This step has historically been omitted from the strategic- planning process. However, in modern strategic planning, implementation has become so critical that we devoted all of Chapter 8 in your textbook to its discussion. Implementation includes actions to be taken, as well as responsible parties, sequencing of marketing activities, and a time frame for their completion. A time line, like the one in Exhibit 3, can be a very useful tool in directing the implementation discussion.
Students are often very optimistic in terms of the time needed to carry out certain tasks.
However, small things, like the development of a questionnaire and the collection and analysis of data, can take several weeks, if not months. Be careful to provide reasonable amounts of time for each step. It is frequently noted that Americans are great innovators, while the Japanese are great implementers. In U.S. organizations, the selection of the alternative to be pursued is often made on a majority-rules basis. If ten people are on the decision-making team, and six speak in favor of introducing a new product line and four speak against it, a decision to introduce the new line is the likely result.