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Cluj-Napoca Strategic Plan Update Assignment

Strategic Planning Course

Public Administration DepartmentBabes-Bolyai University

October, 2011.

OVERVIEW

As a form of active learning for the students of the UBB Master-level Public Administration course in

Strategic Planning, students will actively engage the process of strategic planning as their principal

assignment.

The city of Cluj-Napoca undertook a strategic plan process and completed a report many years ago(approx. 2006-07), partly with the help of the UBB Public Administration Departments students and

teachers. Cluj-Napoca has changed in many ways since that time, and some of the suggestions of that

strategic plan have already been accomplished. It seems appropriate therefore that the community

begins to formally rethink its future, and update the strategic plan document.

Such an extensive effort, including updating data and engaging community participation cannot be

fully undertaken in the short period of time allowed for this class project. But, students can learn about

the process, and the community can benefit from the students perspective if the class works through

the strategic planning process as a major course assignment.

As a result, the following course activities are anticipated:

FULL CLASS

All of the students in the Public Administration course in Strategic Planning, while completing

readings and listening to lectures, will also engage in a process of class discussion to develop

statements of Values, Vision and Mission for the city. This is a subjective process that takes

corresponding statements from the previous plan and updates them based on the students perspectives

and new information.

SMALL GROUP PROJECT

The students of the course will divide into working groups of approximately 3 persons each.

Each group selects a subject area for analysis, corresponding to each chapter or subchapters of the

previous strategic plan. Groups then focus on that subject area and develop a report of about 20 pages.

Each subject area report will have the following outline:

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I. GOAL

This section will contain one concise goal statement for the community related to the groups subject

area followed by any additional explanation of the goal. Goals should be long term and give thecommunity a direction to move into the future relative to that subject area.

II. ANALYSIS

This section will be an analysis of how the community has changed since the time of the last strategic

plan with respect to the relevant subject area.

This analysis will refer to appropriate THEORIES about how communities develop and will reference

updated INFORMATION where possible. The analysis should discuss TRENDS, SYSTEMIC

COMPLEXITIES and, TIPPING POINTS were appropriate.

This section should be written in thoughtful, concise prose, NOT with just bullet points or lists of data.

Tabular data updates should be included in an appendix.

III. MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES.

This section should list and describe one to three measurable objectives, the accomplishment of which

would move the community in the direction of the state goal.

Objectives are long or intermediate term (5-25 years) and should be stated in a way that allows for

measurement. Measurement should not only indicate ultimate achievement of the goal, but should also

allow for determination of progress toward partial achievement. This measurability does not alwaysrequire a precise, absolute cardinal value but may be stated in sequential or ordinal or other measurable

forms.

IV. TARGETS

For the purpose of this project, a target is defined as something to be achieved in one year. Hitting the

target should move some aspect of the community toward one or more of its measurable objectives.

V. METRICS

While all kinds of data are collected about a community, the consistence of the data is oftenquestionable. Data collection is expensive and time consuming. Data elements come and go with

budget constraints and political considerations, and methodologies used to derive statistical

information sometimes change. One of the important benefits of defining measurable objectives and

targets is that those efforts help to prioritize data collection. Certain data elements are identified as

critical to tracking community progress, identifying trend lines, take off points or at-risk situations.

Each groups report should have a section that identifies a limited set of high priority information

elements that should be collected consistently over time. A compilation of these elements can act as a

slate of community indicators or metrics that 1) allow for the community to keep score of its progress,

2) promote analysis of trends over time, 3) facilitate making future projections, and 4) promote

spotting interrelationships between variables.

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ACTION PLAN STATEMENT

For each measurable objective, the report should describe at least one ACTION. The descriptionshould explain what should be done?, who should do it?, what resources are needed? (not just money),

who has authority over the actors? (chain of accountability) and how long it should take.

A set of initial (first year) TASKS should also be described in similar terms.

EVALUATION

This section should describe how and when progress toward GOALS and OBJECTIVES will be

evaluated. Describe any unusual methodologies that are to be used in the evaluation. The evaluation

plan should include evaluation of both process and results.