Business Planning and Operational Analysis   Developing short and long range business plans seems to be a lost art that very few companies practice anymore.  Many companies would say that developing such plans is a waste of time because by the time you begin implementing the plan, the market has changed and you need to develop a new plan.  Companies that buy-in to this belief system are like “dogs chasing their tails,” always going around in circles and never getting anywhere.    However, when a company chooses to strategically plan for the short and long term, it is developing a roadmap for success.  Good strategic plans must be flexible enough to take into account and adapt to changing market conditions and unforeseen environments, yet thorough, robust and clear enough to ensure you and your employees fully comprehend the goals of the company and what their specific role is in order for the company to accomplish that goal.  It also causes companies to stay ahead of the curve, while maintaining a preventative position rather than always being reactive to the market.  Planning allows a company to stay ahead of “the curve,” and ahead of the competition.   Operational planning and analysis goes a long way in defining the effectiveness, position and strength of a company.  Most companies simply do not operate efficiently, because they simply don’t know how to and/or don’t plan.  It is difficult for someone on the inside to identify corporate waste because it has become an institutionalized, standard practice that falls under the adage, “that’s the way we do business.”  Only the companies that are willing to challenge this ill-faded concept will not only survive, but thrive in economically-trying times.  Companies have to make every last penny go further in order to maintain a competitive edge.  Companies must find ways to maximize their efforts without having to maximize the collateral costs associated with those efforts.    When a company begins to struggle, the natural tendency is for the company to begin with reductions in their workforce and everyone anticipates that arrival of the “hatchet man” that will determine who will stay and who will go.  This practice, while effective in the short term, can spell doom in the long term as good and experienced talent leaves the company. The answer is creating a business strategy that relies upon controlled growth while developing a durable competitive advantage.    We understand the best-in-class practices for creating an operationally-efficient company.  From the manufacturing floor to the corporate offices, we understand how to maximize performance and increase quality while reducing inefficiencies.  The goal is to work smarter, not harder.