PUAF689Z: Strategic Management for Nonprofit
& Public Organizations
7:00 - 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays
Room 2505, Van Munching Hall
Fall Term 2011
School of Public Policy
University of Maryland
Syllabus
Professor:Robert M. Sheehan, Jr., Ph.D.
Academic Director
Executive MBA & Executive Degree Programs
Lecturer, Faculty of Management & Organization
Robert H. SmithSchool of Business
4511 Van Munching Hall
301-523-1864 TEL
(Office hours by appointment)
Course Description
Serving as a successful leader for a nonprofit or public organization of any kind requires an understanding of the strategic management process, as a well-developed and managed strategy is a key to an organization’s performance. This course provides an integrated approach to leading theories and concepts, research, and modern practices related to strategic planning and execution. Students will gain a deep understanding of how strategy can be effectively developed, implemented, and managed in these organizations. The course will be relevant for students who want to work for and/or consult with nonprofit and government organizations.
Aim of the Course
To develop the knowledge and understanding of the students on strategy development and implementation for nonprofit and governmental organizations so they are prepared to provide leadership and guidance to these organizations.
Books & Readings
You will need to purchase the following books for this course (the prices are quotes from Amazon):
Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations, 4th Edition, by John Bryson (ISBN: 978-0-470-39251-5, $40.99). NOTE: Make sure to get the 4th edition of the book, and not the workbook.
Mission Impact: Breakthrough Strategies for Nonprofits, by Robert M. Sheehan, Jr. (ISBN: 978-0-44980-6, $29.16). On Kindle: $23.39.
Leap of Reason, by Mario Morino (ISBN: 978-0-9834920-1-6, $2.65). This book is available for $1.00 on Amazon for Kindle, free on iBooks and free as a PDF at the web site:
A course pack will also be prepared for your purchase through Copy Services.
Class Attendance
Attendance is expected for every class session. If for some reason you cannot attend class, please communicate this to me as soon as you know. Students who miss a class session are responsible for the learning they miss from that class. Missing class will impact the student’s class participation grade (see below for more) and research suggests that missing class may impact a student’s grade on exams.
Guest Speakers
We will have numerous guest speakers throughout the course as a way to bring real world experiences and perspectives of nonprofit and government executives to increase our knowledge and understanding of strategy.
For each guest speaker, we will need one volunteer from the class to introduce them at the beginning of the class and another to thank them at the end – with a small gift of appreciation from the class. I will pay for the gifts if you all can help buy something appropriately Terpish to thank our visitors.
IMPORTANT: At the beginning of a class when we have a guest speaker, each student is to submit three questions they will be prepared to ask, based on your review of the speaker’s background and experiences. Basic information on each speaker will be provided, but you will need to do some research on them. Submitting the questions is part of your class participation grade.
Grading
Your final letter grade will be determined by the letter grades (A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D- or F) you earn on the weighted assignments below.
1. Class Participation (Graded A – F): 25%
*Missing class will impact the student’s class participation grade (see below for more).
*See below for more information regarding class participation grading.
2. Take Home Exam (Graded A – F): 40%
*An open book, open notes, take home exam will be distributed at the end of class on October 19 and then will be posted on Blackboard. You are to complete your exam and submit it no later than midnight on October 25 using the Assignments Tab on Blackboard. A hard copy is to be submitted at the beginning of class on October 26. (FYI: I will read the hard copy and will provide type-written feedback on the digital version.)
*IMPORTANT: Once the exam is distributed, you are not to discuss it with anyone in or outside of the class until class time on October 26.
3. Strategy Consulting Project (Graded A – F): 35%
*You are to form teams of two – three people (a three-person team is ideal) to complete a case study on a nonprofit organization in the Greater Washington DC Area. Please inform me of your team make-up by September 14.
*Obtain agreement from a nonprofit in the DC Area for their participation as a case study organization by September 28. I can help with suggestions if you need them. The organization should have annual revenues of at least $1 million and be a 501c3 charitable nonprofit.
*Collect and review a variety of organization information to develop an understanding of the organization. This may include the organization’s web site, most recent strategic plan, past years of annual operational plans, staff list, organization chart, past years’ budgets, newsletters, minutes of Board meetings, past years’ annual reports, and more. Review these materials before you conduct your interviews.
*Create an interview protocol (list of questions) that you will follow as you interview organizational leaders. Please submit your protocol to me no later than October 12 and do not conduct any interviews until I have approved your protocol. I plan to post all team protocols on Blackboard for others to learn from.
*Schedule and conduct at least six interviews with leaders from the organization to learn about the organization’s strategic planning process and how effectively it is implementing its plan. At least one of the interviews must be conducted with the organization CEO. At least two team members must be present for each interview. If permission is granted, you should record all interviews. You should keep details of what is shared in each interview confidential.
*Your final report is due no later than December 9 and should be submitted using the Assignments Tab on Blackboard. All reports will be posted to Blackboard for others to review after December 9. The report should answer the following questions:
-What was the strategy development process most recently used by this organization? Explain the various steps of the process used.
-What role does the strategic plan play in the current management and operations of the organization?
-What changes have been made to the plan over time and why?
-What is your analysis of how well the organization did its planning and how well it is utilizing the strategy? How well is its strategy guiding its performance? How could the overall process of strategy development and implementation be improved?
*As an addendum to your final report, you need to write a memo of no more than two pages in length to the CEO of the organization with your recommendations for how the strategy development and implementation process could be improved upon for the future. Once I read over and approve your memo, then you will send it to the CEO. [You will not send the full report, just the two page memo. You may have confidential information from interviews in the report which should not be shared with the CEO.]
*The organization’s most recent strategy document should be included as an appendix to your report.
*Your team will make a presentation on December 14 which summarizes your final report. Your grade on your case study will be based upon your written report. Your performance on your presentation will be factored into your class participation grade. The purpose of the presentation is to share with your classmates what you learned so they have an understanding of how the organization has been operating. Presentations should be no more than twelve minutes long with a few minutes left for Q&A.
*Typically, the grade on the team report will be the grade each member of the team receives for the project. However, team members will be asked to complete a feedback form which evaluates the performance of each team member. In extreme cases, this feedback may influence an individual’s grade (e.g., in the case of “free riders”).
4. Additional Assignments (Graded Pass/Inc)
*There will be additional assignments which will be graded will be “Pass/Inc (Incomplete).” Any individual who receives an Inc for an assignment will have an opportunity to redo the assignment for a Pass.
*The late submission of Pass/Inc assignments will be counted against the Class Participation grade.
Criteria for Grading Class Participation
*Strong class participation is reflected by several factors including:
-Attendance in class (being there, being on-time and staying until the end of class)
-Active participation in class discussions (offering ideas that expand the scope of the class discussion and/or build on others' contributions)
-On-time completion of all assignments
-Active participation in all class small group activitiesand exercises
*Generally, those who are considered excellent in class participation are those who:
-Volunteer unique insights during class sessions
-Show evidence of thorough preparation of readings and other assignments
-Do not dominate class discussions or offer redundant ideas or “long-winded comments”
-Provide contributions that are valued by classmates
-Focus on quality of comments, not quantity
-Are prepared to answer “cold call” questions
*The use of “killer phrases” (e.g., that will never work”, “that is a dumb idea”) and non-supportive nonverbal gestures (e.g., not looking at people when they speak, interrupting others, etc.) are discouraged.
*If at any time I notice that a student is heading for a “C” or worse in Class Participation, this will be communicated to the student.
Prep for Class Reading Assignments
Please come to class prepared to discuss what you think are the three – five most important ideas/issues from every chapter, article, case, etc. that is assigned. Prepare by assuming that you will be asked for your ideas in class. The exam is not going to require you to understand the fine details of any of the readings you do, nor am I going to expect you to know those in class. We want to focus on understanding the broader strategy process as suggested from various perspectives.
Supplemental Readings
A list of supplemental readings can be found on the course Blackboard site. You are not required to read any of these, but you may find them as helpful resources as you prepare for and complete your take home exam as well as your case study.
Course Session Schedule*
*This is the plan for the course, but – as I usually say – everything is subject to change. I expect to add some more readings for the later classes, for example. But I will communicate any changes far in advance.
August 31
*Reading Due, if possible:
-Mission Impact (Sheehan), Chapter 1
-Leap of Reason (Morino), Chapter 1
-Colby, Stone, & Carttar. “Zeroing in on Impact,” Stanford Social Innovation Review:
*Topics:
-Course Aim & Overview
-Learning Goals
-Strategy & Performance
-The Four Fundamental Questions of Organization Performance
*Assignment: Please complete and submit the Learning Community Info Form (on Blackboard) using the Assignments Tab on Blackboard by September 4
September 7
*Guest Speaker: Irv Katz, CEO, National Human Services Assembly
*Assigned Reading Due:
-Strategic Planning (Bryson), Chapters 1 – 4 (emphasis on Chapters 3 – 4)
*Topics:
-Bryson Overview
-Bryson’s StrategyChange Cycle, Steps 1, 2, & 3: Initiate and agree on a strategic planning process, Identify organizational mandates, Clarify organizational mission and values
September 14
*Guest Speaker: Jennifer Clinton, COO, The Washington Center
*Assigned Reading Due:
-Strategic Planning (Bryson), Chapters 5 – 6
*Topics:
-Bryson’s Strategy Change Cycle, Steps 4 & 5: Assess the external and internal environments to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, Identify the strategic issues facing the organization
September 21
*Guest Speaker: Bethany Blakey, Performance Manager, Performance Improvement Council, Office of Management & Budget
*Assigned Reading Due:
-Strategic Planning (Bryson), Chapters 7 – 8
*Topics:
-Bryson’s Strategy Change Cycle,Steps 6, 7, & 8: Formulate strategies to manage the issues, Review and adopt the strategic plan or plans, Establish an effective organizational vision
September 28
*Guest Speaker: Tynesia Boyea Robinson, CEO, Reliance Methods
*Assigned Reading Due:
-Strategic Planning (Bryson), Chapters 9 – 12 (emphasis on Chapters 9 – 10)
*Topics:
-Bryson’s Strategy Change Cycle, Steps 9 & 10: Develop an effective implementation plan, Reassess strategies and the strategic planning process
-Bryson tips in Chapters 11 & 12
October 5
*Guest Speaker: Rick Moyers, Vice President, Programs and Communications, Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation
*Assigned Reading Due:
-Mission Impact (Sheehan), Chapters 1 – 3
-Breakthrough Strategy Workbook (on Blackboard)
-Leap of Reason (Morino), Chapter 1
-Colby, Stone, & Carttar. “Zeroing in on Impact,” Stanford Social Innovation Review:
*Topics:
-What is Nonprofit Strategy?
-Designing the Strategy Development Process
-Mission Impact
October 12
*Guest Speaker: Les Silverman, Director Emeritus, McKinsey & Company
*Assigned Reading Due:
-Mission Impact (Sheehan), Chapters 4 – 5
*Topics:
-Creating an Aspirational Vision
-Strategic Stretch Goals
October 19
*Guest Speaker: John Kuo, Administrator, Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration
*Assigned Reading Due:
-Mission Impact (Sheehan), Chapters 6 – 7, Appendix A
-Kearns, K. “From Comparative Advantage to Damage Control: Clarifying Strategic Issues Using SWOT Analysis,” Nonprofit Management & Leadership(Coursepack)
*Topics:
-Organization Assessment
-Strategy Development
*Assignment: Take Home Exam due midnight, October 25, submitted to Assignments Tab on Blackboard; hard copy due in class on October 26
October 26
*Assigned Reading Due:
-None
*Topics:
-Application: Creating a Vision
-Application: SWOT Analysis
-Strategy Facilitation Techniques
November 2
*Guest Speaker: TBA
*Assigned Reading Due:
-Mission Impact (Sheehan), Chapter 8
*Assignment Due:
-Complete the OCAI (will be posted on Blackboard) and bring results to class
*Topics:
-Strategy Implementation & Culture
November 9
*Guest Speaker: Patricia Shannon, Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning & Chief Financial Officer, AARP Foundation
*Assigned Reading Due:
-Mission Impact (Sheehan), Chapters 8
-Kaplan & Norton, “The Balanced Scorecard and Nonprofit Organizations,” (Coursepack)
-AARP Foundation Cases (A & B), HBS Publishing (Coursepack)
*Topics:
-Strategy Implementation & The Balanced Scorecard
November 16
*Assigned Reading Due:
-Optional: StrengthsFinder 2.0, Tom Rath ($13.70 on Amazon). The book is a quick read and also gives you access to taking The Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment which we will be discussing in class.
*Topics:
-Strategy & Leadership
-Your Leadership Development Plan
-Strengths-Based Leadership
-Ethics & Leadership
November 23
*Class moved to December 14, Pending Class Discussion
November 30
*Guest Speaker:
-Brodie Remington, Vice President, University Relations, University of Maryland – College Park
*Assigned Reading Due:
-University of Maryland Strategic Plan:
-University of Maryland Great Expectations Campaign:
-Kotter, J. “Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail,” Harvard Business Review (Coursepack)
-Leading Change Summary (Posted on Blackboard)
*Topics:
-Strategy & Fundraising
-Strategy & Leading Change
December 7
*Guest Speaker: Peter Berns, CEO, The Arc
*Assigned Reading Due:
-The LaPiana Model of Strategy (available on Blackboard)
*Topics:
-The LaPiana Model of Strategy
-Guest Speaker: Maria Markham, Senior Associate, LaPiana Consulting
December 14
*Strategy Case Study Presentations
Academic Integrity
The University of Maryland, College Park has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity, administered by the Student Honor Council. This Code sets standards for academic integrity at Maryland for all undergraduate and graduate students. As a student you are responsible for upholding these standards for this course. It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity or the Student Honor Council, please visit
To further exhibit your commitment to academic integrity, remember to sign the Honor Pledge on all examinations and assignments: "I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this examination (assignment)."
Below are some examples for how you might cite reference material.
Academic Articles:
Russell, J. E. A. (2004). Mentoring. Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology, vol. 2, 609-616.
Magazines and Newspapers:
Schlender, B. (2000, May 1). The odd couple: Fortune, 141 (9), pp. 106-110, 114,116,120,122,124,126.
Books:
Welch, J. (2005). Winning. New York: HarperCollins.
Internet Cites:
GartnerGroup (2000). Telecommuting trends. The Gartner Report. Retrieved 3/21/00, from
Audio-Taping Class Sessions
You may audio-tape any of the class sessions if you so desire.
Use of Technology in Classroom
Permission to use laptops/iPads is granted during this course, but this privilege may be revoked if it becomes a distraction. Web surfing (unless related to class), use of email, instant messaging, text messaging, cell phones (on vibrate only if you are reasonably expecting an emergency call), Blackberries, Smart Phones, or any other similar devices is prohibited – except during breaks.
Course Web Site
The course syllabus, many of the PowerPoint slides used in class, and general announcements concerning the course will be included on the Blackboard course web site. PowerPoint slides are most frequently posted after class.
Accommodations and Special Needs
All known student disabilities will be accommodated as needed. If you have a documented condition (e.g., learning or physical disability, pregnancy, etc) or a religious holiday that requires accommodation, please see me as soon as possible so that we can determine appropriate actions.
Inclement Weather
In the event of inclement weather (snow, ice, tornadoes), you should check the campus web site to learn whether the campus is open or closed. You can also listen to the radio or TV for University of Maryland at College Park closing announcements. Classes will always be held unless the university has cancelled classes. If you feel the weather poses too much of a threat for you to attend class, use your best and safest judgment. If you are unable to attend class, please email or phone me to let me know that you will not be in class. Similarly, in the event of a city/state/national emergency, please follow the same instructions.
Special Thanks
Special thanks to various faculty at the University of Maryland and other universities who have shared their syllabi on this and related courses as a contribution to the design of this course. Consider this a footnote for you all!
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