Praise for Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations, 6th Edition

This new edition of Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations leverages the two authors' deep engagement with strategy makers. The book provides a mix of practical frameworks and associated guidelines, with two cases that develop as the book unfolds, along with a series of international vignettes. This book provides exceptional value to anyone seeking to undertake strategic planning that is thoughtful, effective, and implementable. Though primarily aimed at the public and nonprofit sectors, this book will be extremely useful for those in the for-profit sector who want to address both strategic planning and strategic management.

—Fran Ackermann, John Curtin Distinguished Professor, Curtin Business School, Curtin University, Australia; and Colin Eden, Emeritus Professor, Strathclyde Business School, University of Strathclyde, Scotland; Authors of Making Strategy: Mapping out Strategic Success

Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations is the classic that keeps on giving. The sixth edition further reinforces the message that strategizing is not a one-off process, but rather an integral and ongoing part of effective management and governance. The book remains essential reading for both theorists and practitioners.

—Chris Ansell, Professor of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley, USA

This book about strategic planning in public and nonprofit organizations is, in fact, a comprehensive framework for carrying out management tasks in any organization. It is more lucid, intelligent, and fertile than any other such resource in public and nonprofit management. Practitioners can use it when they are planning for change in how public and nonprofit organizations create public value, while academics and students in public and nonprofit management can both prize and critique it as a living classic.

—Michael Barzelay, Professor of Public Management, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK

Having established itself as the standard for strategic management in public and nonprofit organizations over the past 35 years, this sixth edition of Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations is up to date with many new examples and techniques. The book emphasizes the synthesis of leadership, management, and strategy in practice. Bryson and George write clearly and do not avoid the downsides of strategic planning. Based upon their extensive experience with many organizations, Bryson and George's work is like having expensive consultants provide North Star guidance and principles to people undertaking strategic planning and management. Having used this book for practice and teaching, I highly recommend it for breadth and depth. I promise you will learn new, important lessons to become a more effective strategic manager!

—Fran Berry, Askew Eminent Scholar and Professor, Florida State University, USA

For years, I have kept close at hand a dog-eared and well-worn earlier edition of this book on which I rely both as a resource in my teaching about strategic leadership and as a guide in my own work leading a public institution. It has been invaluable to me. This new, updated sixth edition shines a clear light on the intersecting challenges of (1) balancing the imperative of equity and inclusion in the stakeholder engagement process, (2) the opportunity—and expectation—to apply state-of-the-art digital tools to the work of analysis and synthesis, and (3) the unrelenting pressure of timeliness in the overall strategic planning process. This book is insightful, engaging, and sympathetic to the realities of strategic planning in practice.

—Laura J. Bloomberg, President, Cleveland State University, USA

This sixth edition is essential for anyone interested in strategic management in public and nonprofit organizations. I especially value the authors' exploration of strategic management as a tool for thoughtfully addressing complex strategic issues deliberatively, making it an even more valuable contribution to the literature.

—Sara Brorström, Professor of Management and Organization, School of Business, Economics, and Law, Gothenburg University, Sweden

Five editions of Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations have accompanied scholars and decision makers for more than 35 years and made John Bryson the father of strategic planning in public and nonprofit administrations across the globe. The rapid pace of change of volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments and the ongoing poly-crisis demand inclusion, analysis, synthesis, and speed. The sixth edition, coauthored with Bert George, a rising star of strategy studies, has been updated with new approaches and cases and is much more international, but continues the emphasis on what really matters: strategic thought, action, and learning.

—Denita Cepiku, Associate Professor of Public Management, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy

I wholeheartedly recommend this book as a key catalyst for transformative strategic planning and thinking in the nonprofit and public sectors. Packed with actionable insights and innovative strategy tools, it is essential reading for those committed to driving impactful change. This book goes beyond being a mere guide; it empowers leaders to redefine success and effectiveness in their organizations. A compelling read, it is a vital resource for visionary practitioners.

—Gary Cunningham, Senior Advisor, Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy, New School for Social Research, and former President and CEO of the Metropolitan Economic Development Association and of Prosperity Now, USA

The sixth edition of Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations provides leaders, managers, and students with a comprehensive and disciplined approach to leadership, strategic planning, and ongoing management. The book highlights how effective strategists create common ground with stakeholders to develop suitable, wise and effective strategic plans that cross boundaries and operate at scale. Various tools to assist with strategic planning are presented and cases are used to give leaders and strategists practical guides for how to plan in both large and small organizations. The new edition is also an effective tool for students beginning or enhancing their careers because its comprehensive approach can be adapted to a multiplicity of situations.

—Ed DeSeve, Coordinator, Agile Government Center of the U.S. National Academy of Public Administration; former Special Assistant to U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden; former Deputy Director for Management, Executive Office of the U.S. President, Office of Management and Budget, USA

This book masterfully blends theoretical insights with practical strategies and is distinguished by its global perspective and contemporary approaches, including design thinking and agile methodologies. The approach is crucial for enhancing resilience and adaptability in public and nonprofit organizations, making it a must-read in today's dynamic landscape.

—Said Elbanna, Professor of Strategic Management, Director of Center for Entrepreneurship and Organizational Excellence, Qatar University, Qatar

The challenges of globalization, the information era, and the economic changes affecting organizations require a powerful leading light to guide senior managers through complexity and unpredictability. I have been using Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations for more than 20 years to teach scholars and practitioners to create successful strategies for their organizations, guiding them through changes and obstacles. I greatly recommend this book to be your guiding light.

—Ricardo Corrêa Gomes, Professor and Associate Dean, Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo da Fundação Getulio Vargas, Sao Paolo, Brazil

The sixth edition of Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations is crammed with insights, research-based knowledge and guidance to strategic leaders who provide public and nonprofit services. Written in an accessible and engaging style, the authors present their famous Strategy Change Cycle and add a wealth of new perspectives on design and agile approaches and public value creation. The authors offer an innovative and original take on leadership, strategic planning, and management that both scholars and leaders will find inspirational.

—Carsten Greve, Professor of Public Management and Governance, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark; and Tamyko Ysa, Professor of Strategy and Public Management, ESADE Business School, Spain; Coeditors of the Handbook of Strategic Public Management

The sixth edition of this classic strategic planning book brings together the expertise of two renowned strategy experts. Drawing on examples from across the globe, they demonstrate why strategic planning remains so popular and what effective strategic...