Strategic Planning: A Conceptual Analysis of the Role of Reasoning

Dr. Julius Warren Kule – Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Commerce, University of Eswatini
Email: jwkule@uniswa.sz

Received October 22, 2020; Reviewed October 30, 2020; Accepted October 30, 2020

Abstract: Research in strategic planning has been awash with many perspectives on the role of strategic reasoning in the strategy process. Instead of providing the much-needed clarity on the role of strategic reasoning/thinking in the strategy process, different perspectives have resulted in divergence rather than convergence in understanding. The traditional view of strategy has advanced that,strategic planning involves analysing, setting goals and objectives, committing resources and procedures to achieve them while strategic reasoning involves selecting the best strategy to adopt in a given situation. Worse still, the two concepts are interchangeably used in strategic management texts. Contrary to traditional strategists,strategic thinking involves deciding the organization’s long-term direction while, strategic planning involves developing a blue print to get to its intended destination. Strategic reasoning is about synthesis, using intuition and creativity to develop total organizational perspective, while strategic planning analyses relationships among and between the different units/elements of the organization and develops a blue print to achieve long-term advantages. Drawing from theoretical and empirical studies, this paper attempted to establish that, strategic planning is evoked by the manager’s strategic thinking and reasoning about the organization, its growth and its market response to uncertainties. In common parlance,it is established in the paper that both rational and practical reasoning are major drivers of strategic planning.