Strategic planning: Evolution of a model

In the 1990s many institutions are faced with pressures to serve the needs of society while facing declining financial resources. This increases the need for institutions to properly plan for the future. The literature shows that many institutions have not embraced the need for strategic planning. This article reviews the systems approach to strategic planning as a method to enhance the planning processes. Planning models in the literature were examined, and a new model specifically oriented to institutions of higher education is presented. The model uses the concepts of the systems approach, combines elements of models in the literature, and shows the relationships and responsibilities of elements of the institution. © 1997 Human Sciences Press, Inc.