This paper addresses the background, development, and implementation of a Strategic
Business Plan by the City of Lafayette, Indiana. Lafayette is a community located in
west central Indiana with a population of approximately 61,000. In mid-2001 the City of
Lafayette initiated the strategic business planning (SBP) effort to increase organizational
effectiveness and enhance the performance of four of its divisions: the Civil Engineering
Department, the Water Department, the Wastewater Department, and the Street
Department (Public Works).
Given the interdependent culture that exists in the City of Lafayette, the efforts of one
department to change are enhanced to the extent that all City Departments embrace the
SBP process and accept the need to improve. Understanding this interdependence, Public
Works invited the City's executive leadership and other City Department heads to
participate in the SBP process. The subsequent enthusiasm of the other City department
heads prompted the Mayor and executive City officials to expand the program to be the
development of a City-wide Strategic Business Plan. Includes figure.