The uniqueness of strategic planning in non-for-profit organizations : A new lens from a stakeholder perspective

Abstract: Background: Non-for-profit organizations’ presence has increased worldwide during the last decades. This type of organizations develop their activities in a complex and dynamic environment. Furthermore, for non-for-profit organizations (NPO) the fit between strategy and environment is a key determinant of success. For NPOs, strategy practices and models need adaptation due to its key differences with for-profit organizations. Aim: Bring an understanding on what are the unique aspects of strategic planning in an NPO. Methodology: This paper involves a qualitative case study of a non-for-profit organization, LHC Ungdom, which is an ice-hockey club for the youth in the city of Linköping, Sweden. The study involved 10 semi-structured interviews with the organization’s full-time employees (management and administration) and volunteers (coaches and team managers). The interviews explored areas such as strategy, planning, mission, results measurement, communication and success. Findings: This study identifies the main and unique aspects of strategic planning in NPOs. Furthermore, by the addition of new lenses to strategic planning, such as the Stakeholder theory and the Agency Theory, it has led to develop a conceptual framework, which reflects the connections between the unique main aspects of strategic planning on NPOs, but also, highlights in which areas different stakeholders are relevant and how different relationship conflicts arise. Concepts: -Non-for-profit organization: Organizations having a distinct mandate to be good stewards of the resources they receive towards the pursuit of their mission. -Strategy: A plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim. -Strategic Planning: A systematic process of envisioning a desired future and translating this vision into broadly defined goals or objectives and a sequence of steps to achieve them.