This practice manual is intended to provide an organized approach to strategic planning for human resource professionals at all organizational levels, regardless of their familiarity with strategic planning. Chapter 1 provides a brief introduction and chapter 2 describes the strategic planning process. The rationale for pursuing a strategic planning program is the topic of chapter 3; chapter 4 describes the process for selecting the planning team; and chapter 5 describes the creation of the action plan. In chapter 6 issues regarding the communication of the plan to the necessary constituencies are highlighted, and chapter 7 examines ways in which members of the institutional community can become participants in the program. Chapter 8 examines how to balance efficiency and employee involvement in order to achieve the optimum balance between centralization and decentralization within the context of the organizational structure. Finally, chapter 9 notes that strategic planning must be incorporated into the workplace as a continuous process. A set of documents designed to guide the strategic planning process and a copy of the College and University Personnel Association's strategic plan are appended. (Most chapters contain references.) (MAB)