Strategic Issue Identification & Environmental Assessment
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Strategic Issue Identification & Environmental Assessment
This course is part of Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations Specialization
Instructor: Wiley Skills Network
Included with
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What you'll learn
Assess external and internal environments to identify organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Identify and prioritize strategic issues impacting public and nonprofit organizations.
Details to know
April 2026
2 assignments
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There are 2 modules in this course
This course explores how to assess internal and external environments to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for effective strategic planning. You will learn essential frameworks like SWOT analysis and apply them to real-world scenarios.
In this course, youβll gain practical experience in assessing environments to better understand how to capitalize on opportunities and address challenges. You will also identify critical strategic issues that require attention within your organization. The course differentiates itself by integrating theoretical concepts with hands-on environmental assessments. This combination ensures you not only learn frameworks but also apply them effectively to drive organizational success. This course is ideal for professionals who are involved in strategic decision-making and need to enhance their environmental analysis and issue identification skills. Experience in leadership or planning is helpful but not required. This course is part 2 of a 3-course Specialization designed to provide a comprehensive learning pathway in this subject area. While it delivers standalone value and practical skills, learners seeking a more integrated and in-depth progression may benefit from completing the full Specialization, called: Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations. This course is based on the book, Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations, by John M. Bryson and Bert George. Copyright Β© 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights, including for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies, are reserved. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
In this section, we conduct systematic external scans, mine internal data for SWOT insights, and build sensemaking routines that align capabilities with dynamic environments, enabling agile, resilient, public-value strategies.
What's included
1 video10 readings1 assignment
1 videoβ’Total 1 minute
- Assessing the Environment to Identify Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Challenges or Threats - Overview Videoβ’1 minute
10 readingsβ’Total 130 minutes
- Introductionβ’10 minutes
- Purposeβ’10 minutes
- Desired Immediate Outcomesβ’10 minutes
- Sustainabilityβ’30 minutes
- Longer-Term Desired Outcomesβ’10 minutes
- Future Thinking at Singapore's Centre for Strategic Futuresβ’20 minutes
- Internal Environmental Assessmentβ’10 minutes
- The Assessment Processβ’10 minutes
- Process Design and Action Guidelinesβ’10 minutes
- Summaryβ’10 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 10 minutes
- Organizational Evaluation and Strategic Planningβ’10 minutes
In this section, we identify and frame strategic issues, align them with mission and culture, and harness constructive conflict to yield politically viable, technically sound decisions that create public value.
What's included
1 video9 readings1 assignment
1 videoβ’Total 1 minute
- Identifying Strategic Issues Facing the Organization - Overview Videoβ’1 minute
9 readingsβ’Total 120 minutes
- Introductionβ’10 minutes
- Immediate and Longer-Term Desired Outcomesβ’20 minutes
- How Should Strategic Issues Be Described?β’10 minutes
- Nine Approaches to Strategic Issue Identificationβ’15 minutes
- The Direct Approachβ’10 minutes
- The Goals Approachβ’10 minutes
- The Visual Strategy Mapping Approachβ’10 minutes
- The Design Approachβ’25 minutes
- Strategic Issues for Early Childhood Development in Ethiopiaβ’10 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 10 minutes
- Strategic Planning and Organizational Challengesβ’10 minutes
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