Strategic Planning, Do we need more 'Planners' ?

Our assessment of the common strategic planning processes has uncovered the need to introduce more strategic planners into the strategy making process which is currently owned by line managers and performed in a synthetic manner- below the threshold of “formalization edge”- a good practice. (Mintzberg H., 2004)
Strategic planners will enrich the strategy making process with analytical formal insights and the strategy implementation process with strategic programming scheme (including codification, elaboration and conversion of strategies).
Heading towards a more flexible learning organization, we would favor including more “left-handed” planners to uncover strategies in strange places and serve as stimulating catalysts. (March J. et al., 1976)
Organizations can espouse the comprehensive framework presented in fig. below (integrating planning, plans and planners’ roles) then tailor it to our specific needs (Mintzberg H., 1987)



Figure 2: strategic planning framework adopted from Mintzberg, 2004