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A Corporate PlanningApproach to InstitutionalManagement: A PreliminaryReport on the RMITExperienceJ. A. Hoadley & B. E. ZimmerPublished online: 07 Jul 2006.

To cite this article: J. A. Hoadley & B. E. Zimmer (1982) A Corporate PlanningApproach to Institutional Management: A Preliminary Report on the RMITExperience, Journal of Tertiary Education Administration, 4:1, 15-26, DOI:10.1080/0157603820040103

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JOURNAL OF TERTIARY EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATIONVOLUME 4, NUMBER 1 MAY, 1982

A Corporate Planning Approach toInstitutional Management:

A Preliminary Report on theRMIT ExperienceJ. A. HOADLEY and B. E. ZIMMER*

IntroductionThis paper reports on the experiences of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Tech-

nology, after its first year of progress toward the development of a corporate planningapproach to the management of its activities. It outlines the general model of theplanning process envisaged for the Institute, then describes the successful implement-ation of the first stage of this process — the formulation of an Institute statementof basic goals and directions.

Corporate Planning: A General CommentCorporate planning is a concept which can be encountered under various other

names — "forward planning", "long range planning", and "strategic planning" beingin common usage. Essentially, corporate planning is a, comprehensive, organisation-wide approach to planning, involving a long range perspective to provide sufficientscope for developing strategies and courses of action which can effectively anticipateenvironmental change. In addition to this long range perspective, it incorporates ashorter range tactical perspective, with a horizon of up to five years, within whichspecific action programmes are developed and implemented in pursuit of long rangegoals and strategies. Corporate planning further involves a strategic perspective, whichemphasises the identification of key decision-making areas, and the development of aflexible framework of strategies within which the detail of specific actions can bestructured rationally. Individual actions can thus be undertaken within a coherentframework, rather than in uncoordinated ad hoc fasion.

In recent years corporate planning has received.increasing attention from thetertiary education sector. Whilst this has been of real significance overseas — partic-ularly in the United States of America — it is also making its first, tentative appear-ance at some Australian institutions. Corporate planning is.now being recognised asan approach to institutional management which offers .the'means to respond moreeffectively to the increasingly threatening environment: faced by the educationalsector as it moves through the 1980s. Amongst other things, this approach is charac-terised by its concern, not only for relating the whole range of an institution's activitiesto basic goals and directions, but also for achieving a correspondence between thesegoals and the challenges posed by the external environment. These characteristicscombine to offer a coherent, rational planning approach in the face of constrainedresources, uncertainty of environmental change, and the need to select, from amongstdivergent and often unattractive options, an effective course of action.

Corporate Planning at RMITThe RMIT Context

The context for corporate planning at RMIT, the reasons for its introduction, andthe particular form of planning process envisaged, can best be appreciated if somepicture of the size and scope of the Institute is first conveyed.

*Mr J.A. Hoadley is the Chief Planning Officer and Mr B.E. Zimmer the Planning Officer (Projects)at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. This paper was delivered at the 1981 AITEANational Conference.

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16 J.A. Hoadley & B. E. Zimmer

RMIT is alarge, multi-purpose polytechnical institution. Its educational programmesspan both the TAFE and Advanced Education sectors. These sectors are addressed,respectively, by the RMIT Technical College and the RMIT Advanced College. Eachcollege has its own academic system and organisational structure, but with someintegration of administrative functions at the Institute level, and a single Director andCouncil exercising overall authority. The Institute's programmes cover a diverserange of disciplines and technological areas, addressed by six Advanced Collegefaculties and a Graduate School of Management, and ten Technical College teachingdivisions. They span a wide range of educational levels, from trade apprenticeshipsthrough to research Masters degrees. Undertaking these programmes are a total of some8,000 EFTS in the Advanced College, and some 11,000 Technical College students -the majority in block release or part-time enrolment. Teaching these students areapproximately 900 academic staff, supported by an equivalent number of adminis-trative and technical staff.

In short, the size and complexity of RMIT demands attention to the definition ofits overall direction, co-ordination in the development and implementation of itsprogrammes, and integration of its diverse components. The need for a coherentInstitute approach to long range planning has been recognised for some time. With thearrival of the 1980s, recent developments had reinforced this need, making it approp-riate to reassess future directions. Firstly, the establishment of the Victorian Post-Secondary Education Commission with responsibilities embracing both TAFE andAdvanced Education heightened the need for RMIT to review its position and toconsider its further development as an institution of national significance. This wasparticularly desirable after the decade and a half of expansion experienced firstly bythe Advanced College, and more recently in the TAFE area. The need now existed fora consolidation of past gains, and a reassessment of what the future held in store.Intensifying this need was a growing sense of public disenchantment with the per-ceived performance of the education system, and the concomitant introduction ofsteady state funding which now limited the total resources available.

It was within this environmental context that, in April 1980, a meeting of RMIT'ssenior management - the Directorate, Deans of Faculties (Advanced College), andHeads of Teaching Divisions (Technical College) — agreed that the Institute shouldinitiate a corporate planning process to guide itself through the coming decade.

Principles and Basic ConsiderationsWhilst various models of the corporate planning process can be found within the

professional literature, all have common basic elements and underlying themes. Itsinitial applications were in the area of private enterprise. However, the past decadehas seen its increasing implementation within the field of public administration —particularly in such areas as local government, health and welfare, and in education.These applications have required modifications to certain aspects of the planningprocess, in such areas as participation in organisational decision-making and assump-tions relating to goal-setting. However, essentially its features have remained un-changed.

An almost universal warning offered by the various authorities in the field concernsthe need to avoid an uncritical adoption of the "planning package" developed else-where; replication of some other institution's corporate planning process without dueattention to differing individual circumstances is a certain recipe for failure. With thisin mind, we have consciously attempted to develop a planning process suited to theparticular environmental context of RMIT. Whilst acknowledging a debt to the sub-stantive developmental work carried out in the United States by the National Centrefor Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), we are striving to apply thekey elements of the planning process so as to mesh in smoothly with existing Institutestructures and environmental factors.

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Corporate Planning 17

This need to integrate our planning process with existing organisational structuresand decision-making mechanisms is seen as essential. Wherever possible, we mustavoid the superimposition of additional organisational machinery on to existing ones.It is considered wasteful of energies and resources to develop new committees orother bodies except where there are no existing ones with appropriate representation,expertise, or terms of reference. Further, the planning process should make maximumuse of the expertise and experience held by staff in both academic and support areas.

Basic to the planning process is the achievement of Institute consensus throughthe development of statements which articulate the differing perspectives that exist,and in the selection of those that most appropriately take the Institute in desireddirections. The importance of this is emphasised in view of the diversity of perspect-ives that can exist within a large and complex institution such as RMIT. Moreover,achievement of consensus demands wide consultation throughout the RMIT com-munity.

RMIT's implementation is still in its early stages, and we are sensitive to our needto move carefully — reviewing progress constantly, and revising elements of ourimplementation as found necessary. To this end, flexibility of approach is essential.Care is being taken to avoid locking the Institute prematurely into a too rigid course;feedback is still needed to adjust the detail of our planning process now beingdeveloped progressively as implementation proceeds.

The Planning Process: The Model Envisaged at RMITOverview

Figure 1 provides an overview of the corporate planning process currently envisagedfor RMIT, in generalised model form. In brief, the major stages in the progressiveimplementation of the process are as follows:

— formulation of an Institute statement of fundamental goals and directions.— diagnosis and problem identification: that is, the assessment of present

position relative to goals, identifying key areas where courses of action areneeded to effectively achieve these goals.

— development of a corporate plan with its framework of• sub-goals• strategies, and• individual programmes directed

toward target objectives.— implementation, operation, and on-going review of programmes within the

strategy framework of the plan.

In essence, the planning process seeks to achieve a congruence between RMIT'slong range goals and directions, its sub-goals and strategies, and the individual pro-grammes through which resources are mobilised to reach specific targets which cancarry RMIT progressively toward its goals. The development and application of goal-related criteria play a vital role throughout the process. Initially, it is necessary toidentify the criteria by which existing activities can be assessed in terms of theirachievement of goals. Next criteria are needed by which sub-goals, strategies andindividual programmes are proposed, selected, and assigned priorities in order totake RMIT from its present position toward its goals. Finally, criteria are needed forthe review and evaluation of programmes once they are in operation.

The corporate plan is more than the sum total of its individual programmes. It alsoprovides for coherence amongst sub-goals and a framework of planning strategieswithin which the programmes are fitted. It is within this framework that the planestablishes priorities of resource allocation amongst programmes, based on their con-tribution to both goals and sub-goals. The framework must be sufficiently robust to

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FIGURE 1THE CORPORATE PLANNING PROCESS ENVISAGED AT RMIT

PHASE I

FORMULATIONOF LONG-RANGEGOALS ANDDIRECTIONS

Assessment of:InternalCapacityExternalEnvironment

Definitionof DesiredInstituteCharacteristics

Developmentof GoalStatements

Adoption ofGoals

PHASE II: DEVELOPMENT OF CORPORATE PLAN

DIAGNOSISANDPROBLEMIDENTIFICATION

Consideration of:ExistingActivitiesShortfallfrom GoalsImpediments/Constraints(Internal andExternal)

DEFINITION OFPLANNINGSUB-GOALS

Proposal ofFeasibleSub-goals

Assessment ofCongruencewith Goals

Selection ofSub-goals

Assignment ofPriorities

SELECTION OFPLANNINGSTRATEGIES

Proposal ofFeasibleStrategies

Evaluation ofStrategies

Selection ofStrategies

Identificationof Targets

( Assignmentof Priorities

PROGRAMMESPECIFICATION

InitialSpecification of:ProgrammeObjectivesProgrammeOrganisationResourceRequirementsPolicyGuidelinesProgramme Monitor-ing & Evaluation

PHASE III: IMPLEMENTATION OFCORPORATE PLAN

PROGRAMMEDEVELOPMENT

STRUCTURED INPUT OF RELEVANT PLANNING DATA AND ANALYSIS AS APPROPRIATE

DetailedSpecificationand Refinement

ResourceAssignment

IMPLEMENTATIONAND REVIEW

Introductionof Programmes

Monitoringof Programmes

Evaluationof ProgrammeEffectiveness

ProgrammeRevision

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Corporate Planning 19

allow changes to theinitial specification of programmes and targets without detrimentto its overall applicability. This is important as changing external factors may requirea redefinition of targets or programmes as part of the on-going pursuit of long rangegoals.

In amplification of Figure 1, the following sections discuss the salient character-istics of this planning process. Emphasis is placed on key concepts and relationships,rather than on exhaustive description.Goals and Directions

The first step in the planning process is the formulation of a statement of longrange goals and directions. This involves a consideration of the scope and dimensionsof the basic role envisaged for RMIT. Such a statement is needed to provide a clearfocus and orientation for Institute activities, and a basis for assessing the contributionof existing and proposed programmes to the pursuit of goals.

Diagnosis and Problem IdentificationThe planning process next requires a review of the Institute's existing position, to

assess the extent to which the goals are already being achieved by existing programmesand activities. This review incorporates both a diagnosis and problem identification,being aimed at identifying:

— the existence and extent of any gaps between what is now being achieved,and what must be achieved for attainment of the goals;

— the nature and dimensions of impediments to a more effective achievementof goals;

— key areas in which strategies and courses of action need to be developed tosurmound these impediments.

This stage lays the foundation for definition of sub-goals directed at closing thegap between present and desired positions, and for formulation of strategies andcourses of action through which sub-goals can be achieved.

Planning Sub-Goals, Strategies, Policy Guidelines and PrioritiesThis phase of the planning process provides the vehicle through which resources

are directed toward planning sub-goals in pursuit of the goals and directions. The focusis upon the development of an Institute corporate plan. At RMIT it is envisaged thatthis plan will initially cover the period to 1990.

In brief, the plan must translate the statement of goals and directions into a work-able framework. It will contain a coherent set of planning sub-goals which specifyclearly what RMIT wants to achieve by the end of the decade. These sub-goals mustagree with long range goals, but will be more limited in scope and defined in moreconcrete terms. To guide the Institute's activities toward its sub-goals, appropriatestrategies will need to be generated. These strategies incorporate policies and guide-lines designed to ensure that individual programmes and activities are channelledtoward sub-goal achievement. In turn, the determination of priorities among pro-grammes is an essential for the rationalisation of resource allocation.

Programmes and Target ObjectivesWithin the framework of the plan, a number of short-term programmes will be

identified. These programmes allocate specified resources to achieve specific targetobjectives derived from the broader sub-goals. Target objectives will be defined withsufficient precision to enable some assessment or measurement of the extent to whichprogrammes achieve them. Programmes can deal with the academic area, the supportarea, or a combination of both. Each programme represents the organisation of aspecified package of resources, directed toward a specific target and implementedaccording to policy guidelines and priorities with respect to Institute goals.

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20 J. A. Hoadley & B. E. Zimmer

A distinction is made between the stage of initial programme specification andthat of full programme development. The specification of programme is in outlineform, and defines the programme targets, organisation, and resource requirementswithin the overall framework of the plan. The full development of the programmebelongs to the implementation stage.

Implementation and ReviewIn the implementation and on-going operation of programmes, the planning process

involves the assignment and utilisation of resources as specified in programmes whichdirect them toward set targets. However, the operational stage also entails the monitor-ing and evaluation of programme achievement. The planning process must thereforeprovide for possible redirection of programme organisation and resource allocation,and. must be flexible enough to permit subsequent iterations of a.particular stage.

The planning process is cyclical in nature, with completion of an' initial set ofprogrammes followed by implementation of new programmes in further pursuit oflong range goals. Well before completion of these first programmes, a second cycleis begun to develop further sub-goals, strategies and programmes for implementation.There appear to be advantages in scheduling these cycles to coincide with the academicyear. Similar to the concept of the "rolling triennium", the plan would, each year,progressively incorporate the new year into its framework.

Sequence Envisaged Within Stages of the Planning ProcessA similar sequence of steps is involved in the operation of each stage in the planning

process prior to programme implementation. In generalised outline this sequence is asfollows:

— formulation of a draft proposal or statement (in the form of a discussionpaper) by a small working group delegated by the existing decision-makingstructure, and comprised of recognised expertise relevant to the task (in-

1 eluded here is the input of planning data to provide a basis for analysis,conclusions and recommentations);

— wide circulation of the paper amongst the RMIT community;-.-.•:• — its discussion and review at meetings and forums which can draw partici-•••;..-• / pation and representation from all sections of RMIT, to provide full oppor-•...'. tunity for alternative viewpoints, and for the emergence of a broad consensus

of support (unanimous agreement cannot be expected);

.••-,- — revision, consolidation, and finalisation of the proposal or statement by the•;';:.. working group;'••"'•' — adoption of the final statement by the Institute decision-making structure;

.. - — progression to the next stage in the process.Planning Activities at Different Organisational Levels

Once Institute-wide goals and directions have been formulated, a further dimensionis added to the planning process, with successive iterations of the above sequenceoccuring at the planning unit le'vel (for example, academic department), at the organ-isational grouping level (for example, faculty, division, or college), and thirdly at theInstitute level. Essentially, the proposal and development of individual programmes ismost appropriately initiated with the planning units which will carry out their actualimplementation. In turn, each broad organisational grouping must decide upon themost appropriate combination of programmes in terms of achievement of overall goalsand congruence with adopted strategies. This must involve the selection of priorities,and the priority decisions reached may not always support those made previouslyby a particular planning unit. At the Institute level, there must be a further appraisalof the mix of programmes proposed by organisational groupings, and an assessment ofpriorities among programmes on the basis of the contribution each makes, within theframework of the plan, to the achievement of goals. The planning process must there-fore incorporate a mechanism to enable revision of proposals.

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Corporate Planning 21.

Participation in the Planning ProcessTo succeed, the planning process must provide for wide participation and contrib-

ution from across the Institute. This is needed to achieve the consensus on goals,strategies, and programmes essential for effective action within an institution as largeand diverse as RMIT.

Equally essential is a visible commitment by the Director, through publicly ex-pressing support for, and taking a leadership role in the planning process. It alsoneeds the visible support of all administrative heads.

At each stage in the process, a key role is played by senior academic adminis-trators and by academics with acknowledged expertise in relevant areas. They arethe logical initiators of goals and directions, planning sub-goals, and programmeproposals within their own fields of expertise. These proposals must then be trans-lated into comprehensive draft statements for circulation, review, and comment asappropriate before revision, adoption and implementation.

A strong support role is envisaged for planning staff in the development and pro-vision of the essential data base, in the provision of resource personnel to co-ordinateand assist in developing the planning framework and generating strategies, in identify-ing resource implications, and in monitoring and evaluation. This support role willcomplement the key role played by senior academics and administrators.

Additional support roles in such areas as budgeting, resource assignment, and:performance review will be played by administrative staff in the implementation andon-going operation of programmes.

The broad discussion of draft proposals will involve existing committees anddecision-making bodies. It must also involve the arrangement of appropriate forumsat the planning unit, organisational grouping, and Institute levels to enable represent-ative contributions from academic staff, support staff, and students. In addition,contributions should be sought from outside the Institute to provide a wider per-spective.

Planning DataThe input of a comprehensive range of data is basic to the planning process. Data

are required to draw conclusions concerning existing resources, programmes, andactivities; to define areas where achievements fall short of, or are in conflict with,long-range goals; to suggest which planning sub-goals, strategies, programmes aridtarget objectives are reasonable, appropriate, and capable of achievement with avail-able resources. These data include:

— an inventory of existing programmes and resource levels (staffing, accom-modation and equipment);

— data on enrolment structures and trends, student achievement, attrition/retention rates, and other student-related variables; ,

— data on external factors such as demographic, employment and socio-economic trends, government policies, community needs and aspirationswith regard to education.

The more comprehensive and readily available this information, the more successfulthe corporate planning. Currently, RMIT is developing an administrative data basesystem which, when fully implemented, will provide comprehensive access to data on ;academic programmes enrolments, expenditure, staff, accommodation and equipment.

Corporate Planning: Benefits Envisaged for RMITCo-ordination of Institute Activities

The comprehensive,- "corporate" nature of the planning process should enable acoherent co-ordination of the activities of all sections of RMIT within the overall-framework of agreed Institute-wide goals.

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22 J. A. Hoadley & B. E. Zimmer

Participation by the RMIT CommunityCorporate planning will offer benefits through its involvement of a broad spectrum

of the Institute community. As already outlined, the planning process involves partici-pation at several levels by various sections of RMIT. Such participation occurs atsuccessive stages, from the initial definition of goals, problems and sub-goals, throughthe development and implementation of strategies and action programmes. Each stageconsists of initial input by academics and administrators with relevant expertise,followed by wider input and comment as appropriate, then consolidation and revisionby a smaller group prior to Institute adoption. This gives a balance of contributionsfrom specialist expertise, the RMIT community and senior administrators, conduciveto achieving reasonable consensus. The wide scope of contributions and of consul-tation prior to decision-making should, moreover, encourage a climate of co-operationand an identity of community within RMIT.

Concentration on Vital IssuesThe "strategic" nature of corporate planning focuses attention upon those key

issues and variables considered to have major relevance to RMIT's mission. This con-centration on vital issues makes the Institute's progress a task of manageable dimen-sions. Without this "strategic" focus, there is the danger of attempting to simult-aneously plan in detail all aspects of Institute activities. This would plunge any in-stitution into a morass of detail detrimental to effective mobilisation of its energiesin pursuit of essential goals. In contrast, the corporate planning approach directsenergies and resources toward vital programme areas of real significance.

FlexibilityThrough concentration on the broad strategic framework, flexibility for ready

adaptation to changing environmental factors can be preserved. At the same time,it avoids the straitjacket of an undue specification of detail during early develop-mental stages, which can be rendered obsolete by the time of implementation.

Assessment of Resource UseThe forward planning process should enable RMIT to quantify its aims, put them

into operational terms, and evaluate the extent to which its activities and resourceuse contribute toward the achievement of basic goals and directions. In particular,the setting of long range goals provides both overall direction for the Institute and areference point against which the appropriateness of individual programmes andactivities can be assessed. Specific programme objectives translate goals into shortrange, operational-level targets. This development of measurable, operational ob-jectives is essential to the identification of resource requirements. In turn, the basingof the planning process upon accepted, Institute-wide goals should promote co-ordinated resource allocation among the various programmes carried out withinRMIT.

This advantage is reinforced by the current situation where, for the foreseeablefuture, RMIT must operate under a tightening of funds available for post-secondaryeducation. In such a situation, a planning process which gives a systematic basis forthe allocation of resources among programmes in terms of their contribution tooverall Institute goals is clearly desirable.

Performance Evaluation and Programme RevisionA further advantage of the planning process is its cyclical, on-going nature. This

incorporates a continuous monitoring, review and evaluation of programmes againsttheir objectives, and provides for revision as needed. This is complemented by itslong range view; potential problems can be anticipated at an early stage and alter-native strategies devised to overcome them. When problems are encountered duringthe operational stage, the means to resolve them can be implemented within theagreed strategic framework. The benefits of this over an ad hoc approach, in botheffectiveness and efficiency of resource mobilisation, appear self-evident.

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Corporate Planning 23

The RMIT Experience: Formulation of a Statement of Goals and DirectionsThe Initial Steps

In April 1980, RMIT's senior management (Deans of Advanced College Faculties,Heads of Technical College Teaching Divisions, and Directorate) met to considerthe need for a corporate planning approach to Institute management. Having made afirm decision in favour of corporate planning, they then looked at Institute goals,as the first step in the planning process. They considered a discussion paper whichpresented a consolidation of existing Institute goal statements, and concluded thatthese did not offer an adequate basis for corporate planning. They saw the need toformulate a new set of goals and directions which specifically addressed the needsof the 1980s. It was further suggested that this formulation of goals should be pre-ceded by an assessment of the environment confronting RMIT, and an identificationof a future role for the Institute which would provide an effective response to thechallenge of this environment during the coming decade. From this foundation, aset of goals could be drawn up to foster the achievement of this desired future role.

Steering GroupThe Institure's Planning Group, working with a small steering group consisting

of the Director and three other members of senior management, undertook to managethe goals formulation phase. This steering group concluded that the task required notonly a consideration of anticipated threats and opportunities posed by the externalenvironment, but an assessment also of RMIT's internal strengths and weaknesses,in order to identify the key characteristics of a role and direction for RMIT whicheffectively addressed the needs of the next ten years. From these, a set of goals couldthen be derived.

At an early stage, it proved necessary to clarify the definitions to be adopted forcertain terms known to have varied interpretations, namely role, goal, objective.These terms were distinguished as follows:

Role: statement of the mission, scope and purpose of an institution,set within the context of its environment.

Goal: a long range ideal or aspiration defined in qualitative terms andconcerned with fostering the achievement of role.

Objective: a short range, measurable target through which a goal can beaddressed.

It was further recognised that the exercise should be directed toward a futureRMIT role which, while perhaps incorporating elements of its current role or mission,placed emphasis on new elements which direct RMIT toward the needs and oppor-tunities of the next ten years.Assessment of External Environment and Internal Capacities

Central to the exercise was the establishment of eight think tanks, each consistingof seven participants plus a facilitator. Participants were drawn widely from a diversityof disciplines and professional areas. Each think tank had two or three intensivediscussion sessions, addressing RMIT's internal strengths and weaknesses, the threatsand opportunities perceived in the external environment of the 1980s, and key ele-ments of a role for RMIT which would respond effectively to those challenges overthe coming decade. Each think tank engaged essentially in structured brainstorming,being led by its facilitator through the same agreed set of questions.

The composition of the think tanks was structured to provide for a diversity ofresponses amongst them. One think tank consisted entirely of staff from the TechnicalCollege and another entirely of Advanced College staff, to allow for alternative scenar-ios which might flow from the TAFE and Advanced Education perspectives. Similarly,a third consisted entirely of academic staff from "hard technology" disciplines (forexample, engineering and applied science), whilst a fourth consisted entirely of staff

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24 J- A. Hoadley & B. E. Zimmer

from the "soft technologies" (for example, social science, management). Each of theother four comprised a mix of staff from both colleges and from both "hard" and"soft" technology areas. Participants in the think tanks included all members ofsenior management plus a diversity of academic and support staff from all levels,selected on the basis of the particular perspective, expertise, or experience whichthey could contribute.

The need was seen to complement the RMIT-based perspectives of the thinktanks with some external perspectives gained from the wider community. This wasachieved through interviews with a dozen individuals holding key positions in in-dustry, commerce, government service, politics and the trade unions. These peoplewere considered able to offer worthwhile viewpoints on developments in the externalenvironment to which RMIT should pay particular attention, and on how RMITmight best respond to them. Interviews were conducted by academics from theDepartment of Social Sciences with appropriate interviewing expertise. Summariesof each were provided as resource materials for the think tanks.

The think tanks also received a selection of background articles and other relevantmaterial to provide further food for thought concerning the challenges posed by theenvironment of the 1980s, and concerning salient features of the RMIT profile.Consolidation into Description of Future RMIT Role

The facilitators prepared reports, in brief outline form, on the ideas and conclusionsemerging from their think tanks. To develop a consolidated picture, Planning Groupthen drew together the common threads which emerged. This synthesis was shapedinto a draft statement of desired characteristics which the think tanks had proposedthat RMIT develop over the next ten years.

Clarification of Key RMIT Characteristics .In August 1980, the 24 members of RMIT's senior management met again to discuss

these proposed Institute Characteristics, and to consider the priorities which should beassigned to them. This full-day conference involved both open forum and syndicatediscussion sessions.

A simplified version of the "Delphi" process was employed to reach some degreeof consensus concerning the desirability of proposed characteristics and concerningthe priorities to be assigned to each. This involved firstly the development and dis-tribution of a questionnaire which sought, from each member of senior management,responses indicating the level of his support for each of 41 proposed characteristics.Questionnaire responses were processed prior to the conference, and the pattern ofsupport for each characteristic was presented, using overhead transparencies to showresponse patterns in frequency histogram form.

This proved particularly useful in showing those characteristics which received aclose agreement of support, those which had wide variation in support, and thosewhich elicited a polarisation of opposing views. Open discussion was then invitedfrom all participants, particularly those, who saw that their own views differed fromthe majority response. The aim here was to expose the diversity of views and thereasons for it, and to work toward better consensus concerning both the supportand priority that should be attached to each characteristic. Participants then com-pleted a second round of the questionnaire to indicate their views in the light of thediscussion. A supplementary questionnaire sought participants' views on a numberof basic issues underlying the characteristics which RMIT might adopt. This wasalso completed before the conference began, and its results presented before opendiscussion of the desirability of characteristics. This second questionnaire dealt with13 issues on which a polarisation of views could be envisaged. Each issue representeda major dimension along which RMIT must choose its desired position. For eachissue, respondents read two extreme statements which expressed each of the opposingpoles of thought, and indicated where, along a five point scale, they believed RMITshould aim.

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Corporate Banning 25

Development of the Goals Statement - The First DraftPlanning Group then undertook the development of a draft statement of Institute

goals which would direct RMIT' toward effective achievement of those characteristicsto which senior management gave both strong support and high priority. Essentially,those characteristics which, in the second round questionnaire results, received thefirst 20 priority rankings (from a total of 41 items), provided the base from whichthe statement of goals was developed. These goals were presented in a draft statement,"RMIT Goals and Directions 1980-1990 - A Working Paper for Internal Discussion".This statement was set within the contextual framework of RMIT's strengths andweaknesses, opportunities for RMIT to develop a more effective role as an educationalinstitution over the 1980s, and the key characteristics of such a role. In broad terms,it outlined a proposed direction for the Institute, sketching an enhanced role whichwould respond effectively to. the 1980s. It then proposed a set of goals through whichthis role should be pursued.

In September, the paper was distributed widely to all academic departments andadministrative branches, to the student, staff, and graduate associations, to membersof Council and course advisory committees, and to other sections of the RMIT com-munity. All academic and administrative heads were encouraged to promote widediscussion of the proposed goals amongst their staff, to arrange meetings at whichstaff viewpoints could be expressed, and to forward comments in response to PlanningGroup. Respondents' were asked to critically assess the suitability of the proposedgoals as the intended, basis for developing a coherent RMIT corporate plan. Commentswere sought specifically as to whether:

— the goals were appropriate for this purpose;— particular goals needed restatement to specify desired directions more clearly;— additional goals should be included;— particular goals should be deleted.

Response from RMIT Community - Second Draft 'Seven weeks were available for responses to be made. A longer period was not

possible, as Planning Group had to prepare an amended statement, in the light ofcomments received, for consideration by the RMIT Senior Staff Conference in mid-November.

A wide range of comments was received from individual members of staff, as wellas consolidated responses from departments and branches. In total, nearly 150responses were received, including a large number from members of course advisorycommittees who willingly offered their views as individuals from industry, commerce,and various professional areas. There was great diversity both in the form of response,and in the substance of viewpoints offered. Those goal statements and basic issueswhich attracted the greatest disagreement amongst respondents were essentially thesame ones which had provoked greatest discussion amongst senior management inAugust. However, it was observed that the diversity of views on these points of con-flict was considerably greater amongst the wider RMIT community than amongstsenior management. This had been expected and confirmed the need to seek thiswider consensus on proposed Institute directions., ;

Planning Group was able to incorporate a number of suggested amendments intoa second draft, clarifying ambiguities in the wording and intent of proposed goals.Review by Senior Staff

This revised set of goals was then debated intensively over the three days of theSenior Staff Conference. Invitations to this conference, held annually, are extendedto all staff at or above the level of head of academic department or administrativebranch. In 1980, the whole conference was devoted to the consideration of Institutegoals and directions.

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26 J. A. Hoadley & B. E. Zimmer

However, the diversity of responses pointed further to a number of basic issuesof conflict concerning RMIT's future direction, related to perceived conflicts amongstcertain of the proposed goals. The revision of individual goals within the draft state-ment could not adequately resolve these issues, which were thus outlined in a supple-mentary paper for the conference.

The conference first addressed these issues of conflict, airing them in open forum.This consideration of the differing viewpoints on these basic issues was essential inestablishing a context for the intensive debate of individual goals which followed,with participants divided into small syndicate groups. Syndicates discussed the levelof support held for each goal, suggested where goals needed to be deleted or rewritten,and assigned priority rankings to the goals. Syndicate leaders presented reports on theconclusions reached by their individual groups. These showed a high degree of con-sensus emerging, but with some unresolved conflicts remaining. The aim of the con-ference had been to achieve endorsement of an agreed set of goals which could besubmitted to the Institute's Council for formal adoption. The constraints of timedid not permit achievement of this at the conference. However, most syndicatesreported agreement with the basic thrusts of nearly all proposed goals, and suggestedvarious refinements to their wording.

Final Revision and Formal AdoptionFollowing the conference, Planning Group prepared a revised statement of goals

which would reflect the broad consensus of the syndicate groups. This revision wasthen referred to a meeting of the syndicate leaders to ensure that it adequately re-flected syndicate viewpoints. On the basis of this meeting, some further changeswere made to the statement, which was now seen to be approaching its final form.

In these final stages, the Director undertook a direct involvement in the draftingof the statement, chairing a small editorial group. To provide one last forum for itswide debate amongst the RMIT community, he forwarded it for discussion to thesenior academic boards of both the Advanced and Technical College, before present-ing it for final consideration by the decision-making structure of the Institute'sCouncil. All three academic boards strongly supported the basic thrusts and substanceof the statement, but made various suggestions for improvements to its specificwording. The editorial group incorporated many of these into the final statementbefore its submission in February to the PolicyCommittee of Council and its approval,with minor amendment, by the full Institute Council in March 1981.

Council's formal adoption of this statement, "RMIT Goalr. and Directions to1990", completed this first stage of the planning process.Conclusion

As outlined in this paper, RMIT has made the decision to embark on a corporateplanning approach to institutional management, and has developed, in broad concept,an appropriate model of the planning process. It has now had the benefit of a fullyear's experience in its implementation. It is still too early to properly evaluate theeffectiveness of this process. However, feedback from this first year's experiencegives reason to be optimistic regarding long range benefits. This feedback has alsosuggested areas where refinement of the process should be possible.

The first phase, that of goals formulation, has been completed. It proved to be acomprehensive, though lengthy, consultative process, involving contributions frommany sections of the Institute. Its completion has taken 12 months from the timewhen senior management made the initial decision to develop a set of goals capable ofproviding the basis for corporate planning. The challenge which now faces RMIT isto capitalise on this direction-setting experience, and develop effective courses ofaction to achieve its goals.

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