Answer the following questions in details.

1. Why is planning an important activity for engineer manager? Explain.

Engineer managers benefit from planning because it gives a disciplined

approach to reaching targeted outcomes. Managers who prepare have the
opportunity to carefully analyze problems, which helps them make more
successful decisions. Regardless of his management position, the engineer
manager will have to devote some of his time to planning. The engineer
manager's planning activity grows more advanced as his management level
rises. One of the most important functions of an efficient engineer and manager
is planning, and it is required of them to be able to carry out a well-thought-out
plan. Without a plan, managing the business flow will be too tough for managers
and engineers, and they may end up compromising too much, resulting in bad
outcomes. The success of an action is determined by how well it was planned.

It decreases doubts because you are discussing the things and activities you are
about to take, and it reduces the danger of taking undesirable actions that could
result in negative outcomes. It promotes competitive advancement, allowing you
to improve your job even more. It is laser-focused on attaining the objective; it
eliminates all needless actions and maximizes the use of all available resources
in order to achieve the goal.

2. How may planning be defined? Discuss the different types of plans. How may
they be classified?

“The managerial function that entails forecasting future trends and

identifying the appropriate plans and methods to attain organizational objectives,”
according to Nickels and others. On the other hand, Aldag and Stearns define
planning as "the selection and sequential ordering of tasks required to achieve
organizational goals." Cole and Hamilton's definition provides a clearer picture of
how to carry out this crucial task. “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,”
they say. “The managerial function that entails forecasting future trends and
identifying the appropriate plans and methods to attain organizational objectives,”
according to Nickels and others. On the other hand, Aldag and Stearns define
planning as "the selection and sequential ordering of tasks required to achieve
organizational goals." Cole and Hamilton's definition provides a clearer picture of
how to carry out this crucial task. “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,”
they say. The means to achieve the goal is planning, which includes picking the
optimal course of action.

The core managerial function of planning is deciding ahead of time what

should be done, when it should be done, how it should be done, and who will
execute it. It is an intellectual process that establishes an organization's goals
 and produces a variety of strategies for achieving those goals. It lays out step-by-
step instructions for achieving a particular objective.

Strategic planning

The process of identifying the organization's key goals, as well as the policies
and methods for collecting and deploying resources to achieve those goals, is referred
to as strategic planning. This form of planning involves the highest executives of any
company. Strategic planning takes into account the entire firm, including its goals and
current resources. The strategic plan is the result of strategic planning, and it explains
"the decision on long-term goals and the course of action to attain these goals."

Intermediate Planning

“The process of determining the contributions that subunits can make with
assigned resources,” according to intermediate planning. Middle management is in
charge of this form of planning. The goals of a subunit are identified during intermediate
planning, and a plan is created to lead the achievement of those goals. The
intermediate plan is intended to aid in the implementation of the strategic plan.

Operational Planning

The process of assessing how specified activities can be completed on time with
available resources is referred to as operational planning. Lower management is in
charge of this type of planning. It must be carried out in support of the strategic and
intermediate plans.

TYPES OF PLANS

There are various types of plans. Functional areas, temporal horizons, and frequency of
use can all be used to classify them.
Plans for Functional Areas
Plans can be made to meet the requirements of many functional sectors. The following
are examples of functional area plans:
1. Marketing Plan - A marketing plan is a written document or blueprint for implementing
and controlling a company's marketing activities in accordance with a certain marketing
strategy.
2. Production plan - A production plan is a written document that specifies the amount of
output a company must create in general and per product family.
3. Financial Plan - This is a document that outlines the company's current financial
condition, evaluates its financial needs, and suggests a financial strategy.
4. Human resource management plan - This is a document that details a company's
human resource demands in terms of quantity and quality, as well as the company's
strategic plan's requirements.
Plans With Time Horizon

The following are examples of plans having a time horizon:

1. Short-range plans – these are plans intended to cover a period of less than one year. 
These plans mostly affect first-line supervisors.
2. Long-range plans – these are plans covering a time span of more than one year. The
majority of these are handled by middle and upper management.

Plans According to Frequency Use

Plans are classed as follows based on how frequently they are used:
1. Standing Plans
2. Single-Use Plans

Standing Plans. These are plans that are employed repeatedly and focus on managerial
circumstances that occur frequently. Standing plans can be further divided into the
following categories:
1. Policies — broad principles for managers at all levels to use when making judgments
about recurring circumstances or functions.
2. Procedures - these are detailed plans that outline the exact sequence of steps to be
done in a certain situation.
3. Rules — words that either require or prohibit a specific activity.

Single-Use Plans. It's possible to further categorize it as follows:

1. budgets
2. programs
3. projects

According to Weston and Brigham, a budget is "a plan that sets forth the estimated cost
for a particular activity and explains where the necessary funds will be sourced."
A program is a one-time usage plan for coordinating a large number of activities.
A project is a one-time usage plan that is usually smaller in scope than a program and is
occasionally produced to assist a program.

3. Explain the different steps in planning process

1. Setting organizational, divisional, or unit goals

The manager's initial responsibility is to provide guidance to his company (if

he is the CEO), his division (if he is the division head), or his unit (if a
supervisor). Setting goals provides a remedy to the aforementioned concern.
If everyone in the company (or division or unit, as the case may be) is aware
of the objectives, there is a good likelihood that everyone will contribute their
fair share to their achievement.

2. Developing strategies or tactics to reach those goals

 After determining the goals, the next task is to devise some means to
realize them. Top management will be concerned with the approaches to
achieve the goals, which are referred to as strategies. To put their plans
into action, middle and lower management will adapt their own techniques.
A strategy can be defined as a "plan of action designed to ensure that the
organization's goals are met." When the aforementioned technique is
executed, the construction company may be able to save a significant
amount of money on material and supply requirements for their
construction projects. The company will also have more control over the
scheduling of material and supply deliveries. A tactic is a short-term
management activity taken to counteract undesirable internal or external
pressures. They're created and implemented to help the company achieve
its goals. The tactical plan outlines the short-term goals and actions to be
taken.

3. Determining resources needed

Following the development of specific sets of strategies or tactics, the

manager will determine the human and nonhuman resources required by
those strategies or tactics. The resource requirements must be indicated
even if they are currently available. The required resource quality and
amount must be accurately determined. It will be wasteful to have too
many resources, either in terms of quality or number. If you save too little,
you'll miss out on opportunities to maximize your earnings. A general
declaration of needed resources will suffice to meet strategic
requirements. The particular requirements will be defined by the
company's various units.

4. Setting standards

At the planning stage, performance standards can be established.

Corrections or reinforcements may be offered if actual performance does
not match anticipated performance. “A quantitative or qualitative
measurement equipment designed to help monitor the performances of
people, capital assets, or processes,” according to one definition.

4. What is production plan and its components?

A production plan is a written document that specifies the amount of

output a business must create in general and by product family. The planning of
production and manufacturing modules in a firm or industry is known as
production planning. It makes use of resource distribution of personnel activities,
materials, and production capacity to satisfy various clients. The production plan
must include the following information: the company's capacity, the number of
people required, and the amount of material that must be acquired.
5. What is meaning of "Company Mission"?

A company's corporate mission is defined as a "strategic statement that outlines

why an organization exists, its management philosophy, and its purpose as
distinct from other similar companies in terms of products, services, and
markets." Corporate mission is also defined as “a set of shared values, beliefs,
and behavioral norms shared by its (a firm's) members that drives employee
preferences and behaviors toward strategic intent” (Kotter and Heskett, 1992;
Cremer, 1993).

6. What are the barriers in planning?

A variety of impediments can obstruct effective planning. Managers must recognize

potential hurdles and try to overcome them in order for plans to be effective and
provide the desired results. Plunkett and Attner identify the following planning
barriers:
 Inability to plan or inadequate planning. Managers do not come into the world
with the skill to plan. Some managers are ineffective planners because they lack
the necessary background, education, and/or ability. Others may not have been
taught how to plan at all. When these two types of managers take the time to
prepare, they may be unfamiliar with the planning process.

• Lack of commitment to the planning process. It is much easier for a

manager to argue that he or she does not have the time to work through the
needed planning process than it is to really commit the time to establishing a
plan. Fear of failing is another factor for a lack of commitment. As a result,
managers may choose to do little or nothing to assist with planning.

 Inferior information. Facts that are out of current, of low quality, or lacking in
quantity can be significant impediments to planning. Managers' plans will almost
certainly fail if they are based on inadequate information, regardless of how well
they plan.

 Focusing on the present at the expense of the future. Failure to evaluate the

longterm impacts of a plan due to a concentrate on shortterm problems may
result in difficulties in planning for the future. When making strategies, managers
should aim to keep the larger picture — their longterm goals — in mind.

 Too much reliance on the organization's planning department. A planning

department or a planning and development team is common in many
businesses. These departments undertake studies, conduct research, create
models, and forecast likely outcomes, but they do not carry out plans. The results
of the planning department should only be used as planning aids. The manager
is still in charge of developing the strategy.
 Concentrating on controllable variables. Managers may find themselves
focusing on items and events over which they have influence, such as new
product development, while failing to consider external concerns, such as a weak
economy. One reason could be that managers have a strong preference for the
familiar and a strong aversion to the unknown.

7. How can you effectively implement your plan as an Engineer Manager? Explain.

An engineer manager should strive toward a specific objective or mission in order

to be effective and develop its potential. This is what planning entails. In
management, planning entails determining what steps must be taken to achieve
a goal, anticipating changes and obstacles, and determining how to best employ
human resources and opportunities to achieve the desired outcome. The
planning process entails a thorough examination of present resources and
market trends, as well as forecasting of growing markets and future demand. In
layman's terms, a goal is where your firm wants to go at a given point in time,
and a plan outlines how you'll get there.