How do you feel about (1) external environmental analysis, (2) service area analysis, and (3) internal analysis setting the stage and providing context for developing a healthcare organization’s directional strategies? Select one of these, discuss it, and provide an example to demonstrate your learning on this topic.

As you are responding to others, note any common insights you may have with your peers. What are your peers’ perspectives here?

Please include the name of the person or question to which you are replying in the subject line. For example, “Tom’s response to Susan’s comment.”

ALSO PLEASE REPLY TO ANOTHER STUDENTS COMMENT BELOW 

Christopher:

I find that Strategic Planning cannot be uncoupled from the Marketing Plan.  The following is from a Marketing textbook I am using;

Because the internal/external analysis provides the assumptions on which the entire plan is built, the plan will suffer if the analysis is inadequate, incomplete, or untruthful. Many organizations assume that they know all the necessary information, have adequate data, and need not spend much time on this step. To many who have never undertaken an internal/external analysis, the process may seem elementary. Some managers mistakenly think that their experience makes the internal/external analysis unnecessary. Although this process often requires a month or more of staff time and some intraorganizational stress, the thought-provoking inquiry usually reveals valuable opportunities and insights. In fact, the internal/external analysis is the foundation of the marketing approach—that is, to listen, to inquire, to study, and to ask questions. The purpose of the analysis is to uncover marketing opportunities and threats. The internal strengths and weaknesses of the organization are examined, as are external opportunities. Several questions must be addressed within each component of the analysis.