Four ‘business model’ scenarios for higher education: An introduction to strategic planning through storytelling — from Gartner
This document and its related research has two purposes: (1) to equip higher education executives with a set of planning tools that enable actionable, institutionally aligned strategic planning through transparent communication and participation; and (2) to highlight several trends and technologies important in institutional strategic planning for the next 10 years.
Key Findings
- According to Gartner experience, more than 60% of higher education IT strategic planning is isolated from the institutional strategic planning process, or the institution doesn’t have an institutional strategic plan, or strategic plans are not linked to the budget-planning process.
- The technology of today is a disruptor of old business/institutional models as well as an enabler of new business/institutional models. Institution strategic planning cannot be done without considering the impact of IT.
Recommendations
- Higher education CIOs who want to become the trusted business partner need to address the core mission of the institution in order to be able to make relevant contributions to the senior management and strategic planning.
- Higher education CIOs should use scenario-planning methodology — strategic planning by storytelling — to involve, communicate with and align with institutional stakeholders.
- Higher education CIOs should only use Gartner’s higher education “business model” scenarios as a context and guide in forming their own strategies, focusing as much on the collective journey as the end goal.