CRP Strategic Planning & Execution 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Balanced Scorecard used in recreation management typically measures performance across how many perspectives?
- Two
- Three
- Four (Correct answer)
- Six
Correct answer: Four
The Balanced Scorecard framework measures performance across four perspectives: financial, customer, internal processes, and learning & growth.
Question 2: Which strategic planning step immediately follows the environmental scan?
- Budget allocation
- Mission statement revision
- Identification of strategic issues and priorities (Correct answer)
- Program scheduling
Correct answer: Identification of strategic issues and priorities
After the environmental scan, planners identify strategic issues and priorities that the organization must address based on findings.
Question 3: A recreation department wants to expand services to an underserved neighborhood. Strategically, this initiative is best classified as a(n):
- Operational objective
- Capital improvement project
- Strategic priority or goal (Correct answer)
- Marketing campaign
Correct answer: Strategic priority or goal
Expanding services to underserved populations reflects a high-level directional decision, making it a strategic priority or goal rather than a routine operational task.
Question 4: In executing a strategic plan, 'cascading goals' refers to:
- Reducing goals when budgets are cut
- Breaking high-level strategic goals into department and individual-level objectives (Correct answer)
- Sharing goals publicly with the community
- Postponing goals to the next planning cycle
Correct answer: Breaking high-level strategic goals into department and individual-level objectives
Cascading goals translates organizational strategic goals into progressively specific department and individual objectives, aligning all levels of the agency.
Question 5: Which document formally authorizes a recreation strategic plan and commits agency resources to its implementation?
- A program brochure
- A board or governing body resolution (Correct answer)
- A departmental memo
- A grant application
Correct answer: A board or governing body resolution
A resolution by the governing board or body provides formal authorization and commits the agency's resources and authority to plan implementation.
Question 6: When conducting a competitive analysis for strategic planning, a recreation department most likely compares itself to:
- Other municipal departments in its own agency
- Private gyms, YMCAs, and non-profit recreation providers in the service area (Correct answer)
- Federal recreation standards
- Its own historical performance data only
Correct answer: Private gyms, YMCAs, and non-profit recreation providers in the service area
Competitive analysis examines external organizations offering similar services, such as private gyms and YMCAs, to identify market positioning and differentiation opportunities.
Question 7: A key performance indicator (KPI) for a recreation department's strategic goal of 'increasing youth participation' would BEST be measured by:
- Number of new staff hired
- Percentage increase in registered youth program enrollments year-over-year (Correct answer)
- Total square footage of facility expansions
- Annual budget growth
Correct answer: Percentage increase in registered youth program enrollments year-over-year
Percentage increase in youth program enrollments directly measures progress toward the participation goal and is quantifiable and time-comparable.
CRP Strategic Planning & Execution 3
A Balanced Scorecard used in recreation management typically measures performance across how many perspectives?