Some Issues Associated With Strategy Formulation And Strategic Planning In A Contemporary University

Abstract

The management of a contemporary university is closely related to the process of strategy development and implementation in the agenda of achieving competitive advantage in the international education market. Responding to the challenges associated with this process, higher education managers have to reconsider their strategies and methods by lining up with current and future realities. Strategy-making hierarchy in a higher education institution is determined by the complicated nature of its academic environment that embraces diverse functional domains. In a modern university, strategic planning involves different levels across the organization, being a multiple-link top-down and bottom-up process. Various strategies within the university's hierarchy are complementary to each other and support the university's comprehensive strategic plan. These strategies are executed throughout a higher education institution for attaining area-specific strategic goals. The aim of the paper is to outline and discuss the relevant issues and challenges associated with strategy formulation and strategic planning in a contemporary university in the context of accomplishing a competitive advantage. In the paper, the analysis of theoretical literature on the research topic was used, as well as the analysis of strategic plans developed by some leading universities from Europe, United States and Australia in order to gain an international perspective on strategic planning and strategy creation in higher education.

Dominant Trends In International Higher Education: Implications For Strategic Management In Universities

“…Management of an educational organization, being aimed at its improvement, is carried out in a strategic planning framework (Fiddler, 2002). Strategic management of a present university is closely linked with the strategic planning process in the context of accomplishing competitive advantage in the global education market (Stukalina, 2017). Different industries (areas) are characterized by different competitive environments; investigating the external and internal environment and selecting suitable strategies are the main components of strategy formulation (Hill, Schilling & Jones, 2016).…”

“…Strategy is holistic and interactive (White, 2004), so the complex pattern of various contributing influences forms determines the decisions made by education managers (Stukalina, 2013). Reacting to the emerging challenges that are associated with the highly competitive international education market, university managers should re-evaluate their previous strategies by lining up with both present-day and future realities (Stukalina, 2017). Each decision made by managers involves considering the future (Mintzberg, 1994;White, 2004).…”