Strategic planning is an inevitability, not an advantage, for every organisation including higher education institutions; it is also important to recognise quality assurance as a major part of it. In this study I have conducted an in-depth Internal Action Research (IAR) at my workplace in the College in Oman, to find out the process of strategic management in order to achieve sustainable advantages. The study used a systematic approach to investigate the formulation and implementation of strategies in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). In the methodological part of the study, I applied the interpretivist epistemology and ontology and adopted the qualitative research methodology to understand my own and the research participants’ perceptions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior directors who play an essential role in strategic management. A review of existing literature and a number of internal organisational documents formed the basis for the empirical analyses. In addition, the study used the template analysis method of King (2004) for the data analysis, which led to the identification of 14 elements influencing the strategic management of the College, which resulted in constructing a one-page Balanced Scorecard (BSC) integrated framework for the process. This study provided valuable and interesting insights on the topic and the knowledge gained will help the College and other higher education institutions in a similar situation in the proper management of their strategic plans.

Strategic planning is an inevitability, not an advantage, for every organisation including higher education institutions; it is also important to recognise quality assurance as a major part of it. In this study I have conducted an in-depth Internal Action Research (IAR) at my workplace in the Colleg...