Strategic Planning at a University

The purpose of this paper is to critique and evaluate Luby's (1996) research investigation of the process of strategic planning (strategy making) at the University of Paisley in Scotland. To this end, the paper describes the basic nature of the study, and the methods used to collect and analyze data. This is followed by a discussion of these methods and their relation to the study's basic purposes and objectives.

The third section of the paper examines alternative methods that might have been used in the investigation as well as generalizability issues. The fourth and final section of the paper discusses the article in terms of its interest value for this writer.

In the article Luby (1996) reports on conducted qualitative research (a case study approach) undertaken in an effort to examine the strategic planning approach being used at the University of Paisley. Three research questions were formulated regarding this process. These were:

(1) Is the university using an emergent strategy process?

(2) If an emergent process is being used, is it identifiable as that of "unconnected strategies?"

(3) Is there an alternative and more appropriate process for the university?

These three questions were constructed on the basis of a review of three theoretical articles which had addressed key issues associated with strategic planning in the universit

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f what all or most of the college managers believed or perceive to be the case. Given the methodological problems just delineated, it seems reasonable to suggest that determining whether the study's objectives of answering the three postulated research questions were really met is at best extremely difficult. Certainly, information was obtained but it is more than possible to have some strong doubts as to its general validity. Alternative Methods Luby (1996) could have used a variety of alternative methods and procedures in data collection and analysis. As just noted, even if the qualitative approach was used, a larger and more complete sample of those involved in strategic planning could have been obtained. Moreover, interviews could have been made far more structured so as to avoid or reduce the chance of bias. In addition, the literature review supporting the importance of looking at the three key issues in strategic planning could have: a) included more than three sources, thereby providing and a more complete justification; and b) been more thoroughly articulated in terms of the concrete specifics associated with each issue. Doing so might have allowed for a fuller development of the research questions and might have e
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Some common words found in the essay are:
University Paisley, Methods Luby, Bogdan Biklen, Article Personally, ABSTRACT Current, KEY BENEFIT, Paisley Scotland, TOPICS Written, Evaluation Methods, Description Study, qualitative research, strategic planning, luby 1996, research education, research questions, qualitative research education, luby's 1996, research methods, allyn bacon, college managers, interview data, boston allyn bacon, qualitative research methodology, survey qualitative research, education introduction theory,
Approximate Word count = 2711
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page)

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