Book excerpt: The industrial age is giving way to a new society, an information age first seen in the economic sector and now transforming U.S. social, political, organizational, and personal lives. Educational institutions must reorganize to meet the changing conditions of this new society. To help schools with strategic planning efforts, the three chapters of this publication explore the content, the process, and the leadership capabilities involved. The first chapter examines the forces affecting education, including economic restructuring factors: the nature of work, the power driving society (technology), the global economy, employment patterns, and work force composition. Demographic shifts (aging populations, racial and ethnic factors, family patterns, and sex roles) and organizational changes are also examined. Chapter 2 describes the strategic planning process and how it can address these conditions. Chapter 3 examines the leadership dimension of strategic planning, including four major elements that can significantly improve most districts' management systems: (1) information systems for decision-making, (2) a common sense of direction, (3) stakeholder participation, and (4) linkages among units. The chapter closes by listing characteristics of effective leaders. Included are several figures and 21 references. Appendices include an outline of probable directions for educational restructuring, external and internal scanning checklists, a pattern analysis of national planning assumptions, and an example of data analysis. (MLH)