1.

WHAT ARE THE FOUR BASIC FUNCTION OF MANAGEMENT AND EXPLAIN

EACH FUNCTION?
Planning

In the planning stage, managers establish organizational goals and create a course of
action to achieve them. During the planning phase, management makes strategic
decisions to set a direction for the organization. Managers can brainstorm different
alternatives to achieve the objective before choosing the best course of action. While
planning, managers typically conduct in-depth analysis of the organization’s current
state of affairs, taking into consideration its vision and mission and evaluating what
resources are available to meet organizational objectives. Managers may have to take
additional steps, such as seeking approval from other departments, executives or their
board of directors before proceeding with the plan. 

There are several approaches to planning: 

 Strategic planning: This type of planning is often carried out by an organization’s

top management and usually creates goals for the entire organization more. 
 Tactical planning: Tactical planning is the shorter-term planning of an objective
that will take a year or less to achieve. It is usually carried out by an organization’s
middle management. Tactical planning is usually aimed at a specific area or
department of the organization such as its facilities, production, finance,
marketing or personnel.
 Operational planning: Operational planning is the process of using tactical
planning to achieve strategic planning and goals. Operational planning creates a
timeframe for putting a portion of the strategic goal into practice operationally. 

Organizing

The purpose of organizing is to distribute the resources and delegate tasks to personnel

to achieve the goals established in the planning stage. Managers may need to work with
other departments of the organization, such as finance and human resources, to
organize the budget and staffing. During the organizing stage, managers strive to create
a work environment conducive to productivity. Managers typically take employees’
motivation and aptitude into account to match employees with roles and tasks that best
fit their abilities. When assigning team member roles, managers should explain and
ensure that employees understand their individual duties. To help employees feel
engaged and productive, managers should ensure that employees are assigned an
appropriate amount of work and an appropriate amount of time to complete their
work. Here are some examples of the organizing function: 

 If the company’s brand manager works part time and the organization’s goal is to
launch a new advertising campaign for a product, the brand manager may not
take on the significant responsibility of managing the campaign besides their
 regular duties. The company may hire an advertising agency to help with the
promotion of the product. 
 If a company’s sales in a geographic area have grown exponentially,
management may plan to split the territory in two and need to divide the current
team working in the territory and hire additional staff members as needed. 


Leading

Leading consists of motivating employees and influencing their behavior to achieve

organizational objectives. Leading focuses on managing people, such as individual
employees, teams and groups rather than tasks. Though managers may direct team
members by giving orders and directing to their team, managers who are successful
leaders usually connect with their employees by using interpersonal skills to encourage,
inspire and motivate team members to perform to the best of their abilities. 

Managers can foster a positive working environment by identifying moments when

employees need encouragement or direction and using positive reinforcement to give
praise when employees have done their jobs well. 

Managers usually incorporate different leadership styles and change their management
style to adapt to different situations. Examples of situational leadership styles include: 

 Directing: The manager leads by deciding with little input from the employee.
This is an effective leadership style for new employees who need a lot of initial
direction and training.
 Coaching: The manager is more receptive to input from employees. They may
pitch their ideas to employees to work cooperatively and build trust with team
members. This style of leadership is effective for individuals who need managerial
support to further develop their skills.
 Supporting: The manager decides with team members but focuses more on
building relationships within the team. This style of leadership is effective for
employees who have fully developed skills but are sometimes inconsistent in their
performance. 
 Delegating: The leader provides a minimum of guidance to employees and is
more concerned with the vision of the project than day-to-day operations. This
style of leadership is effective with employees able to work and perform tasks on
their own with little guidance. The leader can focus more on high-level goals than
on tasks. 

Controlling
Controlling is the process of evaluating the execution of the plan and making
adjustments to ensure that the organizational goal is achieved. During the controlling
stage mangers perform tasks such as training employees as necessary and managing
deadlines. Managers monitor employees and evaluate the quality of their work. They
can conduct performance appraisals and give employees feedback, providing positive
remarks on what they are doing well and suggestions for improvement. They may also
offer pay raise incentives to high-performing employees. 

Managers may need to make adjustments such as:

 Budget adjustments: Managers monitor the budget and resources to ensure

that they are using the resources available and not going over budget. For
example, a manager may notice that she is going over budget on a project but be
unsure what is causing the project to go over budget. In this situation, she will
need to identify whether there is a general problem with overspending or whether
one department in particular is going over budget. Once the manager identifies
the source of the overspending, she must take action to curb overall spending and
make cuts as necessary to balance the budget. 
 Staffing adjustments: Managers may need to make challenging decisions such
as whether to reassign an employee who produces a low-quality work to a
different task or dismiss them from a project. They may also need to add
additional team members to meet an organizational goal if they conclude that the
team is understaffed. If this is the case, they may also need to consult with
organization executives to secure more funding.

2. WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF PLANNING AND GIVE ITS IMPORTANT?

Planning can be defined as “thinking in advance what is to be done, when it is to be

done, how it is to be done and by whom it should be done”. In simple words we can say,

planning bridges the gap between where we are standing today and where we want to

reach. Planning involves setting objectives and deciding in advance the appropriate

course of action to achieve these objectives so we can also define planning as setting

up of objectives and targets and formulating an action plan to achieve them.

Another important ingredient of planning is time. Plans are always developed for a fixed

time period as no business can go on planning endlessly.

Keeping in mind the time dimension we can define planning as “Setting objectives for a

given time period, formulating various courses of action to achieve them and then

selecting the best possible alternative from the different courses of actions”.

Features/Nature/Characteristic of Planning:
1. Planning contributes to Objectives:

Planning starts with the determination of objectives. We cannot think of planning in

absence of objective. After setting up of the objectives, planning decides the methods,

procedures and steps to be taken for achievement of set objectives. Planners also help

and bring changes in the plan if things are not moving in the direction of objectives.

For example, if an organisation has the objective of manufacturing 1500 washing

machines and in one month only 80 washing machines are manufactured, then changes

are made in the plan to achieve the final objective.

2. Planning is Primary function of management:

Planning is the primary or first function to be performed by every manager. No other

function can be executed by the manager without performing planning function because

objectives are set up in planning and other functions depend on the objectives only.

For example, in organizing function, managers assign authority and responsibility to the

employees and level of authority and responsibility depends upon objectives of the

company. Similarly, in staffing the employees are appointed. The number and type of

employees again depends on the objectives of the company. So planning always

proceeds and remains at no. 1 as compared to other functions.

3. Pervasive:

Planning is required at all levels of the management. It is not a function restricted to top

level managers only but planning is done by managers at every level. Formation of

major plan and framing of overall policies is the task of top level managers whereas

departmental managers form plan for their respective departments. And lower level

managers make plans to support the overall objectives and to carry on day to day

activities.

4. Planning is futuristic/Forward looking:

Planning always means looking ahead or planning is a futuristic function. Planning is

never done for the past. All the managers try to make predictions and assumptions for

future and these predictions are made on the basis of past experiences of the manager

and with the regular and intelligent scanning of the general environment.

5. Planning is continuous:

Planning is a never ending or continuous process because after making plans also one

has to be in touch with the changes in changing environment and in the selection of one

best way.

So, after making plans also planners keep making changes in the plans according to the

requirement of the company. For example, if the plan is made during the boom period

and during its execution there is depression period then planners have to make

changes according to the conditions prevailing.

6. Planning involves decision making:

The planning function is needed only when different alternatives are available and we

have to select most suitable alternative. We cannot imagine planning in absence of

choice because in planning function managers evaluate various alternatives and select

the most appropriate. But if there is one alternative available then there is no

requirement of planning.

For example, to import the technology if the licence is only with STC (State Trading Co-

operation) then companies have no choice but to import the technology through STC

only. But if there is 4-5 import agencies included in this task then the planners have to

evaluate terms and conditions of all the agencies and select the most suitable from the

company’s point of view.

7. Planning is a mental exercise:

It is mental exercise. Planning is a mental process which requires higher thinking that is

why it is kept separate from operational activities by Taylor. In planning assumptions

and predictions regarding future are made by scanning the environment properly. This

activity requires higher level of intelligence. Secondly, in planning various alternatives

are evaluated and the most suitable is selected which again requires higher level of
intelligence. So, it is right to call planning an intellectual process.

3. WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF PLANNING ?

Aim:

Any organisation should have definite aim. The aim should be clearly defined so that it

can guide and direct the activities of the enterprise. The main aim of a cooperative
organisation is to do service and to improve the economic conditions of members.

Calvert’s definition of cooperation clearly exhibits this aim.

2. Objectives:

Webster’s Dictionary defines objectives as “that towards which effort is directed or end

of action or goal”. Hence objectives or goals may be described as the ends towards

which the group activities are aimed.

People say “Effective management is management by objectives”. A cooperative

organisation can have sub-objectives for each department or sections and they can be

united to have board based objective.

3. Policies:

A policy is a verbal, written or implied basic guide that provides direction to a manager

for action. Policies guide the actions of an organization’s performance and its objectives

in the various areas of operation.

4. Procedures:

Procedures spell out the actions to be taken out in practice to achieve the organizations

objectives as stated in the policies. Procedures may be static or changed often.

Organizations have set procedures for procuring raw materials, recruitment of personnel

etc.

5. Methods:

Methods are work plans, since they provide the manner and order, keeping the

objectives, time and facilities available. Methods involve only one department and one

person. They contribute to the efficiency in working and help work planning and control.

Methods are used in manufacturing, marketing and office work.

6. Rules:

Rules are different from procedures and policies. A rule requires a specific and definite

action be taken or not taken with respect to a situation. Rules do not allow any

discretion in their application. Also they do not allow any leniency to come in the way of

their application.

7. Budget:

Budget is essentially a plan expressed in quantitative terms. Budgets involve both

planning and control element. Like the plan, budget is flexible, realistic and operates

within a framework. A budget is differentiated from other plans in the following

respects:-

a. It is a tool for planning and control.

b. A budget covers specific period.

c. Budget is expressed in financial terms.

8. Programmes:

Programmes show the way and lay down procedure for activities to take place within a

time limit for accomplishing, the stated objectives. The constituents of a programme are

objectives, policies, procedures, rules, methods and resources to be made use for

obtaining the objectives. Programmes enable the management to anticipate and

prepare them ahead to meet future eventualities.

9. Strategics:

Koontz and O’Donnell consider this as an important planning element. “Strategy

concerns the direction in which human and physical resources will be deployed and

applied in order to maximize the chance of achieving a selected objective in the face of

difficulties”.

In corporate planning strategy serves as a master plan which the company adopts for

the realization of the objectives. It provides skill and judgment to the management to

predict and foresee what difficult and complex situations are likely to arise and they can
take timely action to avert them or at least to minimize the risk and uncertainty .

4. WHAT IS THE IMPORTANT OF PLANNING ?

Importance of planning in management are:

Planning is the first and most important function of management. It is needed at every

level of management. In the absence of planning all the business activities of the

organization will become meaningless. The importance of planning has increased all the

more in view of the increasing size of organizations and their complexities. Planning has

again gained importance because of uncertain and constantly changing business

environment. In the absence of planning, it may not be impossible but certainly difficult

to guess the uncertain events of future.

The following facts show the advantages of planning and its importance for a business

organisation:
(1) Planning Provides Direction:

Under the process of planning the objectives of the organisation are defined in simple

and clear words. The obvious outcome of this is that all the employees get a direction

and all their efforts are focused towards a particular end. In this way, planning has an

important role in the attainment of the objectives of the organisation.

For example, suppose a company fixes a sales target under the process of planning.

Now all the departments, e.g., purchase, personnel, finance, etc., will decide their

objectives in view of the sales target.

In this way, the attention of all the managers will get focused on the attainment of their

objectives. This will make the achievement of sales target a certainty. Thus, in the

absence of objectives an organisation gets disabled and the objectives are laid down

under planning.

(2) Planning Reduces Risks of Uncertainty:

Planning is always done for future and future is uncertain. With the help of planning

possible changes in future are anticipated and various activities are planned in the best

possible way. In this way, the risk of future uncertainties can be minimised.

For example, in order to fix a sales target a survey can be undertaken to find out the

number of new companies likely to enter the market. By keeping these facts in mind and

planning the future activities, the possible difficulties can be avoided.

(3) Planning Reduces Overlapping and Wasteful Activities:

Under planning, future activities are planned in order to achieve objectives.

Consequently, the problems of when, where, what and why are almost decided. This

puts an end to disorder and suspicion. In such a situation coordination is established

among different activities and departments. It puts an end to overlapping and wasteful

activities.

Consequently, wastages moves towards nil, efficiency increases and costs get to the

lowest level. For example, if it is decided that a particular amount of money will be

required in a particular month, the finance manager will arrange for it in time.

In the absence of this information, the amount of money can be more or less than the

requirement in that particular month. Both these situations are undesirable. In case, the

money is less than the requirement, the work will not be completed and in case it is

more than the requirement, the amount will remain unused and thus cause a loss of

interest.

(4) Planning Promotes Innovative Ideas:

It is clear that planning selects the best alternative out of the many available. All these

alternatives do not come to the manager on their own, but they have to be discovered.

While making such an effort of discovery, many new ideas emerge and they are studied

intensively in order to determine the best out of them.

In this way, planning imparts a real power of thinking in the managers. It leads to the

birth of innovative and creative ideas. For example, a company wants to expand its

business. This idea leads to the beginning of the planning activity in the mind of the

manager. He will think like this:

Should some other varieties of the existing products be manufactured?

Should retail sales be undertaken along with the wholesales?

Should some branch be opened somewhere else for the existing or old product?
Should some new product be launched?

In this way, many new ideas will emerge one after the other. By doing so, he will

become habituated to them. He will always be thinking about doing something new and

creative. Thus, it is a happy situation for a company which is born through the medium

of planning.

(5) Planning Facilitates Decision Making:

Decision making means the process of taking decisions. Under it, a variety of

alternatives are discovered and the best alternative is chosen. The planning sets the

target for decision making. It also lays down the criteria for evaluating courses of action.

In this way, planning facilitates decision making.

(6) Planning Establishes Standards for Controlling:

By determining the objectives of the organisation through planning all the people

working in the organisation and all the departments are informed about ‘when’, ‘what’

and ‘how’ to do things.

Standards are laid down about their work, time and cost, etc. Under controlling, at the

time of completing the work, the actual work done is compared with the standard work

and deviations are found out and if the work has not been done as desired the person

concerned are held responsible.

For example, a labourer is to do 10 units of work in a day (it is a matter of planning), but

actually he completes 8 units. Thus there is a negative deviation of 2 units. For this, he

is held responsible. (Measurement of actual work, knowledge of deviation and holding

the labourer responsible falls under controlling.) Thus, in the absence of planning

controlling is not possible.

5.WHAT ARE THE SKILLS NEEDED FOR PLANNING ?

In addition to a formal educational background, planners possess a unique combination

of skills that enhance their professional success.
Because planning is a dynamic and diverse profession, individual skills vary depending
on a planner's role and area of specialization, but successful planners typically
demonstrate the following:

 Knowledge of urban spatial structure or physical design and the way in which
cities work.
 Ability to analyze demographic information to discern trends in population,
employment, and health.
 Knowledge of plan-making and project evaluation.
 Mastery of techniques for involving a wide range of people in making decisions.
 Understanding of local, state, and federal government programs and processes.
 Understanding of the social and environmental impact of planning decisions on
communities.
 Ability to work with the public and articulate planning issues to a wide variety of
audiences.
 Ability to function as a mediator or facilitator when community interests conflict.
 Understanding of the legal foundation for land use regulation.
 Understanding of the interaction among the economy, transportation, health and
human services, and land-use regulation.
 Ability to solve problems using a balance of technical competence, creativity, and
hardheaded pragmatism.
 Ability to envision alternatives to the physical and social environments in which
we live.
 Mastery of geographic information systems (GIS) and office (presentation,
spreadsheet, etc.) software.
6. WHAT ARE THE STEPS IN PLANNING PROCESS ?

Establishing Objectives:
Establishing the objectives is the first step in planning. Plans are prepared with a view to
achieve certain goals. Hence, establishing the objectives is an important step in the
process of planning. Plans should reflect the enterprise’s objectives. Objectives should
clearly define as to what is to be achieved by policies, procedures, rules, strategies,
budgets and programmes. Plan must make sure that every activity undertaken
contributes to the achievement of objectives.

The objectives fixed must clearly indicate what is to be achieved, where action should
take place, who is to perform it, how it is to be undertaken and when it is to be
accomplished. That is, managers should be able to restate the objectives of the firm in
definite and clear terms that will motivate examination and evaluation of performance
against targeted performance in the plan. Objectives should be measurable.

Determining Planning Premises

This is the second step in planning. Premises include actual forecast data, policies and
plans of the enterprise. Planning involves looking into the future which necessitates the
enterprise to know, how future conditions will affect its activities. Thus, forecasting is an
important step in planning. There are two types of forecasting namely,

i.
i. Prediction of general economic conditions.
i. Prediction of market conditions for a specific product or service dealt with by the
enterprise.
Keeping the general economic conditions in mind, a study of the industry is made. Then
the manager proceeds to make a study of his company’s share of the market.
Forecasting will reveal those areas where control is lacking. Planning will be reliable
when the forecast methods are accurate. Hence, the success of the planning depends
very much upon the forecasts.

Determining Alternative Courses

Determining alternative courses is the third step in the planning process. The planner
should study all the alternatives, consider the strong and weak points of them and finally
select the most promising ones.

Evaluating Alternative Courses

Alternative courses so selected should be evaluated in the light of premises and goals.
Evaluation involves the study of performance of various actions. Various factors such as
profitability, investment requirements, etc., of such alternatives should be weighed
against each other. Each alternative should be closely studied to determine its
suitability.
Many other factors such are uncertain future trend, problems faced financially, future
uncertainties renders the evaluation process, complex and difficult. Usually, alternative
plans are evaluated against factors such as cost, risks, benefits, organizational facilities,
etc. Computer based mathematical plans and techniques can also be utilized to identify
best course of action.

Selecting the Best Course

After having evaluated the various alternatives, the most suitable alternative is selected.
With this, the plan can be considered to have been adopted. It is exactly the point at
which decisions are made. Sometimes, in the best interests of the enterprise, several
alternative courses can be adopted.

Formulating Derivative Plans

Planning is not complete as soon as the best course is selected. The main plan should
be supported by a number of derivative plans. Within the framework of a basic plan,
derivative plans are formulated in each functional area. Segregation of master plan into
departmental, sectional and individual plans, helps to understand the real nature of
future uncertainties. To make the planning process more effective, it should also provide
for a feedback mechanism. These plans are meant for the implementation of the main
plan.

Implementation of Plans
Implementation of plans is the final step in the process of planning. This involves putting
the plans into action so as to achieve the business objectives Implementation of plans
requires establishment of policies, procedures, standards, budgets, etc.

7. HOW TO PLAN AND HOW TO MAKE DECISION IN

RELATION TO PLANNING?
Planning and decision-making are the most important managerial functions, and there
are many relations between them. Planning is thinking of doing. Decision-making is a
part of planning. Planning is the process of selecting a future course of action, where
Decision-making means selecting a course of action.

Planning and decision-making, organizing, leading and controlling are all interrelated.
Planning and decision making is the most important step of all managerial functions.

There are many relationships between decision-making and planning.

Definition of Planning

Planning managerial functions where managers are required to establish goals and

state the ways and means by which these goals are to be attained.

Therefore planning is taken as the foundation for future activities.

Or in simple terms; planning is deciding in advance what is to be done. Planning is

thinking of doing.

Management every time has to look for planning long-range and short-range future
direction by estimating and evaluating the future behavior of the relevant environment
and by determining the enterprise’s own desired role.

Plans have two basic components: goals and action statements. Goals represent an
end state the targets and results that managers hope to achieve.

Action statements represent how an organization goes ahead to attain its

goals. Planning is a deliberate and conscious work using which managers determine
a future course of action for attaining a specific goal.

To a manager means planning is thinking about what is to be done, who is going to do

it, and how and when he will do it.

Planning also required thinking about past events and future opportunities and
impending threats. The planning process finds organizational strengths and
weaknesses.

Related: Managerial Skills: 5 Skills Managers Need (Explained)

Definition of Decision-making

Decision-making is the process of identifying a set of feasible alternatives and choosing

a course of action from them. Decision-making is a part of planning.

Decision-making is an intermediate-sized set of activities that begins with an identifying

problem and ends with choice making or decision giving.

Management is constantly influencing the organization’s activities and the decision-

making process is central to doing it.

In the decision-making process, a manager identifies a specific situation and finds the
threats and opportunities that it offers.

Read: 4 Purpose Organizational Goals Should Serve for Enterprise

Then the manager must find the available alternatives to tackle the situation.

This is where planning comes in.

By planning; manager finds these alternatives by testing and measuring their

effectiveness. They identify the pros and cons of each alternative.

After that, the managers must use their decision-making skills for selecting one path of
action. Decision making is the core of planning. Unless a decision has been made, a
plan cannot be implemented in the field.

So we can say that planning and decision-making, both are interrelated.

Decisions can be made without planning but planning cannot be done without making
decisions. Planning can be defined as the process of selecting a future course of action.

Decision-making defined as the process of selecting a course of action from the

alternatives. They need to be accurate for the welfare of the organization.

8. WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF PLANS ?

Planning to Plan
Have you ever heard the saying 'Those who fail to plan, plan to fail'? While I can't speak
to all facets of life, this is certainly true in business. Managers find themselves planning
for all sorts of things. So much so, that planning is one of the four major functions of
management. In doing so, a manager can be certain that he or she is working toward
some organization goal.
There are three main types of plans that a manager will use in his or her pursuit of
company goals, which include operational, tactical and strategic. If you think about
these three types of plans as stepping stones, you can see how their relationship to one
another aids in the achievement of organizational goals. Operational plans are
necessary to attain tactical plans and tactical plans lead to the achievement of strategic
plans. Then, in true planning fashion, there are also plans to backup plans that fail.
These are known as contingency plans. To better understand how each type of plan is
used by managers, let's take a look at an example from Nino's Pizzeria and how
Tommy, Martha and Frank carry out their planning responsibilities.

Strategic Plans
To best understand the relationship between the different types of plans, let's start at
the top. Strategic plans are designed with the entire organization in mind and begin
with an organization's mission. Top-level managers, such as CEOs or presidents, will
design and execute strategic plans to paint a picture of the desired future and long-term
goals of the organization. Essentially, strategic plans look ahead to where the
organization wants to be in three, five, even ten years. Strategic plans, provided by top-
level managers, serve as the framework for lower-level planning.
Tommy is a top-level manager for Nino's Pizzeria. As a top-level manager, Tommy must
use strategic planning to ensure the long-term goals of the organization are reached.
For Tommy, that means developing long-term strategies for achieving growth, improving
productivity and profitability, boosting return on investments, improving customer
service and finding ways to give back to the community in which it operates.
For example, Tommy's strategic plans for achieving growth, improving productivity and
profitability and boosting return on investments are all part of the desired future of the
pizzeria. Strategic plans also tend to require multilevel involvement so that each level of
the organization plays a significant role in achieving the goals being strategically
planned for. Top-level managers, such as Tommy, develop the organizational objectives
so that middle- and lower-level managers can create compatible plans aligned with
those objectives.

Tactical Plans
Now that you have a general idea for how organizational planning evolves, let's look at
the next level of planning, known as tactical planning. Tactical plans support strategic
plans by translating them into specific plans relevant to a distinct area of the
organization. Tactical plans are concerned with the responsibility and functionality of
lower-level departments to fulfill their parts of the strategic plan.
For example, when Martha, the middle-level manager at Nino's, learns about Tommy's
strategic plan for increasing productivity, Martha immediately begins to think about
possible tactical plans to ensure that happens. Tactical planning for Martha might
include things like testing a new process in making pizzas that has been proven to
shorten the amount of time it takes for prepping the pizza to be cooked or perhaps
looking into purchasing a better oven that can speed up the amount of time it takes to
cook a pizza or even considering ways to better map out delivery routes and drivers. As
a tactical planner, Martha needs to create a set of calculated actions that take a shorter
amount of time and are narrower in scope than the strategic plan is but still help to bring
the organization closer to the long-term goal.

Operational Plans
Operational plans sit at the bottom of the totem pole; they are the plans that are made
by frontline, or low-level, managers. All operational plans are focused on the specific
procedures and processes that occur within the lowest levels of the organization.
Managers must plan the routine tasks of the department using a high level of detail.
Frank, the frontline manager at Nino's Pizzeria, is responsible for operational planning.
Operational planning activities for Frank would include things like scheduling employees
each week; assessing, ordering and stocking inventory; creating a monthly budget;
developing a promotional advertisement for the quarter to increase the sales of a certain
product (such as the Hawaiian pizza) or outlining an employee's performance goals for
the year.
Operational plans can be either single-use or ongoing plans. Single-use plans are
those plans that are intended to be used only once. They include activities that would
not be repeated and often have an expiration. Creating a monthly budget and
developing a promotional advertisement for the quarter to increase the sales of a certain
product are examples of how Frank would utilize single .

9.WHAT ARE THE CATEGORIES OF PLAN AND EXPLAIN

EACH ?
Category # 1. Time Dimension in Planning:
a. The Time Dimension in Planning:
Time enters as an important variable in the planning process. The time available to
develop a new product or a method of production, to overcome a safety hazard, react to
a business contraction or acquire another firm varies widely.

A few plans take several years to complete. It is interesting to note that about 15 years
had passed between the initial development of the Xerox electrostatic copier and its full-
scale commercial introduction.

Corporate (or long-range) planning involves all the departments of a company in the
context of assumptions about development in the market environment, etc., and,
therefore, the desirable development of new products and new areas of business. It
involves the assessment of external threats and opportunities and internal strengths and
weaknesses, and the evaluation of alternative strategies.

Corporate planning represents “a systematic attempt to influence the medium and

long-term future of the enterprise by defining company objectives; by appraising
those factors within the company and in the environment which will affect the
achievement of these objectives; and by establishing comprehensive but flexible
plans which will help ensure that the objectives are in fact achieved.”
The time span covered by a corporate plan does vary from company to company and is
often influenced by such factors as the time it takes to bring new plan into operation or
develop or launch a new product. Most plans, however, involve looking ahead between
five and ten years.

The basic question to be answered here is: What should we be doing now to help us
reach the position we want to be in five to ten years’ time? It is now widely agreed that
plans should reach far enough into the future to cover the subject under consideration.

b. The Commitment Principle:

It is important to note at this stage that the length of the planning period is determined
by the commitment principle. The implication is simple enough: the time period covered
by planning should be related to the commitments of the organisation. The commitment
principle was first developed by Harold Koontz and Cyril O’Donnell in 1955.

The principle states that an organisation should plan for a period of time in the future
sufficient to fulfill the commitments of the organisation which result from current
decisions.

In the opinion of Boone and Koontz, planning must encompass a sufficiently long period
of time to fulfill the commitments resulting from current decisions. A long-range plan is
superimposed upon the foundations of short and intermediate-range plans, all attainable
within a specified time period.

c. Short, Intermediate and Long Range Planning:

Corporate planners and managers often make use of the following time frames in
describing planning periods:
Short range: One year or less.
Intermediate range: Between one and five years.

Long range: Between five to ten years or more.

The planning activities for each of the different time horizons do differ from organisation
to organisation. For example, the Jay Engg. Co. (P) Ltd., Calcutta, may view six months
as a relatively short planning period in planning major expenditures for new generating
facilities. The Maruti Udyog Ltd. has invested more than ten years in research activities
aimed at developing several new models of cars and jeeps.

Category # 2. The Use Dimension in Planning:

Plans are often divided into two broad categories on the basis of their usage: single use
plans for recurring or long term activities, including policies, procedures and regulations
provide continuing guidance to the actions or expected actions of organisation
members.

But organisations also make use of other types of plans that are considered as one-shot
or single-use—that is, these are essentially non-recurring. Single-use plans refer to
certain predetermined courses of action which are developed for relatively unique, non
repetitive situations.

The decision of Indian Airlines to shift its head-quarter from Delhi to Mumbai required
numerous one-time plans. The most prevalent single-use plans are programmes,
projects, budgets and organisational plans.

Programmes:
A programme is basically a large-scale, single-use plan involving various (and often
numerous) interrelated activities. It specifies the objectives, major steps necessary to
achieve these objectives, individuals or departments responsible for each step, the
order of the various steps, and resources to be deployed (employed).

Projects:
A project is a single-use plan that is either a component of a programme or that is on a
smaller scale than a programme. The Underground Railway Project of Calcutta was
originally divided into numerous specific sub-programmes. The sub-programmes were,
in their turn, then divided into specific projects. Each project was then assigned to a
contractor for completion.

Budgets:
A budget is simply a statement in quantitative and usually financial terms of the planned
allocation and use of resources. It can be defined as a financial plan listing in detail the
resources or funds assigned to a particular programme project, product or division.

ategory # 3. The Scope or Breadth Dimension in Planning:

An alternative method of categorizing plans is by scope or breadth. Some business
plans are very broad and long range, focusing upon key organisational objectives. Other
types of plans specify how the organisation will mobilise itself to accomplish these
objectives. It is in this context that we draw a distinction between strategic plans and
tactical plans.

Strategic Planning:
The implementation of an organisation’s objectives is known as strategic planning. It
can be defined as “true process of determining the major objectives of an organisation
and the adoption of resources necessary to achieve those objectives.”

In any organisation, strategic planning occurs in two phases:

1. Deciding on the products to produce and /or the services to render.

2. Deciding on the marketing and/or manufacturing methods to employ.

That is, deciding on the best way to get the intended product and/or service to the
proper audience.

Merging from strategic planning is often referred to as an organisation’s policies, and

strategic planning is often referred to as setting policy. Strategic planning “provides the
organisation with overall long-range direction and leads to the development of more
specific plans, budgets, and policies.”

10. WHAT ARE THE TIME DIMENSIONS IN PLANNING ?

According to time dimension planning period is divided into long-range and short

range:
(i) Long Range Planning:

Long term planning will be for the long term objectives of the organization. The period of

long term planning may extend from one year to twenty years or more. Generally long

term planning is for 3 to 5 years. The long term plans usually encompass all the

functional areas of the business and are affected within the existing and long-term

framework of economic, social and technological factors. The impact of external factors

is also assessed while framing long term plans.

Long range planning defines the mission of the organization, specifies its product

market position and outlines its major strategies and policies. These plans are prepared

after an analysis of the firm is external environment and forecasts of events. They deal

with the broad competitive and technological aspects of the organization and allocation

of resources over an extended period of time.

Since long term planning involves lot of uncertainty there should be some flexibility. The

estimation of events in future may not be as per expectations so plans should be

adjusted as per the requirements of the situation. Long range planning provides the
criteria for decision making in future and is the responsibility of top management.

Long range planning generally deals with?

(i) Manpower planning

(ii) Financial resources

(iii) Product planning

(iv) Organization structure

(v) Research and development.

Need for Long Range Planning:

Long range planning has become essential in the competitive business environment.

It is needed due to the following reasons:

(i) The technological developments have increased consumer needs. The consumer

preference is changing with the time. Consumer expects new and better products every
time. Long range planning will help a business to meet consumers needs in future.

(ii) In the changing business environment there is a need for new product lines and

product mix. A business will have to prepare for the future and this will be possible with

the help long term planning.

(iii) There is a growing tendency towards improving the scale of operations,

expansions, diversifications etc. All these things necessitate decentralization of

activities. The operating functions are left to the middle and lower levels of

management. Top level management is expected to plan for the future so that new

challenges are met.

(iv) The industrial relations are undergoing a change. There is a demand for higher

wages, incentive benefits, pensionary benefits, unemployment allowance, social

security etc. These demands will put additional financial burden on the business. One

has to plan ahead of times so that future changes do not adversely affect the business.

(v) Managerial techniques are improving every day. There is electronic data processing,

operations research, motivational research, economic forecasting, all to help

management in planning and forecasting. There is no need for intuition and guess work.
(ii) Short Range Planning:

These plans are normally for a period up to one year. Short range plans are specific and

detailed. These plans are worked out within the framework of existing resources. These

plans are a break up of long range plans. Short range plans must contribute to the

achievement of long range plans. These plans are aimed at sustaining organization in

its production and distribution of current products or services to the existing markets.

11. WHAT ARE THE SCOPE DIMENSIONS IN PLANNING ?

12. WHAT IS PLANNING CYCLE ?

 The Planning Cycle is an eight-step process that you can use to plan any small-to-
medium sized project: moving to a new office, developing a new product, or planning a
corporate event, for example.
The tool enables you to plan and implement fully considered, well-focused, robust,
practical, and cost-effective projects. It also helps you to learn from any mistakes you
make, and to feed this knowledge back into your future planning and decision making.
The Planning Cycle It is best to think of planning as a Cycle. Every time we initiate an
action in the planning cycle, it is then implemented with feedback provided on that
action. In this way, it is a very active process that requires action on a continuous basis.
Planning using this cycle will help you to plan and manage ongoing projects. Once you
have devised a Initiate Implement plan you should evaluate whether it is likely to
succeed. This evaluation may be cost or number based, or may use other analytical
tools. This analysis may show that your plan may cause unwanted consequences, may
cost too much, or may simply not work. In this case you should cycle back to an earlier
stage. Alternatively you may have to abandon the plan altogether - the outcome of the
planning process may be that it is best to do nothing! Finally, Feedback, use what you
Feedback have learned with one plan with the next.
13. WHAT ARE CONTINGENCY PLANS ?

A contingency plan is a course of action designed to help an organization respond

effectively to a significant future event or situation that may or may not happen. 
A contingency plan is sometimes referred to as "Plan B," because it can be also used
as an alternative for action if expected results fail to materialize. Contingency planning
is a component of business continuity, disaster recovery and risk management.

It is often used for risk management for an exceptional risk that, though unlikely, would
have catastrophic consequences. Contingency plans are often devised
by governments or businesses. For example, suppose many employees of a company
are traveling together on an aircraft which crashes, killing all aboard. The company
could be severely strained or even ruined by such a loss. Accordingly, many companies
have procedures to follow in the event of such a disaster. The plan may also include
standing policies to mitigate a disaster's potential impact, such as requiring employees
to travel separately or limiting the number of employees on any one aircraft.
During times of crisis, contingency plans are often developed to explore and prepare for
any eventuality. During the Cold War, many governments made contingency plans to
protect themselves and their citizens from nuclear attack. Examples of contingency
plans designed to inform citizens of how to survive a nuclear attack include the
booklets Survival Under Atomic Attack, Protect and Survive, and Fallout Protection,
which were issued by the British and American governments. Today there are still
contingency plans in place to deal with terrorist attacks or other catastrophes.

14.WHAT IS ORGANIZING THE PLANNING FUNCTION ?

Organizing is the function of management that involves developing an organizational

structure and allocating human resources to ensure the accomplishment of objectives.
The structure of the organization is the framework within which effort is coordinated.
The structure is usually represented by an organization chart, which provides a graphic
representation of the chain of command within an organization. Decisions made about
the structure of an organization are generally referred to as organizational
design decisions.

Organizing also involves the design of individual jobs within the organization. Decisions
must be made about the duties and responsibilities of individual jobs, as well as the
manner in which the duties should be carried out. Decisions made about the nature of
jobs within the organization are generally called “job design” decisions.

Organizing at the level of the organization involves deciding how best to

departmentalize, or cluster, jobs into departments to coordinate effort effectively. There
are many different ways to departmentalize, including organizing by function, product,
geography, or customer. Many larger organizations use multiple methods of
departmentalization.

Organizing at the level of a particular job involves how best to design individual jobs to
most effectively use human resources. Traditionally, job design was based on principles
of division of labor and specialization, which assumed that the more narrow the job
content, the more proficient the individual performing the job could become. However,
experience has shown that it is possible for jobs to become too narrow and specialized.
For example, how would you like to screw lids on jars one day after another, as you
might have done many decades ago if you worked in company that made and sold
jellies and jams? When this happens, negative outcomes result, including decreased job
satisfaction and organizational commitment, increased absenteeism, and turnover.

Recently, many organizations have attempted to strike a balance between the need for
worker specialization and the need for workers to have jobs that entail variety and
autonomy. Many jobs are now designed based on such principles as empowerment, job
enrichment and teamwork. For example, HUI Manufacturing, a custom sheet metal
fabricator, has done away with traditional “departments” to focus on listening and
responding to customer needs. From company-wide meetings to team huddles, HUI
employees know and understand their customers and how HUI might service them best
(Huimfg, 2008).

15. WHAT IS STRUCTURING PLANNING ACTION?

STRUCTURING PLAN (WHAT CHANGE WILL HAPPEN; WHO WILL DO WHAT BY
WHEN TO MAKE IT HAPPEN)
Finally, an organization's action plan describes in great detail exactly how strategies will
be implemented to accomplish the objectives developed earlier in this process. The plan
refers to: a) specific (community and systems) changes to be sought, and b) the specific
action steps necessary to bring about changes in all of the relevant sectors, or parts, of
the community.
The key aspects of the intervention or (community and systems) changes to be sought
are outlined in the action plan. For example, in a program whose mission is to increase
youth interest in politics, one of the strategies might be to teach students about the
electoral system. Some of the action steps, then, might be to develop age-appropriate
materials for students, to hold mock elections for candidates in local schools, and to
include some teaching time in the curriculum.
Action steps are developed for each component of the intervention or (community and systems)
changes to be sought. These include:

Action step(s): What will happen

Person(s) responsible: Who will do what

Date to be completed: Timing of each action step

Resources required: Resources and support (both what is needed and what's available )

Barriers or resistance, and a plan to overcome them!

Collaborators: Who else should know about this action

Here are two examples of action steps, graphed out so you can easily follow the flow:

Person(s) Date to be Potential Barriers or

Action Step Resources Required Collaborators
Responsible Completed Resistance

Draft a social Terry McNeil April 2006 $15,000 (remaining None anticipated Members of the
marketing plan (from donated) business action
marketing firm) group

Ask local Maria Suarez September 5 hours; 2 hour Corporation: may see Members of the
corporations to (from business 2008 proposal prep; 3 this as expensive; must business action
introduce flex-time action group) hours for meeting convince them of group and the
for parents and and transportation benefit of the plan for school action grou
mentors the corporation

Of course, once you have finished designing the strategic plan or "VMOSA" for your organization, you
are just beginning in this work. Your action plan will need to be tried and tested and revised, then tried
and tested and revised again. You'll need to obtain feedback from community members, and add and
subtract elements of your plan based on that feedback.

IN SUMMARY

Everyone has a dream. But the most successful individuals - and community organizations - take that
dream and find a way to make it happen. VMOSA helps groups do just that. This strategic planning
process helps community groups define their dream, set their goals, define ways to meet those goals,
and finally, develop practical ways bring about needed changes.

16. WHAT IS ALTERNATIVE MODEL OF PLANNING ?

Alternative Plan means a plan of reorganization (other than the Plan) that does not

include Investor and/or funds managed by Investor as the sole new money underwriter.
17.WHAT ARE GUIDES TO GOOD PLAN ?
An action plan is a checklist for the steps or tasks you need to complete in order to
achieve the goals you have set. 

It’s an essential part of the strategic planning process and helps with improving
teamwork planning. Not only in project management, but action plans can be used by
individuals to prepare a strategy to achieve their own personal goals as well.

Components of an action plan include

 A well-defined description of the goal to be achieved 

 Tasks/ steps that need to be carried out to reach the goal
 People who will be in charge of carrying out each task
 When will these tasks be completed (deadlines and milestones)
 Resources needed to complete the tasks
 Measures to evaluate progress

What’s great about having everything listed down on one location is that it makes it
easier to track progress and effectively plan things out.

An action plan is not something set in stone. As your organization grows, and
surrounding circumstances change, you will have to revisit and make adjustments to
meet the latest needs.
Why You Need an Action Plan 

Sometimes businesses don’t spend much time on developing an action plan before an
initiative, which, in most cases, leads to failure. If you haven’t heard, “failing to plan is
planning to fail” said Benjamin Franklin supposedly once. 

Planning helps you prepare for the obstacles ahead and keep you on track. And with an
effective action plan, you can boost your productivity and keep yourself focused.  

Here are some benefits of an action plan you should know;

 It gives you a clear direction. As an action plan highlights exactly what steps to
be taken and when they should be completed, you will know exactly what you
need to do. 
 Having your goals written down and planned out in steps will give you a reason
to stay motivated and committed throughout the project.  
 With an action plan, you can track your progress toward your goal.
 Since you are listing down all the steps you need to complete in your action plan,
it will help you prioritize your tasks based on effort and impact.

How to Write an Action Plan | Best Practices

From the looks of it, creating an action plan seems fairly easy. But there are several
important steps you need to follow with caution in order to get the best out of it. Here’s
how to write an action plan explained in 6 easy steps.

Step 1: Define your end goal 

If you are not clear about what you want to do and what you want to achieve, you are
setting yourself up for failure.

Planning a new initiative? Start by defining where you are and where you want to be. 

Solving a problem? Analyze the situation and explore possible solutions before
prioritizing them. 

Then write down your goal. And before you move on to the next step, run your goal
through the SMART criteria. Or in other words, make sure that it is 

 Specific – well-defined and clear

 Measurable – include measurable indicators to track progress  
 Attainable – realistic and achievable within the resources, time, money,
experience, etc. you have
 Relevant – align with your other goals 
  Timely – has a finishing date 


18. WHAT ARE THE TOOLS IN MAKING PLAN ?

Planning Tools are instruments that help guide organizational action steps related to
implementation of an initiative, program, or intervention. They may provide detailed
descriptions about the county implementation plan and how it was developed. Planning
Tools are likely to be initiative-specific and may include:

1. Organizational timelines
2. Action item checklists
3. Things-to-do checklists
4. Sample meeting agendas

19. PLANNING HOW TO CHANGE AN ORGANIZATION ?

A change management plan can support a smooth transition and ensure your
employees are guided through the change journey. The harsh fact is that approximately
70 percent of change initiatives fail due to negative employee attitudes and
unproductive management behavior. Using the services of a professional change
management consultant could ensure you are in the winning 30 percent.

In this article, PulseLearning presents six key steps to effective organizational change

management.

1. Clearly define the change and align it to business goals.

It might seem obvious but many organizations miss this first vital step. It’s one thing to
articulate the change required and entirely another to conduct a critical review against
organizational objectives and performance goals to ensure the change will carry your
business in the right direction strategically, financially, and ethically. This step can also
assist you to determine the value of the change, which will quantify the effort and inputs
you should invest.

Key questions:
• What do we need to change?
• Why is this change required?

2. Determine impacts and those affected.

Once you know exactly what you wish to achieve and why, you should then determine
the impacts of the change at various organizational levels. Review the effect on each
business unit and how it cascades through the organizational structure to the individual.
This information will start to form the blueprint for where training and support is needed
the most to mitigate the impacts.

Key questions:
• What are the impacts of the change?
• Who will the change affect the most?
• How will the change be received?

3. Develop a communication strategy.

Although all employees should be taken on the change journey, the first two steps will
have highlighted those employees you absolutely must communicate the change to.
Determine the most effective means of communication for the group or individual that
will bring them on board. The communication strategy should include a timeline for how
the change will be incrementally communicated, key messages, and the communication
channels and mediums you plan to use.

Key questions:
• How will the change be communicated?
• How will feedback be managed?

4. Provide effective training.

With the change message out in the open, it’s important that your people know they will
receive training, structured or informal, to teach the skills and knowledge required to
operate efficiently as the change is rolled out. Training could include a suite of micro-
learning online modules, or a blended learning approach incorporating face-to-face
training sessions or on-the-job coaching and mentoring.

Key questions:
• What behaviors and skills are required to achieve business results?
• What training delivery methods will be most effective?

5. Implement a support structure.

Providing a support structure is essential to assist employees to emotionally and

practically adjust to the change and to build proficiency of behaviors and technical skills
needed to achieve desired business results. Some change can result in redundancies
or restructures, so you could consider providing support such as counseling services to
help people navigate the situation. To help employees adjust to changes to how a role
is performed, a mentorship or an open-door policy with management to ask questions
as they arise could be set up.

Key questions:
• Where is support most required?
• What types of support will be most effective?
6. Measure the change process.

Throughout the change management process, a structure should be put in place to

measure the business impact of the changes and ensure that continued reinforcement
opportunities exist to build proficiencies. You should also evaluate your change
management plan to determine its effectiveness and document any lessons learned.

Key questions:
• Did the change assist in achieving business goals?
• Was the change management process successful?
• What could have been done differently?

Is your business going through a period of organizational change? PulseLearning can

assist in managing the change process to meet business goals and minimize the
associated impacts. PulseLearning is an award-winning global learning provider
experienced in change management consultancy and developing engaging and
innovative eLearning and blended training solutions.

20. WHAT ARE STRATEGIC PLAN TECHNOLOGIES ?

A strategic technology plan is a specific type of strategy plan that lets an organization

know where they are now and where they want to be some time in the future with

regard to the technology and infrastructure in their organisation. It often consists of the

following sections.

Needs assessment[edit]
A needs assessment is a systematic exploration of the way things are and the way they
should be. These things are usually associated with organizational and/or individual
performance.[1]
A needs assessment describes: teaching and learning, integration of technology with
business requirements, curricula and instruction, educator preparation and
development, administration and support services, infrastructure for technology.
Curriculum integration
When evaluating your needs, consider:

 Current curriculum strengths and weaknesses and the process used to

determine these strengths and weaknesses
 How curriculum strategies are aligned to state standards
 Current procedures for using technology to address any perceived curriculum
weaknesses
 How teachers integrate technology into their lessons
 How students use technology [2]
Professional development
When evaluating your needs, consider:

 How the organization assesses the technology professional development needs

of certified staff, administration, and non-certified staff
 Technology professional development training available to certified staff
 How the effectiveness of the professional development will be measured. [2]
Equitable use of technology
When evaluating your needs, consider:

 Availability of technology to students, staff, employees and organization

members
 Amount of time technology is available to students, staff or organization
members
 Description of types of assistive technology tools that are provided for students,
employees or users with disabilities where necessary/applicable.[2]
Infrastructure for technology
When evaluating your needs, consider:

 Current technology infrastructure of the school/organization - explain type of data

and video networking and Internet access that is available
 Effectiveness of present infrastructure and telecommunication service provided
 How E-Rate has allowed the district to improve or increase technology
infrastructure.[2]
Administrative needs
When evaluating your needs, consider:

 How administrative staff uses technology, accessing data for decision making,
information system reporting, communication tools, information gathering, and
record keeping
 Professional development opportunities that are available to administrative staff.
[2]

Stakeholders consist of:

 Board members
 People affected by technology
 Superintendent
 Principals/assistants
 Teachers/special needs teachers
 Parents/students/community members
 Director of Technology
 Director of Instructional Technology
 Teaching and learning design team
Technology initiative descriptions, goal statement and rationale[edit]
In order for technology to be effective, it must be tied to leadership, core visions,
professional development, time, and assessment. The following goals are statement of
ways with regard to its use of technology:

 To improve student academic performance through the integration

of curriculum and technology
 Increase administrative uses of technology
 Utilize technology as a medium to create an interactive partnership between the
system, parents, community agencies, industry, and business partners
 To utilize technology to support the professional growth of all staff, which will
result in maximum learning to all students
Objectives (measurable and observable)[edit]
The objectives are tied to the mission and vision statements. Each goal has objectives
and indicators. The objectives state in specific and measurable terms what must be
accomplished in order to reach the larger goal.
The Technology plan splits the objectives into categories:

 Teaching and learning

 Educator preparation and development
 Administration and support services
 Infrastructure for technology
 Integration of technology with curricula and instruction
Hardware, software, and facility resource requirement[edit]
Only by having the proper equipment can staff development take place. Effective
technology plans should not just focus on the technology but also the applications. This
will provide teachers and administration with the information on what they should be
able to do with the technology. Professional development is the most important
elements in implementing technology into the classroom. Teachers must be able to
have strategies to change the way they teach and integrate new technology. They only
way to do this is to provide the hardware, software and the training. Teachers and
administrators should be able to use a variety of technology applications such as:
the Internet, video cameras, iPods, and multimedia presentations.
Instructional resource requirement and staff development plan[edit]
In order for an organization to fulfill it mission and goals, it is important that all staff be
provided with the necessary support and training opportunities to enable them to
undertake their roles to the highest standard. The plan will provide training and
educational opportunities for professional and personal development to relate to
educational activities.[3] Professional development is a key focus of the No Child Left
Behind Act of 2001. The law requires enhancing education through technology
entitlement funds be directed toward professional development that is ongoing and high
quality.[4]
Itemized budget and rational, evaluation method, and funding[edit]
In the strategic plan there is an item budget, evaluation method, and funding
source/amount/timeline. The itemized budget is broken down into the years of the plan.
Money is divided up into amounts that will be used for each year. The evaluation
method collects data and disaggregates it to determine the outcomes.

21. EXPLAIN THE PLANNING CYCLE IN RELATION TO

STRATEGIC PLANNING AND TACTICAL PLANNING ?

A strategic plan supports the organization's vision and mission statements by outlining
the high-level plan to achieve both. Strategic plans generally provide the broad, long-
term picture. In order to develop strategic plans, top management uses reports on
finances, operations and the external environment to project future actions. Strategic
plans influence the development of tactical plans.

A tactical plan answers "how do we achieve our strategic plan?" It outlines actions to
achieve short-term goals, generally within a year or less. They are much narrower in
focus and can be broken down into the departmental or unit level. Tactical plans outline
what each department needs to achieve, how it must do so and who has the
responsibility for implementation.

As an example, an HR strategic plan may include the following two strategic goals over
the next five years with related tactical plans that include detailed actions.

Strategic goal: Recruit, develop and retain a high-quality and diverse staff.

            Tactical plan:

 Obtain salary survey data to benchmark the compensation of all positions.

 Conduct job fairs at local schools with diverse student bodies.
 Develop an effective exit interview program to understand why high-performers
leave the organization.
 Conduct an employee survey to gather data on job satisfaction and engagement.
  Provide effective in-house training for managers and supervisors and identify and
allocate funds for external training. 

Strategic goal: Implement flexible work arrangements.

Tactical plan:

 Identify the types of flexible work arrangements available and feasible for the
workplace.
 Survey employees to identify the flexible work arrangements of most interest.
 Create policies and procedures for the flexible work arrangements that are
implemented.
 Review the strategic goal and related policies and procedures annually to meet
changing circumstances.

22. Explain contingency plan and its benefits ?

A contingency plan helps you quickly take steps to address a problem that could stop

production, shut down your website, cause you to lose work and data or miss credit

payments. A simple example of a contingency plan is having a backup generator

in the event of a power failure.

Reduces Bad Public Relations

Even if you’re a small local business and your operating problems won’t make
headlines in your town’s newspapers, competitors might start spreading rumors and
customers might start to worry if you run into serious trouble. A contingency plan that
helps you address a problem or get back on your feet allows you to communicate your
response to a problem to relieve any concerns that problem might create. For
example, if a key employee leaves, your contingency plan should include having a
successor identified or a qualified substitute ready to fill in, even temporarily. This will
allow you to let stakeholders know your employee’s departure will not affect your
operations, that you will have a full-time replacement in position within a short time
and that you have position covered until that time.
Keeps You Operating
There are many factors that can cause you to temporarily stop your operations,
including a lack of working capital, machinery breakdown, office shutdown or strike.
Contingency plans can help you keep operating through a crisis. A cash reserve or
open line of credit can help you weather poor cash flow. The ability to transfer your
production to another location or outsource it during a machinery breakdown or
weather emergency lets you keep fulfilling orders. Backing up your data offsite each
day allows your staff to continue their work without losing important work or access to
files.
Improves Insurance and Credit Availability
Businesses that create continuity and disaster recovery plans often have an easier
time getting insurance and credit than those that don’t. Being able to show your
insurers your contingency plans can help you obtain better coverage and reduced
premiums, because the less money an insurer has to pay after an accident or
emergency, the better risk you are. For example, if you back up all of your data each
night, you will have a smaller loss from a fire or robbery than you will if you have to re-
create all of your website files, customer databases and other data. In the event you
need credit to help you through slow sales because of the loss of a supplier, a lender
might be more willing to help you with payroll if you show you have another supplier
identified and ready to get you back up and selling.

23. HOW WILL YOU STRUCTURE PLANNING ACTIVITIES ? EXPLAIN.

structure plans define a council’s preferred direction of future growth within an activity
centre and articulate how it will be managed.

while government policy sets out the basic principles for activity centres, there is no 'one
size fits all' solution. each area is unique and local governments are encouraged to work
with their communities to determine exactly how their activity centre should grow, taking
into account regional population trends and economic growth.

structure plans give effect to the policies and objectives set out for activity centres in
state policy and provide for changing community needs.

they guide the major changes to land use, built form and public spaces that together
can achieve economic, social and environmental objectives for the centre.

to improve development within centres, state policy encourages local governments to

review the purpose and function of individual centres, and revise local planning policies
through structure planning for each of their activity centres.

structure planning can help local government to:

provide greater certainty to the local community and investors about its expectations for
the future form of development in its activity centres
manage change to ensure activity centres are attractive, vibrant areas to live, work and
shop

ensure economic and social vitality of the area

make best use of council resources and focus council investment to best serve the
community.

a range of tools have been developed to assist local governments planning for activity
centres.

24. EXPLAIN TIME MANAGEMENT ?

Time management” is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time
between specific activities. Good time management enables you to work smarter – not
harder – so that you get more done in less time, even when time is tight and pressures
are high. Failing to manage your time damages your effectiveness and causes stress.
It seems that there is never enough time in the day. But, since we all get the same 24
hours, why is it that some people achieve so much more with their time than others?
The answer lies in good time management.
The highest achievers manage their time exceptionally well. By using the time-
management techniques in this section, you can improve your ability to function more
effectively – even when time is tight and pressures are high.
Good time management requires an important shift in focus from activities to
results: being busy isn’t the same as being effective. (Ironically, the opposite is often
closer to the truth.)
Spending your day in a frenzy of activity often achieves less, because you’re dividing
your attention between so many different tasks. Good time management lets you work
smarter – not harder – so you get more done in less time.
What Is Time Management?
“Time management” refers to the way that you organize and plan how long you spend
on specific activities.
It may seem counter-intuitive to dedicate precious time to learning about time
management, instead of using it to get on with your work, but the benefits are
enormous:
Greater productivity and efficiency.
A better professional reputation.
Less stress.
Increased opportunities for advancement.
Greater opportunities to achieve important life and career goals.
Failing to manage your time effectively can have some very undesirable consequences:
Missed deadlines.
Inefficient work flow.
Poor work quality.
A poor professional reputation and a stalled career.
Higher stress levels.
Spending a little time learning about time-management techniques will have huge
benefits now – and throughout your career.

25.HOW TO CHANGE AN ORGANIZATION TO JANSSEN’S MODEL OF CHANGE ?

Change – or more precisely – fear of change.

Two patients in the same hospital undergo the same operation.  In one case, the
operating surgeon visits the patient beforehand and tells him how he will feel when he
comes out of the anaesthetic.  “You will probably be in some pain, feel incredibly thirsty
and very hung over.  You’ll also be constipated.  But don’t worry, it’s all perfectly
normal”.

The second patient receives no such briefing.

Both patients experience the same symptoms after their operations but their reactions
are very different.  The one who knew what to expect thought to himself – “Well I’ve got
all the symptoms that I was told about so I guess the operation must have gone
according to plan”.  In contrast the second patient with exactly the same symptoms is
lying there in a high state of anxiety wondering exactly the opposite.

The moral of this story is that much of the resistance to change is based on the fear of
the unknown and if people know that their reaction to change is normal, their resistance
may be reduced. Claes Janssen, a Swedish social psychologist, saw the individual, the
workgroup, the department or even the whole company as living in a four- roomed
apartment.
The rooms are labelled Contentment, Denial, Confusion and Renewal.  Individuals,
groups and companies circulate through these rooms - on a continuous basis these
days.  You might spend a lot of time in each room but once you have moved into the
next one, you can’t go back.

So what are the implications of this metaphor for change when you are the person
managing it or on the receiving end?

Room of Contentment - I like it just the way it is!

It is estimated that 70% of us are passive about change.  We will change but only if we
are given convincing reasons for its necessity and understand what we will experience
as a consequence.  It’s not sufficient that we are told why a hip replacement is
necessary – we also need to be told about the symptoms that we will experience after
the operation.

Feeling “in on things” is not only a powerful motivator but constantly updating your staff
about the environment in which your organisation operates and changes that might be
necessary helps staff come to the realisation that remaining in the Room of
Contentment is not forever.

Organisations that remain blissfully unaware of the approaching storm sometimes do

not survive.  If they do, change is often violent and sudden.
Room of Denial - Things will get better!

When we are confronted with situations that potentially limit our stay in the Room of
Contentment, all of us will practice denial to some degree.  It’s just a temporary drop in
sales.  I don’t think this new technology will catch on.  Our customers are too loyal to
change.  That competitor can’t continue to charge that price – they’ll either be out of
business in a year or they’ll raise their prices.  Our customer service makes up for our
quality.

Once you as manager are prepared to move out of Denial, you need to help others to
do so. 

This may sound obvious but what normally happens is that you rush off into the Room
of Confusion, shut the door and start looking at options for the future – forgetting that
you can’t go back.  You then go back to your people, announce hip replacements for
everyone and wonder why so few share your enthusiasm for the brilliant strategy that
you have formulated and which your people are now charged to implement.

Once you are ready to leave the Room of Denial, your first task is to help others to
come to the same realisation.

How?  Give support, raise awareness of the situation, and tell them how you felt, ask
questions.

Room of Confusion - What a mess!

We all harbour the desire to have the insight to formulate the solution to a problem the
moment we recognise and accept it.  Unfortunately, even if we had that ability, deciding
what it to be done is only half a solution.  The hard part is making it happen –
implementation.

Rosabeth Moss Kanter, in her book “The Change Masters” said of change that “it’s
exhilarating when done by us, disturbing when done to us”.

So that means getting people together in the Room of Confusion, workshopping the
issue, looking at different options, listening to opposing point of view, accepting anger
and frustration.  In short – confusion.  But if everyone in that room knows what to expect
– pain, thirst, constipation – they will recognise that confusion is a necessary step
towards opening the door through to the Room of Renewal.

How does one manage the Room of Confusion?

Turn as quickly as possible to focusing on the future but accept that initially people will
want to play the blame game.  How did we get ourselves into this mess?  Who’s
responsible?
  Have a structure and a process.

 Agree on the objectives to be achieved.

 End with an action program of do-able tasks.

 Use a facilitator.  

Room of Renewal - We can turn this around!

If lying on the beach sunbaking represents Contentment and the realisation that you are
getting too hot and must go for a surf but the water’s cold and you left your wetsuit
behind is Denial, then Confusion is being battered by the shore break. Once through the
shore break and out in the take-off zone – then you are in the Room of Renewal.  It is
exhilarating – and it can be frightening – but there’s a sense of purpose, the presence of
goals and strategies for achieving them. 

In this Room your role as manager is to provide support for implementation, make sure
everyone knows their role, provide feedback on progress against agreed objectives and
keep a weather eye out the back for that rogue set that might derail the best laid plans
and make your stay in the Room of Contentment a very brief one!        

I’m not suggesting that following this model will make your organisation or yourself a
master of change management, able to execute change with minimum pain and no
casualties.  After all, despite being “normal”, our two patients’ symptoms were still
unpleasant and complications might have set in later.  One might have suffered a staph
infection and died as a consequence.  Similarly with individuals’ reactions to change. 

A very small percentage will want to make their stay in the Room of Contentment a very
brief one – they love change and become bored without it.  Others will actively resist
change and seek to sabotage it.  But the great majority – 70% - although passive
towards change will change given convincing reasons to do so.

Understanding which Room each of them is in and knowing the appropriate strategies

to employ that will allay their fears and involve them in the change program will do much

to hasten everyone’s arrival in the Room of Renewal.