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Examining Factors Influencing Top Managers' Decisions about Conducting Strategic Planning: a Case Study in Two Iranian Companies

Radmard, Mostafa | 2013

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 44363 (44)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Management and Economics
  6. Advisor(s): Alavi, Babak; Arasti, Mohammad Reza
  7. Abstract:
  8. Despite the profound impact of formal strategic planning on the performance of companies, there have been a few researches on the factors that influence the starting phase of strategic planning process. This research tries to identify these factors and clarify the decision process of conducting strategic planning. In other words, the main purpose of this study is to identify the rationales of companies for initiation of strategic planning. Regarding limited previous studies on this topic, especially about the decision process about conducting strategic planning in Iranian companies, the case study methodology is used. The study is conducted in two phases. In the first phase, five companies were selected: Fanavary Moj Khavar, Tosan, Tuga, Sadid Jahan Sanat and InfoAmn. In order to clarify the decision making process and to develop a basic model, open (unstructured) interviews were conducted with top managers in the companies. In the second phase, two of the five initial companies were selected for a further detailed study. These two companies had a similar decision making process. In the second phase, in-depth interviews were conducted with all key managers in the mentioned decision making process. The results of the first phase revealed the causes of starting strategic planning in the companies and showed that strategic planning begins because of the companies’ urge in the applications of strategic planning. Internal and external challenges make this sense of needs. In order to solve the emerged problems, usually one of the middle managers with some knowledge of strategic planning suggests conducting strategic planning. The top managers would accept the solution without detailed scrutiny. The reasons of starting strategic planning without any detailed analysis were vague and investigated in the second phase of this research study. According to the results of the second phase, besides the needs for strategic planning, the acceptance of conducting strategic planning was made on the basis of the top managers’ trust in the one who suggested that. This trust was based on the previous collaboration of the two managers and relied on their personal characteristics. Obtained themes about the process of beginning strategic planning and the influential factors such as the characteristics of top managers are presented in different tables. The thesis concludes with providing suggestions for future research
  9. Keywords:
  10. Strategic Planning ; Influential Factors ; Strategic Planning Starting Phase ; Collective Cognition ; Top Management Teams ; Decision Making in Iranian Companies

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