Title: Planning and firm performance: effects of multiple planning activities and technology policy

Authors: Charles B. Shrader, Thomas I. Chacko, Pol Herrmann, Charles Mulford

Addresses: Department of Management, College of Business, 3185 Gerdin Business Building, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1350, USA. ' Department of Management, College of Business, 3185 Gerdin Business Building, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1350, USA. ' Department of Management, College of Business, 3185 Gerdin Business Building, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1350, USA. ' Department of Sociology, 315 East Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA

Abstract: Our concern in this paper is a longstanding one in the field of strategic management – the effect of strategic planning on firm performance. However, we argue that strategic planning is best examined in the context of both its formal and informal aspects, as well as with operational planning and technology policy. From a survey of 150 manufacturing firms, planning and performance data were obtained from top managers. Our results provided support for the general argument that both formal and informal planning pay, and that both operational planning and technology policy have significant associations with firm performance.

Keywords: strategic planning; formal planning; informal planning; operational planning; technology policy; firm performance; strategic management; organisational performance; manufacturing firms.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMDM.2004.005347

International Journal of Management and Decision Making, 2004 Vol.5 No.2/3, pp.171 - 195

Published online: 25 Sep 2004 *

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