IntroductionAt some point, it becomes necessary for an organization to undergo changes. If embracing change is truly one of the organization's core beliefs, efforts should be made to make the necessary transition. A strategic planning structure allows the organization to remain focused on its plans, while being flexible and adaptive and, therefore, able to effectively manage change (Galbraith, et al., 2001, p. 38). operations in the 1920s, is one of the oldest restaurant companies in the country. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange since the 1920s, the company has annual sales of more than $1.1 billion. Within the Morrison organization, there are three divisions: the Hospitality Group, the Family Dining Group and the Specialty Restaurant Division. In April 1982, Ruby Tuesday became independent from the specialty restaurants division of Morrison Restaurants (http://rubytuesday.com/story.asp). The specialty restaurant group was then named Ruby Tuesday Group. The merger provided Morrison with a broader customer base and gave Ruby Tuesday the additional financial support needed to continue its dramatic growth. At the time of the transition, there were 185 Ruby Tuesday restaurants nationwide. Ruby Tuesday's was established in 1972, when Sandy Beall and four of his fraternity buddies from the University of Tennessee opened the first restaurant next to their college campus. Sandy dreamed of creating a restaurant with great food at a great price in a fun, friendly atmosphere. These values ​​became the driving force behind the company and part of the reason it merged with Morrison Restaurants. The restaurant is known for always reinventing...... middle of paper ......e, L. & Roberto, M (2005, summer). The art of sustaining change initiatives: The seeds of effective change must be sown by embedding procedural and behavioral changes in an organization well before the initiative is launched. MIT Sloan Management Review, 46(4), 53-60. Lombardi, D. (June 1994). Strategic planning for restaurant chains. The Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 35(3), 38-40. Oden, H. (1999). Transforming the organization: a socio-technical approach. Westport, CN: Quorum.Ruby Tuesday, Inc. Retrieved May 24, 2006, from http://rubytuesday.com/story.aspWoods, RH (June 1994). Strategic Planning: A Look at Ruby Tuesday. The Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 35(3), 41-49. Zimmerman, J. (2004, Spring). Leading organizational change is like climbing a mountain. The Educational Forum, 68, 234-242.