Obstacles to Strategic Financial and Fiscal Planning

Question 1: Every organization, including governments, must survive in an environment full of opportunities and threats. Governments must find ways around threats and take advantage of opportunities that arise. Complicating the existence of government organizations is the fact that they are open systems that are affected by both external and internal forces. External forces include economic or political opportunities and obstacles. Internal forces relate to human resource strengths or weaknesses, or other inherent conditions of the organization. 

In this Discussion, you focus on internal and external factors that may affect the development of a successful strategic financial plan in a government organization.

Review this week’s Learning Resources. Then, select a public organization and consider how what you read about factors affecting strategic financial planning relates to this specific organization.

With these thoughts in mind:

A brief description of the United Way. Then, explain the internal and external factors that might impede the development of a successful financial strategic plan. Provide examples of at least two internal factors and one external factor, and explain how they could impact the organization. Then, identify how these obstacles may be overcome.

Be sure to support your posting and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Resources

• Casey, J. P., & Seay, K. T. (2010). The role of the finance officer in strategic planning. Government Finance Review, 26(6), 28–36. 
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Brittain, L. (2006). City of Toronto’s long-term fiscal plan. Government Finance Review, 22(6), 18–24. 
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Moynihan, D. P. (2006). Managing for results in state government: Evaluating a decade of reform. Public Administration Review, 66(1), 77–89. 
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Moynihan, D. P. (2012) Creating a performance-driven federal government. Public Manager, 41(4), 41–44. 
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Question 2:  

Numerous theorists have constructed models and theories to help predict how the public policy process will evolve, given the stakeholders, decision-makers, and policy analysts involved in the decision-making construct (Nowlin, 2011). However, as theories, they may have predictive value but not necessarily definitive value. Whether you are a citizen interacting with different levels of government or a professional working within a governmental agency, it is incumbent upon you to reconcile the different approaches with your practical experiences.

With these thoughts in mind:

Analyze the methods and processes by which policy analysts and decision-makers evaluate and adopt public policies. Review various approaches taken by policy actors in the determination of public policy.

Post by Day 4 a brief description outlining the approaches to policy adoption and execution. Analyze how practical and effective you believe each approach may be based on this week’s assigned readings and from your personal and/or professional experiences in or with government either in the United States or in your home country. Then, explain how the policy approach supports the transformation of a public policy agenda item into an actionable public policy. Provide specific examples based on the country that you have chosen.

300-600 word, APA, with resources