Strategic Planning - An option or a management tool at gas stations

1. INTRODUCTION

In today's society, the creation, dissemination and protection of knowledge predominate, along with the rapid progress of information technology, resulting in fierce competition among organizations. As a result, the implementation of models of corporate strategic planning has become every day and needed a decisive factor for livestock production and development of Business Strategies.

Business strategies originated in military operations where the primary goal was success in a military campaign, or to win a battle or a war.

Sun Tzu in the fourth century BC says that the essential principle to develop an effective strategic plan is: "To predict the outcome of a war, we must analyze and compare our own conditions and those of our enemy, based on five factors: path, climate , terrain, command and doctrine "Sun-tzu (2004, p. 16).

With the advance of globalization and the diffusion of knowledge management where information is updated with the utmost speed, the evaluation of the five basic factors is vital for the company.

The analysis of these factors is important due to the companies of the future, suffer four trends of change. The first trend is the influence of society through new problems and desires of consumption, and the globalization of consumer markets companies will have to act more broadly geographically and politically. The second trend is the explosion of information, requiring different management. In the third, companies seek people with imagination, creativity and initiative, thus changing the process by professional administrators decision makers, experts in computer science, operations research and technology. And, the fourth trend is characterized by intense competition, global communications and transportation increasingly faster, requiring more innovative people with rapid, agile and differentiated products and technologies.

Strategic planning is vital for organizations to define goals and objectives aimed at achieving competitive advantage over competitors, or that the company filed for a better economic value. Porter (1986) states that the spread of a competitive strategy to be effective by developing a broad formula for how a company will compete, what are those goals and what policies needed to meet these goals.

Whereas knowledge impacts on the excellence and competitiveness, and that information on the strategic knowledge become evident in the importance of business management, fundamentally, this research studied the importance of developing strategic planning for companies trade in fuels.

1. METHODS

This paper studied the fuel sector, assessing whether the organizations are responding to the changing competitive environment through the development and deployment of strategic planning.

In relation to quantitative research, Richardson (1999) argues that this view that everything can be measured, which means in figures reviews and information to classify them and analyze them, requiring the use of resources and technical statistics (percentage, mean, standard deviation, etc.)..

The research strategy is also a case study. Gil (1999, p. 58) characterizes the case study as a "profound and exhaustive study of one or a few objects, so allowing its broad and detailed knowledge."

Still on the case study, Chizzotti (1998, p. 75) defines it as "a thorough description to describe a variety of surveys that collect and record data in a particular case or multiple cases in order to organize an orderly and critical report an experience. "

We interviewed 20 managers of branch companies in cities of Pato Branco - PR and São Lourenço do Oeste - SC, in July 2010, constituting the population of this research.

1. STRATEGY

Leading organizations in the competitive market is a complex and challenging. The pursuit of organizational excellence requires analysis tools to facilitate decision and create competitive strategies in the market.

Sun Tzu (2004) notes that the strategy is of vital importance to the organization, is the path to failure or for success, or even maintaining market. Therefore planning has to be very short analysis and reflection.

Highlight the words of Ansoff and McDonnell (1993), with the advancement and diversification of technologies, along with consumers' demand is that strategic management is a common method, not exceptional, to ensure future profitability.

Rounding out the reasoning quoted above, Porter (1986) defines organizational strategy as the choice of customer segment that the organization intends to serve, striving for excellence through studies of the critical factors, selection of individual and organizational capacity to achieve the internal goals, the To satisfy the stakeholders.

The strategy sets the direction of the organization. However, it is known by common sense that strategic planning is not applied in most companies, ie those commonly referred to as families, especially in a technical way, but until it can be stated that the application is restricted to informality, more precisely the institution of the entrepreneur.

However, the authors Chiavenato and Sapiro (2003) believe that a strategy works with intangibles and particular aspect in each organization, having to establish some criteria for evaluation, for example, contain goals, encourage the initiative of individuals, give priority to concentration of efforts, provide flexibility, to provide a coordinated and committed leadership, be the surprise factor and provide security. They argue that when it comes to desired results, presupposes that they are known and anticipated. To do this you must have prepared a strategic plan before putting the strategy into practice.

1. STRATEGIC PLANNING

Planning is a tool that aids the observation of reality, building a future goal through this and create goals to achieve it.Drucker (1984) states that "Planning is not about future decisions, but the future implications of present decisions."

Conceptualize plan:

Plan is to know and understand the context, is knowing what you want and how to achieve the objectives; is how to prevent, is to calculate the risks and seek to minimize them, is to prepare tactically, is daring and exceed the goals is a continuous and constant. Planning is not only a glimpse of the future, but is also a way to ensure survival and continuity. (CHIAVENATO and Sapir, 2003, p. XIX).

However, planning is an ongoing process aimed at reaching a situation objectified in a way more effective, efficient and effective, with better concentration of resource and effort by the company.

Already, the strategic plan represents a set of tools and actions used to define the paths to pursue, in order to achieve a desired situation by implementing certain strategies. This process is realized by analyzing the external environment and the company's interaction with this, to identify threats and opportunities arising from this environment and reflections on the organization itself in terms of their strengths and weaknesses (FISCH and Mosimann, 1999).

The strategic planning process is a means of creating strategies and competitive advantages. To do this you must have knowledge of external and internal environment of the organization and define the threats and opportunities ahead.

Drucker, quoted Chiavenato and Sapiro, 2003, p.39

Strategic planning is the ongoing process of systematically and with greater knowledge of possible future contained, making decisions today that involve risks, systematically organize the necessary activities and implementation of those decisions and, through an organized and systematic feedback to measure the outcome of those decisions confrontation with the expectations nourished.

"Strategic planning is a process of formulation of organizational strategies in which to seek the inclusion of the organization and mission in the environment it is acting" (CHIAVENATO; Sapir, 2003, p.39). Based on that ensure that strategic planning is related to the strategic medium and long term direction or that affect the viability of the company, but used alone is insufficient. We need, in the strategic planning process, are developed in an integrated and coordinated all operational and tactical plans of the company. This should maximize results and minimize the weaknesses, so the main criteria for evaluating management.

However, in order to develop a strategic plan is to maximize the results and the reduction of disability, it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency and effectiveness.

It is evident that strategic planning is a management tool used by organizations worldwide, supported in most developed countries. This fact was realized due to frequent and unexpected changes in economic, technological, political, social and market.

The authors Mintzberg, Ahlstrand, Lamped (2000) define the planning process should be developed following five steps: analyze the environment (monitor the external environment and internal organization, to identify risks and threats, opportunities, weaknesses and strengths); establish the organizational policy (determining the organization's goal, along with the mission and goals); formulate strategies (defined as the actions of organizations achieve their objectives); implement strategies (put into action the strategies developed); maintain strategic control (monitoring and evaluate all processes to improve it and ensure proper operation, including system operation).

However, Oliveira (2004) defines the phases, based organizations to develop a strategic plan should detail what the objective of this process.

• Strengths - know your strengths and better, which makes it a competitive edge in the market.
• Weaknesses - to know and eliminate weaknesses, thus eliminating potential disadvantages.
• Opportunities - to know and enjoy the opportunities, with greater knowledge of them is easier to adapt and seize opportunities that arise.
• External threats - when he knows the future external threats the company has time to structure and develop strategies to eliminate or mitigate these threats.
• Work Plan - develop a plan that contains: the basic premises that should be considered in developing the plan, the expectations desired by the company, detailing the ways forward for the company and the what, how, when, by whom, to whom, why and where should be developed action plans, how and where to allocate resources.

After this stage, continuing with the remarks of the author Oliveira (2004), planning will seek a good result considering several factors:

• Direct energies toward common goals, developing processes of leadership, motivation and teamwork;
• Understanding throughout the organization, mission, purposes, of macro-strategies, macro-policies, strategic postures, the general objectives of functional goals, challenges, goals, strategies, policies, and the company projects ;
• Timing an agenda for a period of time, taking into account the priorities and exceptions;
• Empowering employees constantly so that they can accomplish their tasks;
• Monitor outcomes and to promptly correct the distortions.

1. THE SCENE OF THE BRAZILIAN FUEL SECTOR

The history of fuel distribution in Brazil is intertwined with the creation of state-owned Petrobras in 1953. With the creation of the Union monopolized the control of oil extraction in national territory.

Currently we have a complex system of fuel distribution. Data recorded in the country that there are 201 fuel distributors, 391 TRRs (RETAIL DEALER TRANSPORTER) and 37,257 Fuel Dealers (posts), within these 16,233 are white flags. The average consumption in Brazil is equivalent to 108,803 billion liters of fuel annually. ANP (2010)

The supply chain of oil and gas sector is formed by refineries, distribution, carrier dealer retail - TRR and gas stations, as described in Figure 02. The production of fuel is the responsibility of petrochemicals, for example, Petrobras, or mills and distilleries, are responsible for the full product, and development of innovation in product quality.

After this phase the complete product is transferred to the bases of distribution, and that the retail chain, to be transferred to final consumers. We emphasize that the distribution companies bearing his name to the gas stations, which have the same contracts and express their slogan, they should just get the same fuel.

The retail chain is split between TRRs and gas stations. The TRR was characterized by the retail businesses and farmers, that is responsible in large quantities to resell. However, the gas stations sell in smaller amounts, both legal and physical persons.This segment is divided into post banners and white flag. The flags are those posts that carry the name of a distributor, they can only acquire these fuels, this factor brings credibility to consumers. Since the posts white flag, symbolizing that no contract basis and can buy products from suppliers more attractive.

Communication between members of the chain is effectively and quickly. This result is the production of fuels is dominated by a government monopoly.

Figure 2: Fuel Logistics

1. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Of the total respondents, 72% are business managers, administrative assistants and 18% 9% cashiers. The population addressed comprised 63% males and 36% female. As age group predominated: 45% from 20 to 30 years, 27% from 30 to 40, and the rest of the alternatives were 9.09% and the following age divisions: 40 to 50 years, from 50 to 60 years and above 60.

Of the respondents 45% have high school and university graduates, 45% and only 9.09% have post-graduation.

When questioned about how it happened the formation of the company, 46% said that it came from ideas and favorable, 36% from legacies and 18% through business plans.

On the question of how long the company operates in the market, 90.9% of companies said they are positioned the same for over 8 years and only 9.1% is in the middle around 4 to 8 years.

Regarding the number of employees, 45.45% of companies have at most 10 employees, 15 employees 18.18% and 18.18% up to 20 employees.

Of the companies surveyed, 73% said they use a strategic planning and 18% do not use as a tool for their activities and 9% is under implementation.

18% of respondents who do not use strategic planning, say they do not do it because they considered it a practice not feasible for the company because of the 73% who use strategic planning apply 18% in sales, marketing, and 9% in the 73 % did not indicate any other factor suggests.

Then questioned whether what the company is today was viewed in the past, obtaining the following percentages: 72.7% say that the company envisioned his current position in the past against 27.3% who said they had not viewed the situation in the past the current company.

Of the respondents, 75% said they have never needed to change their strategies in light of external circumstances and 25% said they needed to change their strategies as a result of factors that gave threats to the development of the company.

63.64% of respondents to the process of change in strategy took place normally, 18.18% felt calm, only 9.09% said they had been a difficult period and 9.09% did not answer this question.

It was questioned then what results from Strategic Planning in the companies where they were matched with a 31% percentage of the questions of higher revenue and better vision of the future. After getting too evenly with 13% change and improvement in management style and the reduction of conflicts occurred. As with 6% last factors the issue of effective leadership and also an optimized communication between management and departments.

Respondents were asked to tell us that during the history of the company for the time being more difficult. Getting the answers arranged as follows 36% considered the opening phase of the company as the most difficult, 36% stage of the implementation of products and / or new ideas and then with 27% to restructuring of culture and environment.

Then we investigated the factor that respondents think and / or viewing for the future of the company: 47% said they expect to get increased customer base, 29% expect to become a leader in your region, 12% expected high profitability and 12% be considered a model company. Is not cited any other factor.

With regard to the purposes and goals of the company asked if these are shared by all involved, where 100% of respondents answered positively.

Given this, it was requested that they told us then how these are passed on to employees: 50% happen through meetings, 22% for internal company information, 22% for informal conversations and only 6% via email.

Related to internal communication, questioned whether the employees contribute ideas and suggestions for improving the company, where 100% of companies said that occurs in parts of these contributions.

We ask that companies tend to use services of external consultants: 58% would not use these services and 42% say they use these.

It was requested that the factors that were listed before the deployment of a Strategic Plan were analyzed: 58% responded that all items listed were considered, namely: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats and company culture. Getting equally distributed with 17% of the opportunities and weaknesses, then with 8% strengths, not being the factors cited threats and company culture.

According to respondents in the business planning takes place in a formal 58% and 42% informal.

We question where the respondents knew or learned the functions and benefits of Strategic Planning: 42% said they had known this method in college, 25% by other means not mentioned in the survey, 17% in Congress, 8% through your statement of accounts and 8 % of teaching materials like books and magazines, other topics such as post-graduate seminars and friends were not cited.

With regard to market research, 58% of companies surveyed use this technique, compared with 42% who do not realize it.

To close the survey asked if respondents how is the exchange of information between the company and its clients, where 53% use of market research, 20% occur over the Internet and 20% through its sales representatives and 7% by telemarketing.

1. CONCLUSION

Was visualized with this study that the majority of companies surveyed have a strategic plan, even if it is informal. Thus, the company's employees are aware of what the company aims, what is its mission, including these, according to the managers, are passed on mainly through meetings. As a consequence, they feel more comfortable in giving suggestions and ideas to the company management, to improve the company.

Together we found that the development of the planning factor is proportional to the benefits of this knowledge to the organization, and have confirmation that their actions are influenced future of what is planned. Another important point according to the poll more than half of the posts did not have to modify the company's strategy, because changes in the external environment, it makes explicit that this environment does not suffer interference from the competitions.

One factor emphasized what has been observed, is that most organizations develop strategic planning based on improved sales in the organization, explaining that the jobs have a purpose and a goal to be followed, because each action has to be a purpose interest of stakeholders.

Another highlight being considered is that most of the posts has aimed to increase the letter of customers, only 29% envisions being a leader in the industry it operates, that is, each unit works with established ideas based on firm size and by taking calculated risks .

Through this research we can conclude that most of the organizations under study is based on some essential points to competitiveness. Among which we mention the goals set, obtaining additional resources or better relocation, development and agility in the processes of problem solving, improvement of relations between staff and friendly attitude by executives. "

It is concluded that organizational leaders are aware that the planning tool is essential to maintain or differentiate themselves amid global market competitiveness, and only through the development and implementation of strategies, the companies achieved the goals and objectives.

1. REFERENCES

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Mosimann, Clara P. and FISCH, Silvio. Controllership - Your Role in Business Administration. São Paulo: Atlas, 1999.

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