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Read this article to learn about Planning in an Organisation. After reading this article
you will learn about:- 1. Definition and Meaning of Planning 2. Nature and
Characteristics of Planning 3. Importance 4. Elements 5. Steps 6. Principles.
Planning is a preparatory step for action. It means systematized pre-thinking for determining
a course of action to achieve some desired result.
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Planning is essentially a process of deciding in advance what is to be done, when and where it
is to be done, and how it is to be done, and by whom. To plan is to look ahead and chalk out
the future course of operations of an enterprise.
Through planning, the manager fixes the objectives of the organisation as a whole and, in the
light of this, the goals of its various departments. Then he proceeds to prepare a kind of
‘blueprint’ mapping out the ways of attaining these objectives.
Planning is the process by which the managers of an organisation set objectives, make an
overall assessment of the future, and chart the courses of action with a view to achieving the
organisational goals.
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(ii) The specification of the actions needed to reach the established objectives; and
Since planning is concerned with the identification of alternatives and selection of the most
favourable alternative, it may rightly be described as “the most basic tool of management
functions.” Thus planning is a process of deciding the business targets and charting out a
rational path of attaining those targets.
Some important definitions of planning, given by the eminent authors are stated below:
According to Koontz and O’Donnell, planning is “an intellectual process, the conscious
determination of courses of action, the basing of decisions on purpose, facts and considered
estimates.”
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“By means of planning management members try to look ahead, anticipate eventualities,
prepare for contingencies, map out activities and provide an orderly sequence for achieving
the objective.”
“The plan of action is, at one and the same time, the result envisaged, the line of action to be
followed, the stages to go through, and methods to use.”
Planning decides the future course of action and involves choosing it from alternatives. From
this point of view, decision-making and planning move together and one depends on the
other. Truly speaking, planning as a whole with its component parts is the outcome of
decision-making.
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So decision-making has a pervasive influence upon planning and it is a part of the planning
process. Thus, decision-making and planning have intimate relation with each other. But,
decision-making has a wider connotation than planning. By this we mean to say that the
application of decision-making is extended beyond the horizon of planning and, in any
business, almost every position is a decisional centre. Decision-making is required not only in
planning, it is also necessary in other areas of management functions such as organising,
direction, co-ordination, and control.
Mention may be made here of varied operating orders and instructions which are outside of
planning, but are subject to decision making. Again, there are many managerial functions like
motivating the employees, disapproving their work or discharging them form service which
call for decision-making, but these functions cannot be included within planning from the
point of view of analytical study of different management processes.
1. Intellectual Process:
How far into the future a manager can see and with how much clarity he will depend on his
intellectual calibre, are chalked out through planning process. In thinking of objectives,
alternative courses of action and, above all, in making decision for choosing certain
alternatives, the planner goes through an intellectual process.
2. Goal-orientation:
All planning is linked up with certain goals and objectives. It follows, therefore, that every
plan must contribute in some positive way to the accomplishment of group objectives.
Planning has no meaning without being related to goals and objectives. It must bridge the gap
between where we are and where we want to go at the minimum cost.
3. Primary Function:
Planning is said to be the most basic and primary function of management. It occupies first
place and precedes all other functions of management which are designed to attain the goals
set under planning. This is so because the manager decides upon the policies, procedures,
programmes, projects, etc. before proceeding with the work. The other functions of
management—organising, direction, co-ordination and control—can be performed only after
the manager has formulated the necessary planning.
4. Pervasiveness:
Planning pervades all managerial activities. It is the job of all managers in all types of
organisation. It is undertaken at all segments and levels of the organisation—from the general
manager to the foreman. Whatever be the nature of activity, management starts with
planning. The character and breadth of planning will, of course, vary from one job to
another—depending on the level of management.
5. Uniformity:
There may be separate plans prepared in different levels in the organisation, but all the sub-
plans must be united with the general plan so as to make up a comprehensive plan for
operation at a time. So, uniformity must be there in all levels of planning to match the general
plan.
6. Continuity:
To keep the enterprise as a going concern without any break, it is essential that planning must
be a continuous process. So, the first plan must follow the second plan and the second plan
the third and so on in never-ending series in quick succession.
7. Flexibility:
Plans should not be made rigid. It should be as flexible as possible to accommodate all
possible changes in the enterprise with a view to coping with the changing conditions in the
market. In fact, planning is a dynamic activity.
8. Simplicity:
The language of the work schedule or programme in the planning should be simple so that
each and every part of it may easily be understood by the employees at different levels,
specially at the lower level.
9. Precision:
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Precision is the soul of planning. This gives the planning exact, definite, and accurate
meaning in its scope and content. Any mistake or error in planning is sure to upset other
functions of management and, thus, precision is of utmost importance in every kind of
planning.
10. Feasibility:
Planning is neither poetry nor philosophy. It is based on facts and experience, and thereby
realistic in nature. It represents a programme which is possible to execute with more or less
existing resources.
12. Efficiency:
Planning is directed towards efficiency. A plan is a course of action that shows promise of
optimizing return at the minimum expense of inputs. In planning, the manager evaluates the
alternatives on the basis of efficiency. A good plan should not only attain optimum
relationship between output and input but should also bring the greatest satisfaction to those
who are responsible for its implementation.
13. Inter-dependence:
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The different departments may formulate different plans and programmes for their integration
in the overall planning. But sectional plans cannot but be inter-dependent. For example,
production planning depends upon sales planning—and vice versa.
Again, planning for purchase of raw materials, employment of labour, etc. cannot be an
isolated act apart from sales planning and production planning. Planning is a structured
process and different plans constitute a hierarchy. Different plans are inter-dependent and
inter-related. Every lower-level plan serves as a means towards the end of higher plans.
14. Forecasting:
Above all, no planning can proceed without forecasting—which means assessing the future
and making provision for it. Planning is the synthesis of various forecasts—short-term or
long-term, special or otherwise. They all merge into a single programme and act as a guide
for the whole concern.
Importance of Planning:
It is within the planning function that goals are determined, decision-making takes place,
forecasts are made and strategies are initiated. Thus, planning has assumed great importance
in all types of organisation—business or non-business, private or public sector, small or large.
As a managerial function, planning is important for the following reasons:
The first and most important reason for planning lies in the fact that it provides a basis on
which decisions are made. It is an immense need for the managers of an enterprise to fix up
their minds as to what they want to accomplish and then plan the use of time, resources, and
efforts towards the achievement of their objectives.
The future is uncertain. Planning helps the managers in taking care of future uncertainties and
thus minimizes business risk. It anticipates future events and sets the course of action to
control these events to one’s advantage. With the help of planning, an enterprise can predict
future events and make due provision for them. This, no doubt, eliminates or reduces the
possibility or jumping into uncertainties.
Business planning has become imperative due to the fact that an enterprise operates in a
changing and dynamic environment. The aspects of this changing environment include
changes in technology, government policies, the nature of competition, social norms and
attitudes etc. As the planning proceeds step by step, it foresees the changes likely to come and
accordingly prepares its programme by necessary adjustments and adaptation.
5. Securing Economy:
Planning focuses on efficiency and economy in operation. A plan is a course of action that
can take the organisation to its objectives at the minimum cost. Planning prevents wastage of
resources by choosing the best course of action from many alternatives. It aims at smooth
flow of work. All these steps in planning lead automatically to economy.
6. Helping in Co-ordination:
The managerial function of controlling is concerned with a comparison between the planned
performance and the actual performance of the subordinates and departments of the
organisation. Thus, control is exercised in the context of planning action as the standards
against which actual results are to be compared are set up through planning. So planning
provides the basis for control. Thus, planning and control are inseparable.
Planning ensures organisational effectiveness in several ways. It states the objectives of the
organization in the context of given resources; provides for proper utilisation of resources to
the best advantage, gives necessary competitive strength for continuous growth and steady
progress by foreseeing what the competitors are likely to do and evolving its strategies
accordingly.
The process of planning generates the purposeful and orderly setting up of activities to be
carried on. It defines the boundaries within which the business should operate. This enables
the businessman to concentrate upon those matters which are actually relevant and vital to
business success.
Elements of Planning:
1. Objectives:
The important task of planning is to determine the objectives of the enterprise. Objectives are
the goals towards which all managerial activities are aimed at. All planning work must spell
out in clear terms the objectives to be realised from the proposed business activities. When
planning action is taken, these objectives are made more concrete and meaningful. For
example, if the organisational objective is profit earning, planning activity will specify how
much profit is to be earned looking into all facilitating and constraining factors.
2. Forecasting:
It is the analysis and interpretation of future in relation to the activities and working of an
enterprise. Business forecasting refers to analysing the statistical data and other economic,
political and market information for the purpose of reducing the risks involved in making
business decisions and long range plans. Forecasting provides a logical basis for anticipating
the shape of the future business transactions and their requirements as to man and material.
3. Policies:
Planning also requires laying down of policies for the easy realisation of the -objectives of
business. Policies are statements or principles that guide and direct different managers at
various levels in making decisions. Policies provide the necessary basis for executive
operation. They set forth overall boundaries within which the decision-makers are expected
to operate while making decisions. Policies act as guidelines for taking administrative
decisions.
In a big enterprise, various policies are formulated for guiding and directing the subordinates
in different areas of management. They may be production policy, sales policy, financial
policy, personnel policy etc. But these different policies are co-ordinated and integrated in
such a way that they ensure easy realisation of the ultimate objectives of business. Policies
should be consistent and must not be changed frequently.
4. Procedures:
The manner in which each work has to be done is indicated by the procedures laid down.
Procedures outline a series of tasks for a specified course of action. There may be some
confusion between policies and procedures. Policies provide guidelines to thinking and
action, but procedures are definite and specific steps to thinking and action. For example, the
policy may be the recruitment of personnel from all parts of the country; but procedures may
be to advertise and invite applications, to take interviews and offer appointment to the
selected personnel.
Thus, procedures mean definite steps in a chronological sequence within the area chalked out
by the policies. In other words, procedures are the methods by means of which policies are
enforced. Different procedures are adopted in different areas of business activities. There may
be production procedure, sales procedure, purchase procedure, personnel procedure etc.
A rule specifies necessary course of action in a particular situation. It acts as a guide and is
essentially in the nature of a decision made by the management authority. This decision
signifies that a definite action must be taken in respect of a specific situation. The rules
prescribe a definite and rigid course of action to be followed in different business activities
without any scope for deviation or discretion.
Any deviation of rule entails penalty. Rule is related to parts of a procedure. Thus, a rule may
be incorporated in respect of purchase procedure that all purchases must be made after
inviting tenders. Similarly, in respect of sales procedure, rule may be enforced that all orders
should be confirmed the very next day.
6. Programmes:
Programmes are precise plans of action followed in proper sequence in accordance with the
objectives, policies and procedures. Programmes, thus, lead to a concrete course of inter-
related actions for the accomplishment of a purpose. Thus, a company may have a
programme for the establishment of schools, colleges and hospitals near about its premises
along with its expanding business activities.
Programmes must be closely integrated with the objectives. Programming involves dividing
into steps the activities necessary to achieve the objectives, determining the sequence
between different steps, fixing up performance responsibility for each step, determining the
requirements of resources, time, finance etc. and assigning definite duties to each part.
7. Budgets:
Budget means an estimate of men, money, materials and equipment in numerical terms
required for implementation of plans and programmes. Thus, planning and budgeting are
inter-linked. Budget indicates the size of the programme and involves income and outgo,
input and output. It also serves as a very important control device by measuring the
performance in relation to the set goals. There may be several departmental budgets which
are again integrated into the master budget.
8. Projects:
A project is a single-use plan which is a part of a general programme. It is part of the job that
needs to be done in connection with the general programme. So a single step in a programme
is set up as a project. Generally, in planning a project, a special task force is also envisaged.
It is a scheme for investing resources which can be analysed and appraised reasonably and
independently. A project involves basically the investment of funds, the benefits from which
can be accrued in future. Examples of such investment may be outlays on land, building,
machinery, research and development, etc. depending upon the situation.
9. Strategies:
Strategies are the devices formulated and adopted from the competitive standpoint as well as
from the point of view of the employees, customers, suppliers and government. Strategies
thus may be internal and external. Whether internal or external, the success of the plans
demands that it should be strategy-oriented.
The best strategy of planning from the competitive standpoint is to be fully informed
somehow about the planning ‘secrets’ of the competitors and to prepare its own plan
accordingly. Strategies act as reserve forces to overcome resistances and reactions according
to circumstances. They are applied as and when required.
Steps in Planning:
A plan is essentially today’s design for tomorrow’s action and an outline of the steps to be
taken in future. A good plan must be simple, balanced and flexible, and make utmost use of
the existing resources. It must be based on clearly defined objectives.
For preparation of such a plan, a definite process involving the following steps has to be
followed:
The manager must first identify the opportunity that calls for planning and action. This is
very important for the planning process because it leads to formulation of plans by providing
clue as to whether opportunities exist for taking up particular plans.
The next step in the planning process lies in the setting up of objectives to be achieved by the
enterprise in the clearest possible terms keeping in view its strength and limitation.
Objectives specify the results expected in measurable terms and indicate the end points of
what is to be done; where the primary emphasis is to be placed, and what is to be
accomplished by various types of plans. Enterprises start with a general objective.
From this are developed subordinate goals that contribute to the attainment of the general
objective. These, in turn, are supported by the specific objectives for the departments. In this
process a hierarchy of objectives is created. The plans at each level of the organisation are
made for the attainment of the appropriate objectives in the hierarchy. This hierarchy can be
built up by coordinating the plans of different departments.
So, planning premises are of two types—external and internal. External premises include
total factors in the environment like social, political, technological, competitors’ plans and
actions, government policies, etc. Internal factors include the organisation’s policies,
resources of various types, and the ability of the organisation to withstand the environmental
pressure. The plans are formulated in the light of both external and internal factors.
The next step in planning process is to search for various alternative courses of action based
on the organisational objectives and planning premises. A particular objective can be
achieved through various actions. For example, if an organisation has set its objective to grow
further, it can be achieved in several ways like expanding the field of business or product
line, joining with other organisations, or taking over another organisation, and so on. Within
each category, there may be several alternatives.
Since all alternatives cannot be considered for further analysis, it is necessary for the planner
to reduce in preliminary examination the number of alternatives that do not meet the
minimum preliminary criteria. Preliminary criteria can be defined in several ways—
minimum investment required, matching with the present business of the organisation,
control by the government, etc.
Various alternative courses that are considered feasible in terms of preliminary criteria have
to be taken for detailed evaluation. Alternative courses of action can be evaluated against the
criteria of cost, risks, benefit and organisational facilities. The strong and weak points of
every alternative should be analysed carefully.
Since there are so many complex variables connected with each goal and each possible plan,
the process of comparative evaluation is extremely difficult. For example, one alternative
may be the most profitable but requires heavy investment; another may be less profitable but
also involves less risk.
Moreover, there is no certainty about the outcome of any alternative course because it is
related with future which is not certain. Ultimately, the choice will depend upon what is
determined as the most critical factor from the point of view of the objectives of the
enterprise.
6. Choice of the Course of Action:
After the evaluation of various alternatives, the most appropriate one is selected as the plan.
Sometimes evaluation shows that more than one alternative are equally good. In such a case,
the manager may choose more than one alternative at the same time. There is another reason
for choosing more than one alternative. Alternative course of action may be required to be
undertaken in future in changed situations. So, the planner must also be ready with
alternative—normally known as contingency plan— that can help coping up with the
changed situation.
After the best alternative is decided upon, the next step is to derive various plans for different
departments or sections of the organisation to support the main plan. In an organisation, there
can be various derivative plans like planning for buying raw materials and equipment,
developing new product, recruiting and training the personnel, etc.
These derivative plans are formulated out of the main plan and so they support it. The break-
down of the master plan into departmental and sectional plans provides a realistic picture of
the actions to be taken in future.
After formulating the basic and derivative plans, the sequence of activities is determined so
that the plans are put into action. Based on the plans at various levels, it can be decided who
will do what and at what time. Budgets for various periods can be prepared to make plans
more concrete for implementation.
9. Securing Participation:
For ensuring that the selected plans are proceeding with the right lines, it is of paramount
importance to devise a system of continuous evaluation and appraisal of the plan. It will help
in detecting the shortcomings and pitfalls of the plans and taking remedial actions well in
time. All the steps in the process of planning must be linked and co-ordinated with each
other. For successful implementation of a plan, it must be communicated to all levels of the
organisation.
Planning requires scientific thinking and it should spell out in clear terms the definition of the
purpose, analyse the problem and make a careful and diligent search for all the facts bearing
upon it. The task of planning will be well-accomplished if some fundamental principles are
followed in the process.
The important principles may be stated as follows:
1. Principle of Commitment:
This means that certain resources must be committed or pledged for the purpose of planning.
Planning is not an easy task. So, necessary help is to be taken from experts. The enterprise
must be ready to exhaust the available resources for the achievement of a plan.
A plan involves varied factors of different importance. This principle implies that more
emphasis has to be put on that factor which is scarce or limited in supply or extremely costly.
This will help in selecting the most favourable alternative.
4. Principle of Flexibility:
Though a plan is prepared after reflective thinking, this does not mean that no departure can
be made in the course of its operation. The plan should be so prepared that there is sufficient
scope for changing it from time to time. Changes must necessarily be effected in the plan for
taking into account new developments that may take place in the course of the operation of
the plan.
6. Principle of Efficiency:
A plan should be made efficient to attain the objectives of the enterprise at the minimum cost
and least effort. It must also achieve better results with the minimum of unexpected
happenings. Therefore, it is to be seen that what is expected is likely to be achieved.
Planning is basically a problem of choosing. The essence of planning is the choice among
alternative courses of action. There is no need for planning if there is only one way for doing
something. In choosing from alternatives, the best alternative will be that which contributes
most efficiently and effectively to the accomplishment of a desired goal.
Timing and sequence of operations determine the starting and finishing time for each piece of
work according to some definite schedule and give practical and concrete shape and form to
work performance.
Though major planning function is entrusted to the top management, it is not restricted to the
top level only. It is a function of every manager at every level in the organisation.
Strategic planning is essential where there is competition. It is prepared in the light of what
the competitors are intending to do. Planners must take into account the strategies of the rival
organisations, otherwise the planning projection may land them in trouble.
In the course of execution of a plan, certain obstacles may crop up in midway and planning
may require revision, alteration or correction. This is why there must be a follow-up system
in the planning process itself. This allows timely changes in the planning and makes it more
effective.
However, to plan any kind of work, the following facts demand utmost attention:
(i) The nature, quality and quantity of work to be done, the best way of doing it, the time
available for its accomplishment, how to do it, when it is to be done and who are to do it.
(ii) Adequate knowledge about the capacity of the force available through observations and
experiments and from established standards.
(iii) The priority to be given in succession for the accomplishment of different tasks through
careful analysis.
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