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This study has a twofold purpose. The first is to demonstrate the state of the art of corporate planning and forecasting activity, and the second is to determine the existence of any differences between the planning practices of the consumer service industry and the producer service industry. The study is organized into seven chapters. The introduction chapter contains background information, a description of the problem and opportunity followed by a definition of terms, the purpose of the research, hypothesis of the research. It also describes the scope of the research, methodology, significance and limitations of the study and provides a chapter bibliography. The study finds that though certain segments of the service industry have sophisticated planning capability, it is not generally widespread. The study concludes there is no significant difference in the planning methods between consumer services and producer services industries

This research examines competing theories based on the strategic choice and organizational ecology perspectives by investigating strategic change in the banking industry preceding and following interest rate and product deregulation of financial institutions in the early 1980's. Adaptation theory suggests that the largest, oldest, and most powerful organizations have superior capacities for adapting to environmental circumstances and that organizational variability reflects changes in the strategy and structure of a firm in response to environmental changes. The organizational ecology perspective hypothesizes that a firm's ability to change is inversely related to organizational age and size and that organizations become inert as they grow and age. The propositions and hypotheses in this research examine the relationship between organizational age and size on both absolute and relative inertia. The association between strategic change on firm survival is also explored. Findings demonstrate partial support for both theories. An explanation for the mixed findings is offered which suggests that both adaptation and organizational ecology theories explain continuous change, while the deregulation period under study represented a period of discontinuous change. A third model of strategic change, proposed by Meyers, Brooks, and Goes (1990) is offered as a better explanation of strategic change among U.S. banks during the decade following deregulation. / Ph. D.