Strategic planning approaches used to respond to issues confronting research universities

To improve the understanding of strategic issues confronting research universities and universities' response to managing these issues, this article contains an interpretation of the findings of interviews with administrators at nine research universities. Realistic comments are offered on the efficacy of planning and the search for achieving excellence in higher education and beyond the restrictive sense of strategic planning. A discerning perspective for innovative management approaches of these university issues is a major focus of this article. © 1999 Human Sciences Press, Inc.