Making Strategic Plans Work: Insights from African Indigenous Wisdom

Making Strategic Plans Work introduces an innovative and creative approach to understanding the theory and practice of strategic planning. Based on proverbs and folktales, the book provides detailed analyses of the stages of the strategic planning process - preparation, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. It also discusses the roles and responsibilities of the key players in the process - boards, management, donors, consultants and communities and how to build their capacity for more effectiveness. It equally provides at each stage templates for assessing the effectiveness of the strategic planning process as well as the key players. The book is unique in that it uses the wisdom contained in African proverbs and folktales to discuss the stages of the strategic planning process, and roles and responsibilities of players in the process. Being metaphors, proverbs and folktales often bring out more lucidly the meanings embodied in the normally arcane language of strategic planning. Proverbs and folktales also create strong mental pictures, which are often very effective in impressing ideas upon people's minds, communicating them at a deeper level, and motivating them to action. The book is based on research, tested use of the proverbs and folktales in strategic planning practice in different contexts in combination with the author's experience as a professional organization development (OD) consultant. It will be especially useful to students, teachers, executives, board members and all players in international development, community development, organizational development, international businesses and African Studies. Volunteers and expatriates working Africa and other developing regions will equally find the book useful as it provides insight into the culture and mode of thinking of the people they work with.