INTRODUCTION / LITERATURE REVIEW:

In today’s complex and constantly changing situations, the need for strategic planning is

widely accepted for smooth and successful operations of all types of organizations. Strategic

Planning means drafting, implementing and evaluating the cross functional decisions that will

enable an organization to achieve its long-term objectives. It specifies the organization’s mission,

vision and objectives and then allocates resources to achieve these objectives. The strategic

management process is made up of three main components: strategy formulation, strategy

implementation and strategy evaluation. Moreover, it also emphasis on the analysis of external

and internal environment of a company in order to achieve the company’s objectives (Mohamed

et al., 2010). Strategic planning is a process for creating and describing a better future in

measurable terms and the selection of the best means to achieve the desired results (Kaufman et

al., 2003). Strategic planning constitutes an important path to successful business operations and

is a part of every business. Strategic planning is useful not only because it can realize the vision

of the upper management or it can mitigate unforeseen risks; it also has many more benefits (Vel

et al., 2012). Morgan and Strong (2003) concluded the findings of research that businesses with

high level of performances have well strategic orientations. Many empirical studies on the role of

strategic planning have proved that in creating better long term competitive positions and better

organizational performance of the company’s strategic planning plays an important role and that

strategic planning is essential for better business performance and success (Suklev & Debarliev,

2012).

Hence, Strategic Planning bridges the gap between where an organization is standing, and

where it aims to lead in future. In today’s world with rapid changes and technological

developments, and strong competition, the organizations have to be managed with much

futuristic perspective in order to be competitive. Thus, the importance of strategic planning being

a basic and fundamental need of every organization has increased many folds than ever. Strategic

planning is very important and plays a vital role in accomplishing distinctive edge and ensures

the success of any type of organization including not only profitable organizations but also non-

profit organizations like NGOs and educational institutions (A. Ahmed et.al, 2013).

Owing to the growing importance and recognition of strategic planning in general fields,

the education planners also looked at strategic planning practices in higher education particularly

in the developed part of the word. However, the magnitude of the empirical findings on strategic

planning in education sector remained much limited (0000000). According to some researchers,

a gap between what public wants and what traditional universities provide is growing (Rowley,

Lujan, &Dolence, 1997). Fehnel (2000) in his position paper on “Strategic Planning and the

Nigeria University System Innovation Project” observed that many Vice- Chancellors “now

appear willing to consider the use of strategic planning as an important tool in determining how

best to revitalize and modernize their institutions”. Kinyanjui and Juma (2014) investigated the

effects of strategic planning on the performance of universities and they found that there is direct

and significant relationship between the strategic management and performance of the

universities. According to (Benjamin & Carroll, 1998) when universities will have strategic plan

they will better response to the changing needs for their constituencies.

It was however observed that most researches on strategic planning and performance

relationship focused on organization’s profitability, market share, earnings per share, net asset,

working capital, expansion, etc. as the performance measurement. The performance indicators in

the business sector may not necessarily be applicable to the higher educational institutions.

Therefore, strategic planning seems not to be too popular in the university system. This may be

attributed to the lack of understanding of the concept of strategic planning by the university

internal stakeholders, especially the employees. The lack of a strategic plan which covers all

aspects of the university community may be what is responsible for the challenges being faced in

the sector. The challenges suggested by past studies includes but are not limited to distorted

academic calendar, decayed facilities - hostel accommodation, laboratories, classrooms facilities,

unhealthy rivalry among staff, shortage of qualified teachers, challenges of accreditation,

deteriorating quality of graduates, and the list seems to be endless.

Thus, based on the above discussion, it is more plausible that universities having adopted the

strategic planning practices would have better performance than those who do not. The

performance of universities has been defined in terms of student’s enrollment, linkages, research

and academic quality (9999999). However to better concepyualize the and --------(wisal),

---------------(shukat) and ----------(asif).

This study deems appropriate to measure the university performance more holistically by

constructing a broader measure of university performance. More particularly it will consist;

student enrollment, research productivity, infrastructure, research productivity, teacher capacity

building, student academic quality, student satisfaction of university process and many more.

Unfortunately no scale exists till date as evidenced by research conceptual paper. This study will

in addition to investigation and prevalence of strategic practices will also construct a new

measure of university performance which will not just add to the knowledge but will also help

HEC in improving university performance.

It is important to discover whether the concept of strategic planning is understood and

embraced in the university system. The role of the staff in the planning process and the effect of

compliance on performance should also be investigated.

Strategic Planning and Universities Performance in Pakistan:

The 21st century has brought challenges and opportunities for higher education in Pakistan. The

Institutions need to understand their resources, capabilities and core competencies which have a

direct link to the institutions’ ability to achieve their strategic plans.

Previous researchers have addressed the effect of strategic management on the

performance universities. Universities are collaborating with other institutions and industries in

order to enhance their performance (Muchiri, 2010). Lewa, Mutuku and Mutuku (2009) studied

Strategic planning in the Higher Education Sector. The study revealed that public universities are

essentially traditional in orientation and must find new ways of dealing with the issues facing

them include increasing competition from other universities. The study observed that strategic

planning is one of the major steps the universities can take to address the challenges they face.

The study proposed that universities should consider incorporation of strategic thinking in their

process of strategic planning in order to make their planning more useful in view of the failures

of strategic planning in public universities. Manyasi (2009) took a study on Crisis Management:

A Challenge in Institutions of Higher Learning in Kenya. The study revealed that managers in

the institution do not use a proactive approach to crises management. They lack knowledge about

strategic actions such as integrating crises management into strategic planning process,

integrating crises management into statements of corporate excellence, creating crises

management teams and including outsiders on the board. The organizations did not have a crisis

management plan. The researcher recommends that: Competent public relations officers should

be employed to perform all functions including crises management. Training and workshops in

crises management should be provided to strategic managers and public relations practitioners.

Managers should use strategic actions such as integrating crises management into strategic

planning process, integrating crises management into statements of corporate excellence,

creating crises management teams and including outsiders on the board. A location to act as a

crisis management center should be identified. Organizational members should be exposed to

crisis simulations.