Formal Data Use in Strategic Planning: An Organizational Field Experiment

摘要

This study examines the types of information used by a hospital strategic planning group. Prior research regarding strategic decision making has focused primarily on the cognitive processes used in this type of group planning. This research takes a different tack by examining the type of information used in the strategic planning process. The two types of data examined are formal (rational) and informal (implicit or intuitive) . Using a qualitative and quantitative study of a hospital strategic planning team, we provided the strategic planning team with an abundance of formal data prior to the strategic planning process. We found that while strategic planners felt content with the formal information provided, they ignored a great deal of those data in favor of using informal data and tacit knowledge in the strategic planning process.