Paralysis by Analysis? Four Decades of Strategic Planning

This paper traces the evolution of strategic planning practice through a content analysis of advertisements for strategic planning jobs in the New York Times from 1960 to 2003. We address two issues. First, responding to prominent criticisms of analytical approaches to strategic planning, we consider the role of analysis in strategic planning jobs over time. Second, following the association of the MBA degree with these analytical approaches, we examine the relationship of MBA qualifications to analysis in strategic planning jobs. We find no significant shift from analysis in advertised strategic planning jobs in recent years. The MBA appears strongly associated with analytical strategic planning, but not solely. We conclude that analysis has a robust role in strategic planning and discuss implications for strategy practice, research, and education.