The california department of transportation (caltrans) has completed the first two cycles of an annual strategic management process.In this report, the author documents and evaluates the process through these cycles. First, a background review of the need for this type of managemen tool is covered. The process, schedule of events, and products that were developed to provide department management with a means for more effective decision making are then outlined. An evaluation of the process at the end of the second cycle includes a discussion of the problems encountered and of where the process fell short in delivering anticipated improvements. This evaluation also includes the benefits derived from the process to date. Finally, the proposed modifications to the process for the start of the third cycle, including changes to the content of the resulting products, are covered. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1229, Economics, finance, planning, and administration.
Abstract