Strategic Planning: Systematic process of envisioning a desired future and translating this vision into broadly defined goals or objectives as well as a sequence of steps to achieve them. The strategic planning process guides what an organization (or other entity) is, what it does, and why it does it.  Strategic planning requires broad-scale information gathering, an exploration of alternatives, and an emphasis on the future implications of present decisions.

Adapted from: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/strategic-planning.html and http://www.cdc.gov/od/ocphp/nphpsp/PDF/Glossary.pdf