The purposes of this study were to: (1) identify and compare the components, stages, and strategies used in perceived exemplary planning systems at four selected community colleges; and (2) make recommendations to individuals and institutions interested in designing, developing, and implementing a comprehensive planning system. An extensive review of the literature provided conceptual models, taxonomies, and frameworks for an in-depth comparative case study analysis. / Ten criteria were used to select the four community colleges included in this study. Two large institutions, located in large, urban, multi-ethnic communities and two colleges in small, non-urban communities were contacted initially in 1983. During visits to each college, selected administrators and faculty were interviewed. Data collection included semi-structured questions, written documents, and personal observations. A follow up survey was conducted in 1985 to review changes in the planning systems over a subsequent two-year period. / A comparative analysis structure was used to analyze the data, based on five research questions, and to present the findings, conclusions, discussion, and recommendations. The findings indicated that the comprehensive planning systems, which included organization, education, financial, and facility components, were integrated into the ongoing operations of the four colleges. The planning systems appeared to be continually evolving, were found to have been developed and implemented in stages, utilized both strategic and operational planning, and were linked to other management functions such as budgeting, marketing, and evaluation. / The conclusions provided a synthesized analysis of the findings regarding the characteristics of comprehensive planning systems and research methods found to be appropriate for the comparative study of planning systems. Recommendations for establishing a comprehensive planning system and for further study are presented to assist planners and those interested in conducting further research and to provide insights regarding the current status and future directions of comprehensive planning as an effective management system. It is suggested that a substantial body of knowledge is emerging that may lead to the development of a general theory of comprehensive planning. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-05, Section: A, page: 1583. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75803 |
| Contributors | HOOKS, WILLIAM MICHAEL., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 333 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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