Planning:
A plan is a forecast for accomplishment. It is a predetermined course of action. It is today’s
projection for tomorrow’s activity. In other words, to plan is to produce a scheme for future
action, to bring about specified results at a specified cost, in a specified period of time.
Management thinkers have defined the term, basically, in two ways:
1. Based on futurity: “Planning is a trap laid down to capture the future” (Allen). “Planning
is deciding in advance what is to be done in future” (Koontz). “Planning is informed
anticipation of future” (Haimann). “Planning is ‘anticipatory’ decision-making” (R.L. Ackoff).
2. As a thinking function: “Planning is a thinking process, an organised foresight, a vision
based on fact and experience that is required for intelligent action” (Alford and Beatty)
“Planning is deciding in advance what to do, how to do it, when to do it and who is to do it.”
– Koontz and O’Donnell
It is deciding in the present, what is to be done in future.
It is the process of thinking before doing.
A plan is a specific, documented intention consisting of an objective and an action
statement.
The objective portion is the end, and the action statement represents the means to that end.
Stated another way, objectives give management targets to shoot at, whereas action
statements provide the arrows for hitting the targets. Properly conceived plans tell what, where
and how something is to be done.
Types of Plans
Three major types of plans can help managers achieve their organization’s goals: strategic,
tactical, and operational.
Operational plans lead to the achievement of tactical plans, which in
turn lead to the attainment of strategic plans. In addition to these three types of plans, managers
should also develop a contingency plan in case their original plans fail.
1. Operational plans: The specific results expected from departments, work groups, and
individuals are the operational goals. These goals are precise and measurable.
Examples: (a) Process 150 sales applications each week
(b) Publish 20 books this quarter
Thus, an operational plan is one that a manager uses to accomplish his or her job
responsibilities. Supervisors, team leaders, and facilitators develop operational plans to
support tactical plans. Operational plans can be a single-use plan or an ongoing plan.
(a) Single-use plans: These plans apply to activities that do not recur or repeat. A onetime
occurrence, such as a special sales program, is a single-use plan because it deals
with the who, what, where, how, and how much of an activity.
(b) Continuing or ongoing plans: These are usually made once and retain their value over
a period of years while undergoing periodic revisions and updates.
Tactical plans: A tactical plan is concerned with what the lower-level units within each
division must do, how they must do it, and who is in charge at each level. Tactics are the
A plan is a forecast for accomplishment. It is a predetermined course of action. It is today’s
projection for tomorrow’s activity. In other words, to plan is to produce a scheme for future
action, to bring about specified results at a specified cost, in a specified period of time.
Management thinkers have defined the term, basically, in two ways:
1. Based on futurity: “Planning is a trap laid down to capture the future” (Allen). “Planning
is deciding in advance what is to be done in future” (Koontz). “Planning is informed
anticipation of future” (Haimann). “Planning is ‘anticipatory’ decision-making” (R.L. Ackoff).
2. As a thinking function: “Planning is a thinking process, an organised foresight, a vision
based on fact and experience that is required for intelligent action” (Alford and Beatty)
“Planning is deciding in advance what to do, how to do it, when to do it and who is to do it.”
– Koontz and O’Donnell
It is deciding in the present, what is to be done in future.
It is the process of thinking before doing.
A plan is a specific, documented intention consisting of an objective and an action
statement.
The objective portion is the end, and the action statement represents the means to that end.
Stated another way, objectives give management targets to shoot at, whereas action
statements provide the arrows for hitting the targets. Properly conceived plans tell what, where
and how something is to be done.
Types of Plans
Three major types of plans can help managers achieve their organization’s goals: strategic,
tactical, and operational.
Operational plans lead to the achievement of tactical plans, which in
turn lead to the attainment of strategic plans. In addition to these three types of plans, managers
should also develop a contingency plan in case their original plans fail.
1. Operational plans: The specific results expected from departments, work groups, and
individuals are the operational goals. These goals are precise and measurable.
Examples: (a) Process 150 sales applications each week
(b) Publish 20 books this quarter
Thus, an operational plan is one that a manager uses to accomplish his or her job
responsibilities. Supervisors, team leaders, and facilitators develop operational plans to
support tactical plans. Operational plans can be a single-use plan or an ongoing plan.
(a) Single-use plans: These plans apply to activities that do not recur or repeat. A onetime
occurrence, such as a special sales program, is a single-use plan because it deals
with the who, what, where, how, and how much of an activity.
(b) Continuing or ongoing plans: These are usually made once and retain their value over
a period of years while undergoing periodic revisions and updates.
Tactical plans: A tactical plan is concerned with what the lower-level units within each
division must do, how they must do it, and who is in charge at each level. Tactics are the
