Strategic Planning: An Executive's Aid for Strategic Thinking, Development and Deployment

Number 3 — Integration with Other Processes

All goals and strategies are integrated into the business plan, which is used to develop and communicate annual financial plans that incorporate input from all operating departments of the company.

The company has a business plan which covers market share and projections, financial performance, new product development, customer service levels, resources and desired inventory levels. The business plan is used in the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) Process.¹

As a practical matter, the goals and strategies developed through strategic planning need to be integrated with the company's other management processes. This is necessary to ensure minimization of conflicting directives/direction to individuals tasked to execute the plans.

“It is recognized that the successful implementation of strategies is a direct function of people involvement and continuous communication.”¹