Week 12 Reading Reflection

Questions

1) What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations?

The fatal visions listed under “Fatal Visions in Strategic Planning” were eye opening in that I never thought about them as such.  I can imagine that entrepreneurs, so focused on making their businesses work, most probably do not realize that they are falling into a fatal vision trap.

2) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

Nothing was really confusing but I did list in question 4 how the risk matrix was too simple.  I suppose I am confused why that is.

3) If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?

What are strategic planning best practices that that non-profit organizations can follow?

How does strategic planning change if the main motivation is sustainability and not profitability?

4) Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?

The entrepreneur risk matrix was too simple.  Just classifying innovation and risk in a low-high paradigm is not enough.  The spectrum of innovation and risk is nuanced to a great degree so a scale say from 1 to 10 may be is more appropriate.  This can be used to create a grid that has 9 to 16 boxes.  This would allow for strategies that are more specific and applicable to businesses and can be shown by a more extensive figure 13.4.