Unit 2 Strategic Planning
Unit Code - H/602/2330
Level - 7
Credit Value - 15
| Learning Outcome - The learner will: | Assessment Criteria - The learner can: |
| 1. Understand the external environment affecting an organisation | 1.1 Explain the importance of external factors affecting an organisation 1.2 Analyse the needs and expectations of stakeholders of an organisation 1.3 Analyse the major changes taking place in the external environment that will affect strategy |
| 2. Be able to review existing business plans and strategies of an organisation | 2.1 Use appropriate tools to analyse the effects of current business plans 2.2 Review the position of an organisation in its current market 2.3 Evaluate the competitive strengths and weaknesses of an organisation's current business strategies |
| 3. Be able to develop options for strategic planning for an organisation | 3.1 Use modelling tools to develop strategic options for an organisation 3.2 Develop a comparative understanding of activity from organisations in the market 3.3 Create options to form the basis of future organisational strategy |
| 4. Be able to construct a strategy plan for an organisation | 4.1 Propose a suitable structure for a strategy plan that ensures appropriate participation from all stakeholders of an organisation 4.2 Develop criteria for reviewing potential options for a strategy plan 4.3 Construct an agreed strategy plan that includes resource implications |
| 5. Be able to examine factors affecting an organisational strategy plan | 5.1 Compare core organisational values (ethical, cultural, environmental, social and business) with the current business objectives of an organisation 5.2 Develop appropriate vision and mission statements for an organisation 5.3 Produce agreed future management objectives for an organisation 5.4 Develop measures for evaluating a strategy plan |
| 6. Be able to plan for the implementation of a strategy plan | 6.1 Develop a schedule for implementing a strategy plan in an organisation |
Learning outcome 1
1. Understand the external environment affecting an organization
1.1 Explain the importance of external factors affecting an organisation
The candidate should analyse the external factors affecting an organisation (Economic, Social, Law, Political,Technological, etc) using appropriate methods, and considering the effects on stakeholders.
Evidence: Descriptions, explanation and referenced research in their portfolio
Further information and guidance:
The candidate should use an appropriate method to identify external factors and include documented approaches such PEST analysis (Political, Economic, Social, and Technological). The focus of the work should be quality management and the way that these external environmental factors affect quality or have the potential to affect quality. Work should be prioritised to specific aspects most relevant to the candidates job description or posts that they are aspiring to attain.
1.2 Analyse the needs and expectations of stakeholders of an organization
The candidate should be able to identify the range of stakeholders internally and externally and use appropriate tools to identify and analyse their need and expectations.
Evidence: Descriptions, explanation and referenced research in their portfolio
Further information and guidance:
The candidate should be able to analyse the needs and expectations of all the stakeholders of their chosen organisation through the use of appropriate tools such as (survey, focus group, observation, individual interviews etc ). They should be able to show how this work may have influenced strategic decision making within their organisation to improve quality raise standards.
The stakeholders are any relevant people involved with the organisation and are typically members of the local community, employees, owners, managers, suppliers, customers, government, but may go beyond these.
1.3 Analyse the major changes taking place in the external environment that will affect strategy
The candidate should be able to identify historic, current or future major changes in the external environment and explain how these interact with the work of the organisation to affect the strategies being employed to ensure quality.
Evidence: Descriptions, explanation and referenced research in their portfolio
Further information and guidance:
The candidate should be able to identify the major changes in the external environment such as Socio-political, legal changes, and technological change. The candidate should be able to use appropriate analysis tools such as SWOT, customer analysis, and competitor analysis to analysis the effect on organisation strategy with a particular reference to quality. The candidate should be able to explain how to be keep quality management strategies up to date against a background of major changes in external environments.
Learning outcome 2
2. Be able to review existing business plans and strategies of an organisation
2.1 use appropriate tools to analyse the effects of current business plans
The candidate should be able to fully understand the current business plans of the organisation and develop appropriate tools to analysis and measure them e.g SWOT analysis, Five Forces.
Evidence: Descriptions, explanation and referenced research in their portfolio
Further information and guidance:
The candidate should be demonstrate a the ability to review and evaluate existing business plans using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The candidate should use appropriate tools and carry out their reviews in the context of quality management explaining any likely effects of plans and strategies on quality management.
2.2 review the position of an organisation in its current market
The candidate should able to conduct a market analysis and determine the position of an organisation in the market including market share, client satisfaction and similar attributes.
Evidence: Descriptions, explanation and referenced research in their portfolio
Further information and guidance:
The market will be different in different circumstances eg public/private sector, geographical location, and culture. The candidate should review their organisation’s current position in its marketplace from an objective standpoint using empirical data where possible. Analysis might include market share statistics, a discussion on competitor activity and life cycle analysis and/or profitability and customer satisfaction.
2.3 evaluate the competitive strengths and weaknesses of an organisation’s current business strategies
The candidate should be able to analyse and quantify significant strengths and weaknesses in the business strategies that will enhance or reduce competitive advantage. They should clearly state the position of quality management within this analysis.
Evidence: Descriptions, explanation and referenced research in their portfolio
Further information and guidance:
The candidate should use the appropriate tools such as SWOT analysis, resource analysis, competitive analysis, skills and competencies audit, and benchmarking to evaluate current strengths and weaknesses in the business strategy.
Learning outcome 3
3. Be able to develop options for strategic planning for an organisation
3.1 use modelling tools to develop strategic options for an organisation
The candidate should be able to use appropriate modelling tools to develop strategic options for an organisation.
Evidence: Descriptions, explanation and referenced research in their portfolio
Further information and guidance:
The candidate should be able to use a range of modelling tools to develop strategic options for their chosen organisation. These tools might include such a balanced scorecard, benchmarking, core competences, critical success factors, driving force, multiple scenarios, outsourcing, PEST, Porter’s 5F, re-engineering, simulation technique, strategic gap analysis, value chain analysis, and/or SWOT. Strategy should focus on quality management.
3.2 develop a comparative understanding of activity from organisations in the market
The candidate needs to develop a comparative understanding of activity from organisations in the market.
Evidence: Descriptions, explanation and referenced research in their portfolio
Further information and guidance:
The candidate should identify the activity, gathering data and making plausible hypotheses from information coming from organisations in their market. The candidate could achieve this by using competitiveness analysis such as (Benchmarking, portfolio analysis, market segmentation, etc.) There should be a focus on the relevance of understanding competitors to developing their own quality management strategies.
3.3 create options to form the basis of future organisational strategy
The candidate should able to create quality management options in the context of a a strategic options for organisational future.
Evidence: Descriptions, explanation and referenced research in their portfolio
Further information and guidance:
The candidate need to create options to form the basis of a future strategy for their organisation. For example, this could be entering new markets or developing new services with an emphasis on quality management of any new products methods or services.
Learning outcome 4
4. Be able to construct a strategy plan for an organisation
4.1 propose a suitable structure for a strategy plan that ensures appropriate participation from all stakeholders of an organisation
The candidate should be able to propose and develop a suitable structure that is dependent on the contributions of all stakeholders.
Evidence: Documented strategic plan in their portfolio.
Further information and guidance:
The candidate's proposed structure for a strategy plan will include the over-arching mission statement/corporate vision or goal, corporate values and principles, SWOT analysis, unique selling points, competitive advantage, strategic goals/initiatives, SMART targets, strategy, scorecard, execution plan and full costings with sensitivity analysis. Participation from all stakeholders should demonstrate a credible capacity for collective ownership and commitment to achieving SMART targets.
4.2 develop criteria for reviewing potential options for a strategy plan
The candidate will develop a set of assessment criteria for reviewing the strategic plan.
Evidence: Review criteria in their portfolio related to their strategic plan.
Further information and guidance:
The candidate's criteria should be succinct and manageable but they should be capable of providing clear indicators both quantitatively and qualitatively. Tools might include a balanced scorecard, targets/goals, and success metrics.
4.3 construct an agreed strategy plan that includes resource implications
The candidate should be able develop a method for agreement of strategic plan
Evidence: An agreed strategy plan documented in their portfolio
Further information and guidance:
The candidate needs to construct a fully costed the strategy plan including all the resource inputs that will be needed to implement the plan, for example, human resource, skills and competences, roles, material resources, force field analysis, responsibilities and accountability).
Learning outcome 5
5. Be able to examine factors affecting an organisational strategy plan
5.1 Compare core organisational values (ethical, cultural, environmental, social and business) with the current business objectives of an organisation
The candidate should be able to critically assess the organisational values against the current business objectives of an organisation.
Evidence: Descriptions, explanation and referenced research in their portfolio
Further information and guidance:
The comparison should be strong on analysis that leads to identification of possible points of tension.
5.2 Develop appropriate vision and mission statements for an organisation
The candidate will be capable of writing an appropriate vision and mission statements for an organisation informed by the views of the stakeholders and the purpose of the products and services provided.
Evidence: Vision statement, mission or over-arching goals in portfolio with explanations of methods used.
Further information and guidance:
The candidate needs to demonstrate the ability to write a vision and/or mission statement for an organisation appropriately informed by stakeholders and related factors. There should be a clear reference to quality management as a key value in setting out the vision for the organisation.
5.3 Produce agreed future management objectives for an organisation
The candidate should build key management objectives and associated performance indicators that can be evaluated in such a way as to provide a clear insight into the success of the organisation in its mandated role.
Evidence: Descriptions, explanation and referenced research in their portfolio
Further information and guidance:
Objectives and key performance indicators should be SMART, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time -based and where relevant get agreement from top management of organisation.
5.4 Develop measures for evaluating a strategy plan
The candidate should be able to develop an evaluation method for strategy plan.
Evidence: Description and explanation of measures in their portfolio
Further information and guidance:
Measures for evaluating their strategy plan will include monitoring, identifying points of accountability, quantitative measures, making clear judgements in relation to intended outcomes, frequency of sampling and reporting.
Learning outcome 6
6. Be able to plan for the implementation of a strategy plan
6.1 develop a schedule for implementing a strategy plan in an organisation
The candidate should be able to develop a realistic timetable for implementation strategy plan in an organisation.
Evidence: Planning timetable, Gantt chart in their portfolio.
Further information and guidance:
The candidate needs to develop a schedule for implementing their strategy plan in their chosen organisation by using appropriate tools such as an action plan, Gantt chart, an/or Critical path method.
6.2 create appropriate dissemination processes to gain commitment from stakeholders in an organisation
The candidate should be able to develop a method dissemination with specific strategies to achieve commitment from stakeholders.
Evidence: Defined dissemination process in their portfolio
Further information and guidance
Examples will include user participation through focus groups, questionnaire in formulating the content for dissemination, in strategy process, tying departmental plans into the strategic plan, alignment of performance management and reward systems to strategy implementation, reduction in unnecessary bureaucratic procedure, shared ownership and common values.
6.3 Design monitoring and evaluation systems for the implementation of a strategy plan in an organisation
The candidate should design and develop a system for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the strategic plan with an emphasis on quality.
Evidence: A monitoring and evaluation system for their strategy plan in their portfolio
Further information and guidance
The candidate needs to design systems that will monitor and evaluate the implementation of their strategy plan for example weekly briefings, monthly strategy planning meetings, annual review meetings, quantitative evaluation of SMART targets, achieving strategic goals, identifying specific points of accountability, costing the evaluation system against its benefit and effectiveness in quality assurance.)
