1. Chair, Department of Management & Marketing
Qatar University
Workshop On
Academic Action Plan
Conducted By
Salaheldin Ismail, PhD
Chair, Department of Management & Marketing
June, 2006

2. Contents Introduction Action Plan Concepts Scorecard Concepts
(Mission, Objectives, Strategies)
Action Plan Concepts
(Concepts, Types, SWOT analysis)
Scorecard Concepts
(Definition, Importance, Implementation)
From Recommendations To Action Plan
(How to Transform Task Force Recommendations into Action Plans)
Key Lessens Learned

3. First: Introduction

4. Our Game Plan (Action Plan) Implementation and Concentration
Strategic Management Hierarchy
VISION
What we want to be
MISSION
Why we exist
VALUES
What we believe in
OBJECTIVES - STRATEGIES
Our Game Plan (Action Plan)
SCORECARD
Implementation and Concentration
STRATEGIC INTITIATIVES
What we need to do
STRATEGIC OUTCOMES
PERSONAL WORK OGJECTIVES
What I need to do
Satisfied
CUSTOMERS
Effective
PROCESSES
Motivated & Prepared
WORKFORCE

5. Vision
Reflects the ability to create and articulate a realistic, credible, attractive goals that proposes a future better than the present.
e.g. we enable growth and add value to all we touch. QU will become a recognized educational leader, inspiring and empowering persons for leadership.

6. Mission
It is a broad statement that identify the organization’ products and customer and distinguish it from its competitors. The reason for existence of an organization. States the purpose of an organization.
e.g. QU creates learning communities where students develop their potential for meaningful and productive lives.

7. Values
Reflect ideas about what a society believes to be good, right, desirable or beautiful.
e.g. we act with integrity and honesty. Respect for one another. Cooperation

8. Objectives
They are the targets toward which the organization is directed
The main consequences of any activities.
Provide detail and scope of the mission.

9. Objectives should be SMART.
Specific
Measurable
“What gets measured gets done”
If you cannot measure it you cannot understand it
If you cannot understand it you cannot control it
If you cannot control it you cannot manage it
Applicable
Realistic
Timed
e.g. increase No. of students (200- Fall 2007).

10. Advantages of setting objectives:
They provide guidance or direction for people in the organization.
They provide an effective mechanism for evaluation and control.
They can be considered as a source of motivation (if they are SMAT, they can motivate people to work harder, especially, if attaining the goal is likely to result in rewords).
Resource Allocation: Critical decisions involving resources (people, time, equipment, money) are more consistent with organizational objectives when objectives- setting strategies are used.

11. Strategies Plans for achieving organizational objectives.
e.g. To establish a new college. To obtain a college education.

12. Tactics Methods and activities taken to accomplish strategies.
e.g. select a college, select a major.

13. Operations Day to day activities.
e.g. Register, Buy books, take courses, Study.

14. Second: Action Plan

15. Planning
The process of defining the organization’s objectives, establishing strategies for achieving those objectives and developing action plans to integrate and coordinate activities.

16. Importance Helps managers to be proactive (make things happen).
Provides directions (increases the ability of forecasting).
Reduces the impact of change (uncertainty).
Minimizes wastes (time, capacity, materials, workforce).
Sets the standards to facilitate control.

17. Dimensions of Plans
Repetitiveness: is the extent to which the plan is used over and over again (standing plans or single- use plans).
Time: is the length of time the plan covers. (long, intermediate or short – term plans).
Scope: is the portion of the total management system at which the plan is aimed. (Inputs, processes, outputs).
Level: is the level of the organization at which the plan is aimed (Top level, Middle level or lower level).

18. Approaches
Bird Approach.
Squirrel Approach.

19. Action Plan
Definition:
A plan used to operationalize any other kind of plan. It is a specific action proposed to help the organization achieve its objectives.

20. Action plan requirements

21. 1. Where we are?. To do that, there are many tools such as:
Critical Questions Analysis
SWOT analysis
Business Portfolio Analysis
Porter’s Model
SWOT Analysis: is a strategic development tool that matches internal organizational strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats. (SWOT is an acronym for an organization’s strengths and weaknesses and its opportunities and threats).

22. 2. To where we want to go?. Objectives:
Short- term objectives (targets to be achieved in one year or less- set by and for lower- level managers).
Intermediate- term objectives (targets to be achieved in one to five years- set by and for middle management).
Long- term objectives (targets to be achieved in five to seven years – set by and for top management).

23. 3. How to get there?
Set up your Road Map i.e. Strategy Strategic Plan: It is a long – term plan that focuses on the organization as a whole.
Tactical plan: A plan aimed at achieving tactical goals and developed to implement parts of a strategic plan.
Operational Plan: Focuses on carrying out tactical plans to achieve operational goals.
Identify resources needed i.e. People, Equipments, Materials, Time.

24. Third: Scorecard

25. What is the Scorecard (SC)?
The scorecard is considered as a management philosophy (not only a measurement tool). It will enable colleges or departments to spell out their vision, strategy and objectives and translate them into (effective and sufficient action plan).

26. Scorecard Benefits Learning Planning Facilitating Improvements
SC Places the departments and colleges in a learning environment.
How to set up new initiatives and how to assign your resources sufficiently?.
Promoting Cause-effect philosophy.
Understanding measurement processes.
Planning
Allocating resources based on performance
Predicting future outcomes
Developing real KPIs.
Transforming planning from an academic exercise into practical tasks.
Facilitating Improvements
Identifying what most needs to be changed
Identifying best practices through benchmarking
Providing a feedback for both the internal business processes and external out comes in order to continuously improve your performance and end results.

27. Scorecard Requirements
Developing and institutionalizing a Quality System.
Having the right people managing the process, with top level commitment.
Understanding how SC will be applied to the process and objectives in advance.
Creating a balance among people, process, and technology in order to drive continuous improvement effectively.

28. Why Use the Scorecard in QU?
Because we need to know what our customer’s (students and community) expectations are and what our employees needs (Tangible and intangible) to have to meet these expectations (SC can be linked into performance management). Because we cannot achieve our stated objectives without taking those expectations into account.

29. Implementation Identify strategic objectives Identify outcome measures
Develop Action plans
Identify data collection systems
Launch Scorecard
Set up Continuous Improvement initiatives.

30. Getting Started in SC 1- Set Objectives 2- Create KPIs
Set continuous Improvement Initiative
2- Create KPIs
5- Review data and Launch Scorecard
3- Action Plan for Measuring
4- Collect data

31. Fourth: From Recommendations
To Action Plan

32. Recommendation. 1

33. Recommendation .2

34. Recommendation .3

35. Fifth: Key Lessens Learned
It provides a framework needed for strategic alignment and organizational learning.
It can be used as a Performance measurement.
It can be used as a management philosophy.
It increases the use of information technology.
It helps to know what to Benchmark

36. Success Comes in Cans Not in Cannots