Background: Arguments are made for strategic planning as an important organisational capability used to realise a firm’s goals and objectives. Despite this, conflicting views appear to emerge from the extant literature over the link between strategic planning and financial performance. Notably, within a South African context, a few studies have been conducted ascertaining this relationship especially within small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs). Aim and setting: The study aimed to determine this relationship using survey responses from a sample of 225 respondents classified as owners or managers of SMMEs operating within theBuffalo City Metropolitan in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Method: Data were analysed through regression and correlation analysis. Results: Findings reveal strategic planning to have a positive relationship with the financial performance of the SMMEs. Furthermore, aspects of strategic planning (formulation, implementation, evaluation and control) were also found to have a positive relationship with financial performance. Conclusion: Suggestions for theory and practice are made based on these findings, including how the adoption and usage of strategic planning cannot only be an important organisational capability but also a basis for attaining a competitive advantage within the SMME.

中文翻译：

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战略规划与财务绩效之间的关系：以布法罗市为例的中小型企业

背景：对于战略规划而言，争论是作为实现公司目标的一种重要组织能力。尽管如此，关于战略规划与财务绩效之间关系的现有文献似乎出现了相互矛盾的观点。值得注意的是，在南非范围内，已经进行了一些研究来确定这种关系，特别是在小型，中型和微型企业（SMME）中。目的和背景：该研究旨在通过对来自225个被调查对象的调查答复来确定这种关系，这些被调查对象是在南非东开普省布法罗市都会区内经营的SMME所有者或管理者。方法：通过回归和相关分析对数据进行分析。结果：调查结果揭示了与SMME的财务绩效具有积极关系的战略规划。此外，还发现战略规划的各个方面（制定，实施，评估和控制）与财务绩效有着积极的关系。结论：基于这些发现提出了理论和实践建议，包括战略计划的采用和使用不仅是一项重要的组织能力，而且是在SMME内部获得竞争优势的基础。