Strategic planning process-employee empowerment in an R&D center

Summary form only given, as follows. The authors discuss the strategic planning process within a basic research and development organization, NASA´s Langley Research Center. With over six years´ experience in developing and refining strategic plans by the Center´s senior staff, the operational framework was in place to initiate a major employee empowerment activity. As a result of an agency culture survey conducted in 1989, three areas were identified at Langley as needing improvement. All of the areas focused on a need to do a better job in managing the most important asset, people. The center director established three employee groups called Strategic Culture Assessment for the Nineties, or SCAN, teams. The authors trace the teams´ overall efforts, including data collection, supervisory and employee involvement of over 300 people, feedback to senior management, and proposed recommendations. All but two (for regulatory reasons) of the 61 recommendations have been or are in the process of being implemented. Changes introduced in communications, rewards and recognition, and career development have had a significant impact on the Center´s daily operations