PLANNING AND ORGANIZING

TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES
OBJECTIVES :
 To define and recognize the key responsibility and
functions of an engineer manager in various field.
 To demonstrate an understanding on the management
responsibility in decision-making and problem-solving
ability.
 To identify and illustrate the management functions in
performing technical activities of an engineer manager in
the organization
DEFINITION OF TERMS :
 Strategic planning refers to the process of determining the
major goals of the organization and the policies and strategies
for obtaining and using resources to achieve those goals.
 Intermediate planning refers to the process of determining the
contributions that sub unit scan make with al located
resources.
 Operational planning refers to the process of determining
how specific task can best be accomplished on time with
available resources.
 Tactic is a short term action taken by management to adjust
to negative internal or external influences.
 A strategy may be defined as a course of action aimed at
ensuring that the organization will achieve its objectives.
 Standard maybe defined as a quantitative or qualitative
measuring device designed to help monitor the
performances of people, capital goods, and processes
 Marketing plan-this is the written document or blueprint for
implementing and controlling an organizations marketing
activities related to a particular marketing strategy.
 Production plan-this is a written document that states the
quantity of output a company must produce in broad terms
and by product family.
 Financial plan- it is a document that summarizes the current
financial situation of the firm, analyzes financial needs, and
recommends a direction for financial needs.
 Human resource management Plan- it is a document that
indicates the human resource need so company detailed
interms of quantity and quality and based on the
requirements of the company's strategic plan.
THE NATURE OF PLANNING
 There are many instances when managers are
overwhelmed by various activities which at times be
cloud his judgment. This must be expected since anybody
who is confronted by several situations happening
simultaneously will lose sight of the more important
concerns. To minimize mistakes in decision-making,
planning is undertaken.
 A plan, which is the output of planning, provides a
methodical way of achieving desired results. In the
implementation of activities, the plan serves as a useful
guide. Without the plan, some minor task may be
afforded major attention which may later on, hinder the
accomplishment of objectives.
PLANNING DEFINED
 Planning according to Nickels and others, refers to the management
function that involves anticipating future trendsand determining the
best strategies and tactics to achieve organizational objectives. This
definition is useful because it relates the future to what could be
decided now.
 Aldag and Stearns, on the other hand, define planning as "the selection
and sequential ordering of task required to achieve an organizational
goal." This definition centers on the activity required to accomplish the
goals. The definition of Cole and Hamilton provides a better guide on
how to effectively perform this vital activity. Planning, according to
them is" deciding what will be done, who will do it, where, when and
how it will be done, and the standards to which it will be done."For our
purpose it will suffice to define planning as selecting the best course of
action so that the desired result may be achieved. It must be stressed
that the desired result takes first priority and the course of action
chosen is the means to realize the goal.
PLANNING AT VARIOUS
MANAGEMENT LEVEL
Since engineer managers could be occupying positions in
any of the various management levels, it will be useful
for them to know some aspects of planning undertaken at
the different management levels.
Planning activities undertaken at various levels are as
follows:
 Top management level- strategic planning

 Middle management level-intermediate planning

 Lower management level -operational planning

STRATEGIC PLANNING
 The term strategic planning refers to the process of
determining the major goals of the organization and the
policies and strategies for obtaining and using resources
to achieve those goals. The top management of any firm
is involved in this type of planning. In strategic planning,
the whole company is considered, specifically its
objectives and current resources. The output strategic
planning is the strategic plan, which spells out "the
decision about long range goals and the course of
action to achieve these goals."
INTERMEDIATE PLANNING
 Intermediate planning refers to the process of
determining the contributions that sub units can make
with allocated resources.
 Under intermediate planning, the goals of a sub unit, are
determined and a plan is prepared to provide a guide to
the realization of the goals. The intermediate plan is
designed to support the strategic plan.
OPERATIONAL PLANNING
 The term operational planning refers to "the process of
determining how specific task can best be accomplished
on time with available resources.
 It must be performed in support of the strategic plan and
the intermediate plan.
THE PLANNING PROCESS
The process of planning consists of various steps
depending on the management level that performs the
planning task. Generally, however, planning involves the
following:
 Setting organizational, divisional or unit goals

 Developing strategies or tactics to reach those goals

 Determining resources needed and

 Setting standards
SETTING, ORGANIZATIONAL,
DIVISIONAL OR UNIT GOALS
DETERMINING RESOURCES NEEDED
 When particular set of strategies or tactics have been
devised, the engineer manager, will. then, determine the
human and non human resources required by such
strategies or tactics. Even if the resource requirements
are currently available, they must be specified.
 The quality and quantity of resources needed must be
correctly determined. Too much resources in terms of
either quality or quantity will be wasteful Too little will
mean loss of opportunities for maximizing income.
 To satisfy strategic requirements, a general statement of
needed resources will suffice. The specific requirements
will be determined by the different units of the company.
SETTING STANDARDS
 The standards for measuring performance maybe set at
the planning stage. When actual performance does not
match with the planned performance corrections may be
made or reinforcement given.
 A standard may be defined as a quantitative or
qualitative measuring device designed to help monitor
the performances of people, capital goods, or processes.
An example of the standard is the minimum number of
units that must be produced by a worker per day in a
given work situation.
TYPES OF PLANS

 Functional Area of Plans

 Plans with Time Horizon

 Plans According to Frequency Use

 Standing Plans

 Single Use Plans

PARTS OF A VARIOUS FUNCTIONAL
AREA PLANS
The engineer manager may be familiar with engineering
plans, knowing the details from beginning to end.
However, the ever present possibility of moving from
one management level to the next and from one
functional area to another presses the engineer manager
to be familiar as well with other functional area plans.
 The Content of the Marketing Plan

 The Content of the Production Plan

 The Content of the Financial Plan

 Contents of the Human Resources Plan

 
PERSONAL INSIGHT FROM THE TOPIC:
 Planning and organizing technical activities, regardless
of management level, an engineer or professional
practitioner must have to devote some of his time to
planning. If Engineer Manager or professional
practitioners have higher management the more
sophisticated the planning activity becomes. Practically,
to minimize mistakes decision making, planning is
undertaken, because we all know that having a plan
provides a methodical way of achieving desired results
and its useful guide.
CONCLUSION:
 Therefore, to achieve the desired results strategic plan
must occur. And, planning may be successful if the
following are observed such as planning barriers where
in it consists inability to plan, lack of commitment,
improper information, concentrating on only the
controllable variables, If all these things are observed
and gives alternative solution. Among the aids of
planning these are, gather relevant information as much
as possible, develop multiple sources of information, and
most important things is involves other in the planning
process.