvantages of the said

The purpose of the operational plan is to focus on shorter term objectives usually within 1 up to 3 years. For plans of 2 to 3 years, a more detailed breakdown of shorter timeframes should be included within the body of the document. An operational plan provides detailed information on planning, resource, implementation and funding for projects normally developed from the strategic plan. An operational plan should contain indicators to measure progress and performance. When written an operational plan will be defined by the

Strategic Planning is one of the most fundamental factors in the success of an organization. This research project will discuss the importance of strategic planning as well as the different components of strategic planning. Many organizations fail to accomplish their goals and tasks due to the lacking of strategic planning. In order for their businesses to be successful, organizations need to be well informed about how the strategic planning process works.

Operational Strategy - is concerned with how each part of the business is organised to deliver the corporate and business-unit level strategic direction. Operational strategy therefore focuses on issues of resources, processes, people etc.

‘Strategic Management’ is a very complex term as many eminent researchers and scholars have had different views and conclusions on strategy. According to White (2004), “Strategic Management involves both systematically developing an idea together with its implications and testing the empirical validity & usefulness of that idea against the real world.” Thus strategy is not only about planning for future but also about confirming the validity of the hypothesis considered and implementing it successfully. Strategy formation may take various forms such as implicit, explicit or emergent. Implicit strategy is a strategy formed by intuitions of an individual. As per implicit strategists, strategic management is about reading the environment

Strategic planning is the process of gathering information from stakeholders, market players, professional entity, and government agency. The purpose of gathering information is formulating a realistic and a workable framework that any organization can implement and work with. Evaluation of information is a key aspect in determine the kind of plans that the organization wish to a chive over certain a period. Strategic planning ensures the implementation is, crafted well, and parties involved be acquitted with it. Developing a good Strategic plan helps a company to implement its missions and visions effectively, and helps the company to evaluate

Future- oriented: Strategic management encompasses forecasts, what is anticipated by the managers. In such decisions, emphasis is placed on the development of projections that will enable the firm to select the most promising strategic options. In the turbulent environment, a firm will succeed only if it takes a proactive stance towards change.