Course Syllabus

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Course: Strategic and Operational Planning

Course & Section: FES 3720

Credit Hours: 3

Session:

** On-line

 

Instructor: James D. Weed Sr.

james.weed@faculty.ufl.edu or Jdweed51@aol.com

443-812-8612

Office Hours:            Mon 9 am – 10 am Wed 9 am – 10 am. You can email me any time.

**Course Website: http://lss.at.ufl.edu

** Course Communications: There is a General Discussion tab that can be used, or send me an email through the course email.

Require Textbook: Bryson, John M. (2011). Strategic planning for public and nonprofit organizations: A guide to strengthening and sustaining organizational achievement. 4th edition. San Francisco: Revised Edition, Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 978-0-470-39251 {Referred to as "TEXT" in the course Outline and Schedule}

**Additional Resources:  Use resources on the course site under the Resource tab

**Course Description: FES3720: Can strategic planning be used to build public organizations that function more creatively and effectively?  This course focuses on the theory and practice of strategic and operational planning for fire and emergency services organizations. The aim is to identify and analyze an existing organizational strategic plan that includes budgeting and resource allocation, identify and analyze existing operational plans, incident action plans, and implementation of operational plans, including both positive and negative forces. This course will also present elements of comprehensive Strategic planning in a managerial system, the role of planning in growth management and the application of strategic planning to public issues decision-making. It will illustrate the relationship between public safety planning and the delivery of public services. 

 

** How This Course Relates to the Student Learning Outcomes in the fire emergency services program:  Identify and evaluate organizational problems associated with fire and emergency services. Demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills for leadership in fire and emergency services.

 

**Teaching Philosophy:  I am looking for students to demonstrate a working knowledge of the subject. You need to be creative when you complete your assignments but maintain a professional appearance of your work. Your work needs to be complete and in such a manner that someone can pick up your document and understand what you are trying to convey. And most of all your work needs to be supported with research and cited in properly in APA format.

 

**Instructional Methods: The course is designed for individual and group interactivity. It is important to post and respond to discussion questions in the course within the time frame allotted. This provides a learning environment by networking with other students in the course. The assignments are individual base to give you the opportunity to do a variety of activities, in many cases, similar to what you will be doing in role as a leader in the emergency services profession.

 

Course Policies:

Attendance Policy:  The course is designed in module format. You should check the site at least once a week. You are required to complete the assignments including discussion questions within the time period designated on the module. There will be meetings set up throughout the course. Requirements for class attendance and make-up exams, assignments, and other work in this course are consistent with university policies that can be found in the online catalog at: https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/regulations/info/attendance.aspx.

**Quiz/Exam Policy:  There is a final project for this course. There are no exams or quizzes.

Make-up Policy:  You must contact me if you are going to be late on any assignment to receive credit.

**Assignment Policy:  All assignments have a due date. Please be sure to check the date and time it is due in each module.

**Course Technology:  Class meetings will require a web camera and mic/audio. If you are not able to use a web camera you will need to at least provide audio/mic, you can call in on a phone also.

 

UF Policies:

University Policy on Accommodating Students with Disabilities: Students requesting accommodation for disabilities must first register with the Dean of Students Office (http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drc/). The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the instructor when requesting accommodation. You must submit this documentation prior to submitting assignments or taking the quizzes or exams. Accommodations are not retroactive, therefore, students should contact the office as soon as possible in the term for which they are seeking accommodations.

University Policy on Academic Misconduct:  Academic honesty and integrity are fundamental values of the University community. Students should be sure that they understand the UF Student Honor Code at http://www.dso.ufl.edu/students.php.

**Netiquette: Communication Courtesy:  All members of the class are expected to follow rules of common courtesy in all email messages, threaded discussions and chats.  [Describe what is expected and what will occur as a result of improper behavior] http://teach.ufl.edu/docs/NetiquetteGuideforOnlineCourses.pdf

** UF’s honesty policy    

UF students are bound by The Honor Pledge which states, “We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honor and integrity by abiding by the Honor Code.  On all work submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida, the following pledge is either required or implied: “On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment.” The Honor Code (http://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/process/student-conduct-honor-code/) specifies a number of behaviors that are in violation of this code and the possible sanctions.  Furthermore, you are obliged to report any condition that facilitates academic misconduct to appropriate personnel. If you have any questions or concerns, please consult with the instructor of in this class.

 

Getting Help:

For issues with technical difficulties for E-learning in Sakai, please contact the UF Help Desk at:

** Any requests for make-ups due to technical issues MUST be accompanied by the ticket number received from LSS when the problem was reported to them. The ticket number will document the time and date of the problem. You MUST e-mail your instructor within 24 hours of the technical difficulty if you wish to request a make-up.

Other resources are available at http://www.distance.ufl.edu/getting-help for:

  • Counseling and Wellness resources
  • Disability resources
  • Resources for handling student concerns and complaints
  • Library Help Desk support

Should you have any complaints with your experience in this course please visit http://www.distance.ufl.edu/student-complaints to submit a complaint.

 

Grading Policies:

The grade is based on a point system. You divide the total number of earned points into the total amount of points available to determine your grade. A grading rubric for the final project is under the Resource Tab on the course.

 

Assignment

Points or percentage

Grading Discussion Participation – 15 points each discussion

105 points

Homework Assignments – 10 points each assignment

70 points

Final Group Project - comprehensive and applied

100 points

Total Grade

275 points

 

Grading Scale

https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/regulations/info/grades.aspx

A   = 93.0 to 100%     C   = 73.0 to 76.9
A-  = 90.0 to 92.9       C-  = 70.0 to 72.9
B+ = 87.0 to 89.9       D+ = 67.0 to 69.9
B   = 83.0 to 86.9       D   = 63.0 to 66.9
B-  = 80.0 to 82.9       D-  = 60.0 to 62.9
C+ = 77.0 to 79.9       F   = below 60  

Tentative course schedule:

 

Week 1

8/21/17

 

Strategic Planning 1

Introduction – online post
Read Syllabus and review course content

READ: If the links do not open for reading, you must open the links in a new window, that way each will open

  • There is one textbook required for this course: Bryson, John M. (2011). Strategic planning for public and nonprofit organizations: A guide to strengthening and sustaining organizational achievement. 4th edition. San Francisco: Revised Edition, Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 978-0-470-39251-5 {Referred to as "TEXT" in the Course Outlin and Schedule} Please note: This is a reading intensive course. 

        Additional required reading materials may be required during the class by the Professor.


Do:   Complete weekly discussion activities

Week 2

 8/28/17

Strategic Planning 2

Read and Review:

Do: Complete weekly discussion activities

Week 3

 9/3/17

Strategic Planning 3

Read and Review:

Do:  Complete weekly discussion activities

Week 4

9/10/17

 

Strategic Planning 4

Read and Review:

  • Chapter 4 in Text: Clarifying organizational mandates and mission, pgs. 132-149

  • Chapter 5 in Text: Assessing the environment to identify strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and challenges

 Do: Complete weekly discussion activities

Due: The Professor will assign Groups for the group project and Notify students of their groups

Week 5

9/17/17

 

Strategic Planning 5

Read and Review:

  • Porter, M. E. (2008). The Five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard Business Review.
  • Alexander, J. (2000). Adaptive strategies of nonprofit human service organizations in an era of devolution and new public management. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 10(3), 287-303.
  • Chapter 6 in Text: Identifying strategic issues facing the organization.

Do:  Complete weekly discussion activities

Due: Short Essay  Due: 09/24/2017

Week 6

 9/24/17

Strategic  Planning 6

Read and Review:

  • Chapter 7 in Text: Formulating and adopting strategies and plans to manage issues.

  • Boyne, G. A., & Walker, R. M. (2004). Strategy content and public service organizations. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 14(2), 231-252

Do:  Complete weekly discussion activities

Week 7

10/01/17

 

Strategic Planning 7
Read and Review:

  • Chapter 8 in the text: Establishing an effective organizational vision for the future.
  • Collins, J., & Porras, J. (1996). Building your company's vision. Harvard Business Review.  

    Collins  https://rapidbi.com/porters-five-forces/

·        

Do:  Complete weekly discussion activities

Week 8

10/08/17

 

Strategic Planning 8

Read and Review:

  • Chapter 9 in the Text: Implementing strategies and plans successfully.

  • Mara, C. M. (2000). A strategic planning process for small nonprofit organizations: A hospice example. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 11(2), 211-223
  • Bushe, G. R. (2011). Appreciative inquiry: Theory and critique. In Boje, D..
  • , Burnes, B. and Hassard, J. (eds.), Routledge Companion To Organizational Change (pp. 87-103). Oxford, UK: Routledge.

Do: Complete weekly discussion activities

 

Week 9

10/15/17

 

Strategic Planning 9

Read and Review:

  • Chapter 10 in Text: Reassess strategies and the strategic planning process.
  • Behn, R. D. (2003); Why measure performance: Different purpose require different measures. Publuc Administration Review, 63(5), 586-606
  • Mulgan, G. (2010). Measuring social value. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 38-43

·        

Do: Complete weekly discussion activities

Read and Review:

Due: Analytical Paper Due:  10/22/2017

Week 10

10/22/17

 

Strategic Planning 10

Read and Review:

  • Colby, S., Stone, N. & Carttar, P. (2004). Zeroing in on Impact. Stanford Social Innovation Review.

  • W. K. Kellogg Foundation (2004). Using logic models to bring together planning, evaluation, and action: Logic model development guide.

Do: Complete weekly discussion activities

Week 11

10/29/17

 

Strategic Planning 11

Read and Review:

  • Chapter 11 in the Text: Leadership roles in making strategic planning work.
  • Heifetz, R., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009). The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and your world. Chapter 2, pp. 13-40
  • Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., & McKee, A. (2001). Primal leadership: The hidden driver of great performance. Harvard Business Review.

·        

Do: Complete weekly discussion activities

Week 12

11/05/17

 

Strategic Planning 12

Read and Review:

  • Ancona, D., Malone, T., Orlikowski, W., & Senge, P. (2007). In praise of the incomplete leader. Harvard Business Review
  • Montgomery (2008). Putting leadership back into strategy. Harvard Business Review, 55-60
  • Huy, Q., N. (2001). In praise of middle managers. Harvard Business Review.

·        

Do: Complete weekly discussion activities

Week 13

11/12/17

 

Strategic Planning 13

Read and Review:

  • Heracleous, L. (1998). Strategic thinking or strategic planning. Long Range Planning, 31(3), 481-487
  • Meyerson, D. E. (2001). Radical change the quiet way. Harvard Business Review.
  • Hirschhorn, L. (2002). Campaigning for Change. Harvard Business Review.
  • Kegan, R., & Laskow Lahey, L. (2002) The real reason people won't change. Harvard Business Review.

 

Do: Complete weekly discussion activities

Week 14

11/19/17

 

Strategic Planning 14

Read and Review:

  • Mintzberg, H. (1994). The fall and rise of strategic planning. New York: The Free Press.
  • Bryson, J. (2010). The future of public and nonprofit strategic planning in the United States. Public Administration Review, 70(s1), s227-s267.

Read and Review your Group Assignment before you submit it

Do: Complete weekly discussion activities
Group Project Due:  11/26/2017

Week 15

 

 

Strategic Planning 15

Wrap-up
Do: Complete weekly discussion activities

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due