Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Those include plans that are used over and over again because they focus on organizational situations that occur repeatedly.
1. Standing Plans: Standing plans are used over a long period of time , and can be altered as per the change in
circumstances.
(a) The policy: – Policy is a standing plan that furnishes broad guidelines for action which are consistent with reaching
organizational objectives. For e.g policy for employee interaction
(b) Procedures: – Procedures are standing plans that outline a series of related actions that must be taken to accomplish a
particular task. For ex. Procedures for internal reporting.
(c) Rules: – Rules designate specific required action. A rule indicates what an organization member should or should not do. For
ex. No smoking in the office or prescribing a dress code.
2. Single used plans: Single used plans are created to address short term challenges. They are narrow in scope as
compared to standing plans.
(a) Program: – Program is a single used plan encompassing a range of projects. e.g Budget, which is a statement that expresses
the expected results in numerical terms. It may be referred to as ‘a numberized program’.
(b) Project: A project is a single used plan having less scope than a programme. e.g an outline for an advertising campaign .
Why do plans fail?
If managers know why plan fail, they can take steps to eliminate the factors that cause failure and thereby increase the probability
that their plans will be successful. Plans fail when:-
(1) Corporate planning is not integrated into the management system.
(2) Lack of understanding of the different steps of planning process.
(3) Lack of participation of managers at different levels in the organization in planning activities.
(4) Lack of coordination of different departments in planning and vesting the Responsibility for planning to the planning
department only.
(5) Management expects that plans developed will be realized with little effort.
(6) Over ambitious planning. At the starting phase, too much is attempted at once.
(7) Faulty implementation of the plans.
(8) Lack of understanding of the plans which may be due to poor communication of the plans or because of failure to grasp the
overall planning process.
(9) Financial projections are confused with planning.
(10) Inadequate inputs are used for planning.
Summary :
Planning is the process by which an individual or an organization decide upon the future course of action.
The purpose of every plan and derivative plans is to facilitate the accomplishment of enterprise purpose and objectives
Planning is the primary management function, but it is included in the other managerial functions.
The efficiency of a plan is measured by the amount it contributes to purpose and objectives.
There are many steps for developing any plan. They are:-
Being aware of opportunity
Establishing objectives
Considering the planning premises
Identifying the alternative courses
Comparing the alternatives in the light of goals sought Formulating Supportive plans
Implementing the plans
Reviewing plans
Planning is a continuous process; it does not end. It goes on with every step.