APPLYING FORWARD AND BACKWARD MAPPING TO STRATEGY ANALYSIS AND PLANNING FOR THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF PROBATION
Applying the Forward Mapping Process
Forward mapping is the rational planning model. The rational planning model is a rational-deductive approach to decision-making that begins with goals or objectives. From these goals or objectives, policies, programs, and actions are deduced that are designed to attain the goals or objectives. The underlying assumption of the rational planning model (forward mapping) is that either a consensus exists among an organization's stakeholders as to the desirable goals or objectives for the organization or there exists a major stakeholder with the power and authority to pursue a set of goals or objectives in the absence of a consensus among stakeholders.
Forward Mapping is compatible with both the "goals" and the "vision of success" approaches to strategy identification. The first step in the goals approach is the establishment of goals and objectives. Once the goals and objectives are established, the issues that will affect their attainment are identified. The vision of success approach is based on a conception of how the organization should behave and how it should be perceived by its stakeholders. The vision of success approach, thus, develops strategy based on what the organization wants to appear to be, as opposed to what it actually does. The goals approach is most effective for use in hierarchical organizations with clear mandates and missions. The vision of success approach is most useful in organizations faced with the need for the implementation of transforming change.
Forward mapping in all of its manifestations is a top-down approach to the analysis and development of organizational strategy. The top-down approach is most effective in mechanistic organizations. The character of an organization's internal structure is often related to the external environm...