What is the primary purpose of strategic planning in change management?

The primary purpose of strategic planning in change management is to outline the activities required to sustain change. Effective change management requires not just initial implementation, but also ongoing efforts to ensure that the change is embedded into the organization’s culture and processes. By outlining these activities, strategic planning helps to create a clear roadmap for what needs to be done to maintain the change over time, ensuring that the improvements are not temporary but can deliver lasting results.

In the context of the other options, while establishing a budget, defining roles, and conducting market research can support the change management process, they do not encapsulate the core focus of strategic planning. These elements might help in specific areas but do not fundamentally provide a framework for sustaining change initiatives effectively. Therefore, the focus on outlining sustaining activities highlights the significance of maintaining momentum and achieving long-term goals within the change management framework.