CHAPTER THREE

THE PLANNING FUNCTION

I. MEANING, NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING

The Meaning of Planning

o Planning – is the dynamic process of making decisions today about future
actions; and it is a selection or choice among alternatives as to: What missions or
objectives be achieved, What actions should be taken, What organizational
positions be assigned, How the end can be achieved, When to achieve it, Who is
to do it, Where to do it. It bridges the gap between where we are now and where
we want to be.

o Planning - is preparing today for tomorrow; it is the activity that allows managers
to determine what they want and how to get it: They set goals and decide how to
reach them. Planning focuses on the future: what is to be accomplished and how.
Answers six basic questions in regard to any intended activity:
 What (the goal or goals).
 When (the time frame in which it will be accomplished)
 Where (the place or places where the plans or planning will reach
its conclusion).
 Who (which people will perform the tasks).
 How (the specific steps or methods to reach the goals).
 What resources (resources necessary to reach the goals).
o Planning is a process of deciding what to do and how to do it before action is
required.
Planning involves selecting missions and objectives and the actions to achieve them; it
requires decision-making, that is, choosing from among alternative future courses of
actions. Managers who develop plans but do not commit themselves to action are simply
wasting time. The outcome of the planning function is a plan, a written document that
specifies the courses of action a firm will take.

Nature of Planning
Discussing the following points can highlight the nature of planning.
1. The contribution of planning to purpose and objectives
Every organization is established (exists) for the accomplishment of group purpose or
objective. So, the purpose of any plan and its derivatives or supporting plans is to
facilitate the accomplishment of organizational objectives.
2. The primacy of planning
All the five managerial functions - planning, organizing, staffing, directing and
controlling- are designed to support the accomplishment of organizational objectives.
However, planning precedes the execution of all other managerial functions, because all
other managerial functions must be planned if they are to be effective. This does not

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mean that planning is the most important of all other managerial functions, because to be
important or useful all other functions have to accompany it.
Although in practice all the functions mesh as a system of action, planning is unique in
that it involves establishing the objectives necessary for all group effort. The entire gist of
initiating, exercising, and activating the managerial functions of organizing, staffing,
directing and controlling is to bring the objectives formulated during planning into
fruition. In fact, the concept of especially control would be unthinkable without planning
because any attempt to control without plans is meaningless, since there is no way for
people to tell whether they are going where they want to go (the result of the task of
control) unless they first know where they want to go (part of task of planning). Plans
thus furnish the standards of control. Since planning and controlling are so much
inseparable, they are treated as the Siamese twins of management.
3. The pervasiveness /Universality of planning
Planning is a function of all managers, although the character and breadth of planning
varies with each manager’s authority and with the nature of policies and plans outlined by
superiors. That is, all managers-from presidents to first-level supervisors plan. Even for
personal life we plan. “It is difficult to call a person a manager if he or she doesn't plan
“Koontz
4. Planning and information
Basically no plan exists without information. To plan managers have to gather relevant
information from around the environment. Information is one of the valuable resources
for planning to exist.
5. Planning is a continuous process
Planning deals with the future and the future is full of uncertainties. Hence, planning is
subject to revision. It needs frequent revision in response to changes in the internal and
external environments of the organization. Therefore, so far as the organization is in
operation, planning is in continuous process. The more continuous the planning is, the
higher its efficiency is.
6. Planning is a means to an end
Planning is not an end by itself. It is a means to an end (meeting objectives). Planning is
an instrument that pushes people towards the achievement of objectives.
7. Plans are arranged in a hierarchy
Plans are first set for the entire organization. The corporate plan then provides the
framework for the formulation of divisional, departmental, and sectional goals. Each of
these organizational components sets its plans, programs, projects, budgets, resource
requirements, etc.
As shown in the figure below, unit plans are summed up to form sectional plans and these
in turn form departmental plans. Finally, the different divisional plans when summarized
at corporate level, form corporate plan.

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Fig. Hierarchy of plans
Corporate plans

Divisional plans
Unit plans

The Importance of Planning

1. It provides direction and sense of purpose
It is through planning that we can establish our objectives. Plans focus attention on
sepicifc targets and direct employees effort toward important outcomes. Once
organizations know what they can do and can't do over the future, they began to set
objectives based on their capacity and the order of activities needed to accomplish their
objectives. It provides direction and a common sense of purpose. This shared purpose
enables both employees and managers to coordinate, unite, and guide their actions.
2. It reduces uncertainties and anticipates the future/ preparing for change
Planning is based on systematic and careful forecasts of future states of the economy,
markets, technology, etc to reduce uncertainties to the extent they occur according to
expectation. Thus, it is while planning that the manager should consider the potential
areas for changes in the future; rather than merely reacting to it. Managers should cope
with changes in their own organizations and functions in their environment through
planning. Anticipating and preparing for possible future changes enables managers to
control their environment. In so doing, planning answers “what-if” questions. In
planning, managers develop several "what if" questions in order to reduce the risk of
unpredictable future, so far as we plan for the future. By asking what if questions
managers develop alternatives.
3. It provides basis for controlling
Standards /controlling mechanisms/ are developed during planning. It specifies what is to
be accomplished and provides a standard for measuring progress.
4. It forces managers to see the organization as a system
While planning managers have to consider parts because the plan of one part
(department) affects the operation of the whole organization so far as parts of an
organization are interdependent.
5. It promotes efficiency
Planning provides the opportunity for a greater utilization of the available organizational
resources - because in planning we determine how many resources are necessary to reach
the goals, and how to use these resources.
6. It provides the base for cooperative and coordinated efforts
Management exists because the work of individuals and groups in organizations must be
coordinated, and planning is one important technique for achieving coordinated effort.

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Planning provides the basis for organized and coordinated effort by defining the
objectives of the organization and the means for their achievement.
7. Developing managers
The act of planning involves high level of intellectual activity. Those who plan must be
able to deal with abstract and uncertain ideas and information. Planners must think
systematically about the present and the future. Through planning, the future state of the
organization can be improved if its managers take an active role in moving the
organization toward that future. Planning then implies that managers should be proactive
and make things happen rather than reactive and let things happen. Through act of
planning, managers not only develop their ability to think futuristically but, to the extent
that their plans are effective, their motivation to plan is reinforced. Also, the act of
planning sharpens manager's ability to think as they consider abstract ideas and
possibilities for the future. Thus, both the result and the act of planning benefit both the
organization and its managers.
8. It provides guideline for decision making
Decisions in an organization will be made in alignment with the plans and in accordance
with desired outcomes. Managers make decisions on problems of recurring nature based
on strategies and policies of the organization. Through specifying the actions necessary to
accomplish the goals of the organization, planning serves as a framework for decision-
making. It forces managers to make analytical thinking and evaluate alternatives through
improved decisions.

Limitations of Planning
a.Planning is risky
This is because of uncertainties in the future and absence of accurate and adequate data.
b. It is a difficult and complicated task
Planning involves complex and interdependent decisions. Thus requires patience and
commitment from those who are involved in the planning process. In addition to this,
rapid changes in technology and customers’ tastes and preferences will also make
planning difficult and exceptionally complex.
c. It is expensive and time consuming
Planning requires financial, physical, human, and time resources. The collection of the
necessary data from various sources, the analysis, organizing and interpreting data
consume time and requires a huge amount of financial outlay.
d. It is affected by external factors
External factors can put strain on the success of planning. These factors could be external
impositions, government intervention, natural calamities, import-export policies, taxation
and labor laws that can limit the success of planning.

II. ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES

 Objectives are the important ends of planning toward which organizing, staffing,
leading and controlling are aimed.
 Objectives are the important ends toward which organizational and individual
efforts or activities are directed.

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  Objectives are essential starting points in planning because they provide direction
for all other managerial activities.
 While enterprise objectives are the basic plan of the firm, department may also
have its own objectives. Its objectives naturally contribute to the attainment of
enterprise objectives, but the two sets of objectives may be entirely different.
E.g. Objective of Business – To make a certain profit by producing a given line of
home entertainment equipment.
Objective of manufacturing department - To produce the required number of TV
sets of given design and quality at a
given cost.
These two objectives are consistent, but they differ in that the manufacturing department
alone cannot ensure accomplishing the company’s objectives.
Goals and objectives can be used interchangeably.
 Mission/Purpose - denotes the reason for the existence of an
organization.
- denotes the organizations fundamental reason for existence.
Purpose and mission can be used interchangeably.
 Target – identifies specific qualitative or quantitative ends (points).
In short Mission/ purposes, objective, Targets differ in scope.
Purpose/missions  objective  Targets

Nature of Objectives
1. Goals are predetermined or stated in advance.
2. Goals describe future desired results toward which present efforts are directed.
3. Goals should be specific and measurable. If possible, goals should be expressed in
quantitative terms.
4. Goals should have defined time period. They should specify the time period over
which goals will be achieved and measured. However, the long-range objectives
should provide the direction for short-range objectives.
5. Objectives should be continually adjusted in light of environmental changes.
However, too frequent changes and adjustments may cause confusion and disruption
of plans, strategies, policies, budgets, etc.
6. Goals should be challenging but realistic. If a goal is too difficult employees may
give up. If too easy, and routine type they may not feel motivated. Therefore, goals
should be set within the existing resource base and not beyond the department’s time,
equipment, labor, and financial resources. This gives workers job satisfaction and a
great desire to work hard. A difficult job is something beyond the resource capacity
of the organization and the individual employee. It ends up with failure to achieve the
stated goals.
7. Objectives have hierarchy
In planning, broader and more comprehensive objective with long time frame will be
formulated at the very top. These top-level objectives must successfully be broken
down to more specific and shortsighted sub-objectives because moving the
organization to goal attainment calls for achieving these sub-objectives which are the

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 means by which objectives are attained. Each level of objective stand as ends relative
to the levels below it and as a means relative to the level above it.
In short, like all management activities objectives have hierarchy. It ranges from the
broadest organizational objectives to specific /individual objectives. Organizations
typically have three levels of goals: strategic, tactical, and operational.
Strategic goals - are broadly defined targets or future end results set by top-level
management. Such goals typically address issues relating to the organization as a
whole rather than specific divisions or departments and may sometimes be stated in
fairly general terms. Strategic goals are sometimes called official goals because they
are formally stated by top management.
Tactical goals - are targets or future end results usually set by middle management for
specific departments or units. Goals at this level spell out what must be done by
various departments to achieve the results outlined in the strategic goals. Tactical
goals tend to be stated in more measurable terms than is sometimes true of strategic
goals.
Operational goals - are targets or future end results set by lower management that
address specific, measurable outcomes required from lower levels.
The three levels of goals can be thought of as forming a hierarchy of goals. With a
hierarchy, goals at each level need to be synchronized so that efforts at the various
levels are channeled ultimately toward achieving the major goals of the organization.
In this way, the various levels of goals form a means-end chain, in which the goals at
the operational level (means) must be achieved in order to reach the goals at the
tactical level (end). Likewise, the goals at the tactical level (means) must be reached in
order to achieve the goals at the strategic level (end).
8. Multiplicity of objectives
Even though there is only one broad and overall organizational objective, there are
other multiple (many) objectives that are under the umbrella of the overall plan which
are directed to attain the overall plan. It would have been relatively easy to achieve an
objective and its sub-objective had an organization had only a single basic objective.
But in reality organizations do have a multitude of objectives and any attempt to
disregard this fact can invite failure to organizations.

E.g. Organizational (Broad) objective: profit maximization

Satisfaction of customers
Other objectives Research & development
Employee development

9. Integrating character
In order to achieve the broad organizational objective there should be harmony or
integration among objectives.
Multiple  Integration  Network of
Objectives objectives

10. Network of objectives

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 Objectives of an organization form network, that is, objectives are interrelated and
interdependent. The union of the individual objectives to form an overall objective makes
network of objectives. If there were no network of objectives, it would be very difficult to
achieve organizational objectives because people with their individual objective will
pursue their activity as right and coordination can never be possible.
11. Primacy of objectives
Objectives are primary to organization because they are the very reason for the existence
of an organization.

Benefits of Objectives
i. Objectives provide basis for the performance of all
managerial functions. They serve as a benchmark for the formulation of plan, policies,
strategies, rules, budgets, procedures, etc. Organizing exists when there are objectives
and courses of action required for implementing plans, organizing signifies the need for
staffing by creating jobs and positions and coordinating all organizational efforts to
desired results.
ii. Objectives provide guidelines for action. They help clarify
expectations. When goals are set, organization members are more likely to have a clear
idea of the major outcomes that they are expected to achieve. Without goals,
organization members can all be working very hard but may collectively accomplish very
little as if they were rowers independently rowing the same boat in different directions
and together making very little progress. Goals direct and channel employees’ efforts by
describing future desired results. They provide focus and direction for employees by
prescribing what ‘should be’ done. And, they also help to allocate resources and tell
employee how and where to direct their strongest efforts. Goals are basic for cooperative
and organized effort.
iii. Objectives can limit employee activities. They serve to
prescribe what ‘should be done’ and ‘what should not be done’ by the employees.
iv. Objectives provide a unique identity for organizations.
Organizations have unique characteristics. They have their own values and identities that
help one to differentiate them from others in the industry.
v. An organization’s goal can serve as a source of employee
motivation. It helps to uplift their morale. By presenting a challenge, goals tell what
characterizes success and how to achieve it. Accomplishment of organizational goals
provides employees a sense of achievement and satisfaction. The added motivation
develops from meeting goals, feeling a sense of accomplishment, and receiving
recognition and other rewards for reaching targeted outcomes. On the other hand,
managing employees based on the accomplishment of objectives rather than on the tasks
and activities of every worker (management by objectives-MBO) can serve as an
incentive to employees.
vi. Objectives provide performance standards and bases for
control. Control is the function of measuring, comparing and evaluating performance

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against predetermined standards. Thus, control will be meaningless in the absence of
standards provided by objectives.

How Goals Facilitate Performance

In order to make use of goals, managers need to understand just how goals can facilitate
performance. Goals facilitate performance if they have the following components: goal
content, goal commitment, work behavior, and feedback.
Goal Content: Goals that are effective in channeling effort toward
achievement at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels have a content that reflects
five major characteristics. Goals should be challenging, attainable, specific and
measurable, time limited, and relevant.
Goal commitment: A critical element in using goals effectively is
getting individuals and/or work groups to be committed to the goals they must carry
out. Goal commitment is one's attachment to, or determination to reach, a goal. Without
commitment, setting specific, challenging goals will have little impact on performance.
Research indicates that five major factors positively influence goal commitment:
supervisory authority, peer and group pressure, public display of commitment,
expectations of success, and incentives and rewards.
Work Behavior: Given goals and commitment, how does the goal-setting
process ultimately influence behavior? Research so far suggests that goal content and
goal commitment affect an individual's actual work behavior by influencing four work
behavior factors: direction, effort, persistence and planning.
Direction: Goals provide direction by channeling attention and action toward activities
related to those goals, rather than to other activities. Thus goals to which we are
committed can help us make better choices about the activities that we will undertake.
Effort: In addition to channeling activities, goals to which we are committed boost effort
by mobilizing energy. As indicated by the research on goal setting, individuals are likely
to put forth more effort when goals are difficult than when they are easy.
Persistence: Persistence involves maintaining direction and effort on behalf of a goal
until it is reached, a requirement that may involve an extended period of time.
Commitment to goals makes it more likely that we will persist in attempting to reach
them.
Planning: In addition to the relatively direct efforts on direction, effort and persistence,
goals also have an important indirect effect on work behavior by influencing planning.
Goal setting affects planning because individuals who have committed themselves to
achieving difficult goals are likely to develop plans or methods that can be used to attain
those goals. With easy goals, however, little planning may be necessary.
Feedback: feedback to employees about their performance will let them know
if they have worked as to the expectation. By comparing their performance with the set
goals, managers should give feedback on employees’ performance that will help them
evaluate themselves and direct their effort towards achievement.

Management by Objectives

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Management by objective (MBO) is a process through which specific goals are set
collaboratively for the organization as a whole and every unit and individual within it; the
goals then are used as a basic for planning, managing organizational activities, and
assessing and rewarding contributions.

In Management by objectives (MBO) specific performance goals are jointly determined

by employees and their managers, progress toward accomplishing these goals is
periodically reviewed, and rewards are allocated on the basis of this progress.

1) MBO was first described by Peter Drucker and consists of four elements:
 Goal specificity
 Participative decision making
 Explicit time period
 Performance feedback

2) MBO makes objectives operational through the process by which they cascade down
through the organization.

Although there is considerable variation across organizations, MBO processes typically

include the following steps:
1. Organizational goals are developed based on organizational missions.
2. Specific goals are established for departments, subunits, and individuals.
o In the top-down process, upper-level managers, conferring with their immediate
managerial subordinates, formulate specific objectives for their areas of
responsibility. These in turn enter into the formulation of objectives for the next
level down, and so forth.
o In the bottom-up process, operational goals are proposed by lower-level managers
on the basis of what they think they can achieve. These in turn are developed into
tactical and finally strategic plans.
3. Action plans are formulated, describing what is to be done, how, when, where, and by
whom in order to achieve a particular goals.
4. Individuals are given the responsibility of reaching their objectives and that goals will
ultimately be met.
5. Performance is appraised at the end of the goal-setting cycle, typically at one-year
intervals. Praise, recognition, and rewards should be given for effective performance.

The strengths of MBO are that it

1. Aids coordination of goals and plans.
2. Helps clarify priorities and expectations.
3. Facilitates vertical and horizontal communications.
4. Fosters employee motivation.

The weaknesses of MBO are that it

1. Tends to falter without strong, continual commitment from top management.
2. Necessitates considerable training of managers.
3. Can be misused as a punitive device.

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 4. May cause overemphasis of quantitative goals.

The “spirit” of MBO is tremendous. In practice however, MBO has been successful only
about 20 to 25 percent of the time, primarily because of lack of support from top
management and poor goal-setting and communication skills.

III. The Planning Process

Like other managerial activities planning has its own processes or series of steps. These
steps are interrelated and there is no rigid boundary between or among these steps, and
one is the base for the other.
1. Establishing objectives
As objectives provide the direction for all other managerial functions, especially
planning, objective setting is an important first step in the planning process. Objectives
specify the expected results 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 the network of
strategies, policies, procedures, rules, budgets, and programs. They provide the direction
necessary for achievement and without them there is little to keep a manager from simply
wandering in all directions. Objectives are then, the ‘guiding light’ for the entire
management process.
Objective setting is a three steps process, which involves assessing the present situation,
anticipating future conditions, and then setting the objectives. It is only after the
managers have at least the rudimentary knowledge about their capabilities and available
opportunities that objective setting does make sense.
Organizations do not have one set of objectives, which each manager attempts to achieve.
Rather, setting objectives involves establishing objectives for the entire organization,
each subordinate work unit, and the long range as well as the short range. The hierarchy
of objectives starts at the top of the organization with overall organizational objectives
and proceeds downwards with narrower and more specific objectives for each level
managers, derived from the objectives at the top level.
Objectives developed by organizational levels and peer managers should be compatible
with one another. Top-level management should set the stage for goal setting by lower
level management, thereby ensuring maximum use of resources. Enterprise objectives
give direction to the major plans which define the objective of every major department.
Major department objectives, in turn, control the objectives of subordinate departments
and so down the line.
2. Developing premises
Planning premises are assumptions about the environment within which the plan is to be
carried out. Once objectives are established managers have to investigate the company's
environment to know factors that facilitate or block the attainment of these objectives.
This involves examining the external and internal factors which affect the performance of
the organization: the external environment (for Treats and Opportunities) through PEST
analysis and internal environment (for Strengths and Weaknesses) through Self-Audit.

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 Strengths are internal competencies possessed by the organization in comparison
with the competitors. These include structure and policies of the organization,
location, financial soundness, knowledge of personnel, qualities of facilities, and so
on.
 Weaknesses are attributes of the organization which tend to decrease its
competence in comparison to its competitors.
 Threat is reasonably probable events which if it were to occur, would produce
significant damage to the organization.
 Opportunity is a combination of circumstances, time, and place which if
accompanied by a certain course of action on the part of the organization, is likely to
produce significant benefits.
The key element of planning at this stage is forecasting. It is based on the forecasts made
in different areas that premises are made.
Because the future is so complex, it would not be profitable or realistic to make
assumptions about every detail of the future environment of a plan. Therefore, premises
are, as a practical matter, limited to assumptions that are critical, or strategic, to a plan,
that is, those that most influence its operation.
3. Determining alternative courses of actions
Alternatives are courses of actions that are available to a manager to reach a goal. In
developing alternatives, a manager should try to create as many roads to the objective as
possible. Usually the most common problem is not finding alternatives but reducing
number of alternatives so that the most promising may be analyzed.

4. Evaluating alternative courses of action

Having sought out alternative courses, managers evaluate the benefits, costs and effects
of alternative courses in light of their weight to goals and premises. Because there are so
many alternative courses in most situations and there are numerous variables and
limitations to be considered, evaluation can be exceedingly difficult. This is a step in
planning process that operations research and mathematical as well as computing
techniques have their primary application to the field of management.
5. Selecting a course of action
This is the point at which the plan to be adopted is chosen or selected. It is the real point
of decision-making. The analysis of each alternative’s disadvantages, benefits, costs and
effects should result in determining one course of action that appears better than the
others. If no one alternative emerges as clearly the best, consideration should be given to
combining parts or the entire content of two or more alternatives. Whatever the course
chosen, it should be one that gives you the most advantages and the fewest serious
disadvantages.
6. Formulating derivative plans
At step 5 planning is ended. Formulating derivative plans means formulating other plans
based on one major plan.
7. Numberizing plans by budgeting

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Numberizing plans is converting them into budgets. Plans will have meaning when they
are changed into numbers. Budgeting is the means of adding various plans together and
set important standards against which planning process can be measured.
8. Implementing the plan
After the optimum alternative has been selected, the manager needs to develop an action
plan to implement it. This is a step where by the entire organization will be in motion or
real operation. All the planning in the world will not help an organization realize
objectives if plans cannot be implemented. Implementation involves determining who
will be involved, what resources will be assigned, how the plan will be evaluated, and the
reporting procedure.
9. Controlling and evaluating the results
Once the plan is implemented, the manager must monitor the progress that is being made,
evaluate the reported results, and make any modifications necessary. The environment
that a plan is constructed in is constantly changing, so the plans may have to be modified.
Or modification may be needed because a plan was not quite “perfect” when it was
implemented. Hence, managers need to make certain that the plan is going according to
expectations and making necessary adjustments.

IV. Types of Plans

Plans can be classified on different bases or dimensions. These are:
- Scope/breadth dimension,
- Time dimension, and
- Use/repetitiveness

i. Scope/Breadth Dimension
Scope refers to the comprehensiveness of the plan, or it refers to the level of management
where plans are formulated. This dimension creates hierarchy of plans. Based on
scope/breadth we can classify plans into: Strategic, Tactical and Operational.

Strategic Plan: is organization wide plan that is formulated or developed by top-level

management in consultation with the board of directors and middle level management. It
applies to the entire organization.
- Looks ahead over the next two, three, five or more years.
- Develops the direction for the entire organization.
- Is primarily concerned with solving long-term problems associated with external
environmental influences.
- Establishes overall objectives and positions for an organization in terms of its
environment.
The following are distinguishing characteristics of strategic plan.
1. It requires looking outside the organization for threats and opportunities.
2. It requires looking inside the organization for strengths and weaknesses
3. It takes a longer view, i.e. it covers a relatively long time horizon > 5
years.

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 4. It tends to be top management responsibility, but it reflects a mentality
useful at all levels.
5. It is expressed in relatively general non-specific terms.
Strategic plans address such questions as:
- What business are we in?
- What business should we be in?
- Where will we be in ten years if we continue doing what we are now
doing?
The difference between where a firm would like to be (where we want to be) and where it
will be if it does nothing is called the Planning gap. Strategic planning is primarily
concerned with closing that gap.
 The success or failure of an organization depends up on the success or failure of
strategic plans. It makes premises for tactical plans.
Tactical Plan: refers to the implementation of activities and the allocation of resources
necessary for the achievement of the organization’s objectives.
- is an intermediate plan that helps to reduce long range planning into intermediate one
by increasing the amount of specificity and making the actions goal oriented. Tactical
plans are specific and more goal oriented than strategic plans. Middle level
management in consultation with lower level management develops them.
- Tactical plans are the means charted to support the implementation of the
strategic plans and achievement of tactical goals. They are concerned with shorter
time frames and cover a narrower scope (narrower range of activities).
- Structures a firm’s resources to achieve maximum performance.
- Concerned with what the lower level units within each division must do, how
they must do it, and who will have the responsibilities for doing it.
- Tactical plans make premises for operational plans.
- is narrower in scope than strategic plan and wider than operation plan; but
more detailed than strategic plan and less detailed than operational plan
E.g. what is the best pricing policy?
Which city or town is suitable for marketing our products?
Operational Plan: is concerned with the day to day activities of the organization and is
made at the lower level management in consultation with middle level management.
Operational plans spell out specifically what must be accomplished to achieve
specific/operational goals. It is concerned with the efficient, day-to-day use of resources
allocated to a department manager’s area of responsibility.
- Operational plans have relatively short time frame (< 1 yr). It is the most detailed (more
specific) and narrowest plan compared to the above two; because it is to be
implemented day-to-day.
E.g. –What production technique is best?
- What materials are needed for operation?
 Unless operational goals are achieved in organizations, tactical and strategic plans
will not be successful and goals at those levels will not be achieved.

ii. Time Dimension

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 Time dimension refers to the time periods for which the planning is intended. Based on
the length of time a plan covers, we do have three types of plans: Long-range (five years
or more), medium-range (between one and five years) and short-range plans (one year or
less).
 Time dimension and scope dimension are the same except the former is about the
length of time that the plan covers and the later about the level of management
where the plan is formulated.
All strategic plans are long-range plans.
All tactical plans are medium-range plans.
All operational plans are short-range plans.

iii. Use Dimension

Use dimension refers to the extent to which plans will be used on a recurring basis, i.e.
based on how repeatedly/frequently a given plan is used. Based on this dimension we do
have two types of plans: standing plans and single use plans.
Standing Plans: are plans that provide an ongoing guidance for performing recurring
activities.
- They are plans which are formulated to be used again and again for the day-
to-day operation of the organization. That is, repetitive situations or actions require
the development of such plans. They become necessary when the same kinds of
actions are to be taken over and over again. Standing plans become valuable under
relatively stable situations.
Once established, standing plans allow managers to conserve time used for planning and
decision-making because similar situations are handled in a predetermined, consistent
manner.
E.g. A bank can more easily approve or reject loan requests if criteria are established in
advance to evaluate credit ratings, collateral assets, and related applicant information.
The major types of standing plans are policies, rules and procedures.
a. Policies: is a general guide that specifies the broad parameters within which
organization members are expected to operate in pursuit of organizational goals.
- Policies are general statements or understandings which guide or channel thinking
and actions in decision-making to achieve organizational objectives.
Not all policies are “statements”, they are often merely implied from the actions of
managers.
Policies have the following characteristics:
1. Policies define an area within which a decision is to be made and ensure that the
decision will be consistent with and contribute to an objective.
2. Policies help to decide issues before they become problems; make it unnecessary
to analyze the same situation every time it comes up and unify other plans.
3. Policies tell us what to do in a general sort of way.
4. Policies provide discretion within limits since they are guides to decision-making.
Policy is a means of encouraging discretion and initiative, but within limits. The
amount of freedom will naturally depend up on the policy and in turn will reflect
position and authority in the organization.
5. Policies must be flexible.

CHAPTER 3: PLANNING 14
  Policies are usually established formally and deliberately by top managers of the
organization. They can also emerge informally and at lower levels in the organization
from a seemingly consistent set of decisions on the same subject made over a period
of time.
Policies are established at the top because:
a. They feel it will improve the effectiveness of an organization.
b. They want some aspect of the organization to reflect their personal values
(E.g. Dress codes)
c. They need to clear up some conflict or confusion that has occurred at a
lower level in the organization.
Examples of policy:
1. Except for token gifts of purely nominal or advertising value, no
employee shall accept any gift from any supplier at any time.
2. Hiring university trained engineers
3. To promote from within
4. We accept returned merchandise
b. Rules: spell out specific required action or non-actions, i.e., actions that must be or
must not be taken, allowing no discretion, in a given situation.
E.g. No smoking, cheating is prohibited.
 A rule is an ongoing, specific plan for controlling human behavior and conduct at
work.
 The purpose of policies is to guide decision-making by marking off areas in which
managers can use their discretion. Although rules also serve as guides, they allow no
discretion in their application.
 Rules are the most explicit of standing plans and are not guides for thinking or
decision-making. Rather, they are substitutes for them. The only choice a rule leaves
is whether or not to apply it to a particular set of circumstances.
c. Procedures: are statements that detail the exact manner in which certain activities
must be accomplished. They put the precise order of activities to be carried out to do a
task and thus, procedures are chronological sequences of required actions. They provide
detailed step-by-step instructions as to what should be done. Procedures prescribe exactly
what actions are to be taken in a specific situation and specify the chronological sequence
of activities. For example, material procurement, university admission, bidding, etc.

When we compare the above three, policies, procedures and rules, we can understand that
all are alike in the sense that they are directives to guide people’s behavior to the desired
ends and they are plans which are to be followed in the future. Conversely, procedures
and rules are different from policies in that the formers are guides to actions while the
latter are guides to thinking. So, procedures and rules render no freedom and hence
should be used when we want to discourage initiative or repress thinking. But, policies
must permit freedom within limits and hence are used when people’s involvement,
participation or initiative is desired.
Though both rules and procedures repress thinking, they are different. Unlike procedures,
rules (1) guide actions without specifying a time sequence (2) spell out that a certain
action must or must not be taken. Procedures, however, specify a time sequence. In fact a

CHAPTER 3: PLANNING 15
procedure may be looked upon as a sequence of rules. A rule, however, may or may not
be part of a procedure.
Single use plans: are plans aimed at achieving a specific goal that, once reached, will
most likely not recur in the future and dissolved when these have been accomplished.
- Are designed to accomplish a specific objective usually in a relatively shorter period
of time and it is non repetitive.
- They are detailed courses of action that probably will not be repeated in the same
form in the future.
The major types of single use plans are programs, projects, and budgets.
E.g. A firm planning to build a new warehouse-location, construction costs, labor
availability, zoning restrictions.
a. Programs: is a comprehensive plan that coordinates a complex set of activities related
to a major non-recurring goal.
- Are a complex of goals, policies, procedures, rules, task assignments, steps to be
taken, resources to be employed and other elements necessary to carryout a given
course of action
- Single use plans may use standing plans and other single use plans to be effective.
Single use plan = Standing plans + Single use plans
 A program may be as large in scope as placing a person on the moon or as
comparatively small as improving the reading level of fourth grade students in a
school district. Whatever its scope, it will specify many activities and allocations of
resources within an overall scheme that may include such other single use plans as
projects and budgets.
* A program may be repeated with modification but not as it is.
b. Projects: is a plan that coordinates a set of limited scope activities that do not need to
be divided into several major projects in order to reach a major non-recurring goal.
- Projects are the smaller and separate portions of programs.
Each project has limited scope and distinct directives concerning assignments and
time. Each project will become the responsibility of designated personnel who
will be given specific resources and deadlines.
E.g. Building a warehouse can be taken as a program. In the warehouse example,
typical projects might include the preparation of layout drawings, a report on
labor availability, and recommendations for transferring stock from existing
facilities to the new installation.
c. Budgets: are statements of expected results expressed in numerical terms.
- Are statements of financial resources set aside for specific activities in a
given period of time.
- Budget is a single use plan that commits resources to an activity over a given
period. It may be expressed in Birr, labor hours, units of product, machine hrs, or any
other numerically measurable term.
- It may be referred to as a “numberize” program.
Budgets are also control devices. However, making a budget is clearly planning.

CHAPTER 3: PLANNING 16
Characteristics of a Good Plan
Every sound business plan must have these characteristics:
 Objectivity
Planning should, first all, be based on objective thinking. It should be factual, logical
and realistic. It should be directed to achieving organizational goals rather than
personal objectives.
 Futurity
Since a plan is a forecast of some future action, it must have the quality of futurity;
otherwise, it has little value as a basis for future action. If a plan is to be effective, it
must foresee with reasonable accuracy the nature of future events affecting the
industry and the firm. The inability to foresee future events, a human limitation that
we cannot overcome, is the weak link in planning process.
 Flexibility
Because no one can foresee the future, plans must have flexibility. They must adjust
smoothly and quickly to changing conditions without seriously losing their
effectiveness. The more difficult it is to predict the future, the more flexible the plans
must be.
 Stability
Stability is related to flexibility. A stable plan will not have to be abandoned because
of long-term changes in the company’s situation. It may be affected by long-range
developments, but it should not be changed materially from day to day.

 Comprehensive
A plan must be comprehensive enough to provide adequate guidance, but not so
detailed as to be unduly restrictive. It should cover everything required of people, but
not in such detail that it inhibits initiative.
 Simplicity and clarity
Although a good plan must be comprehensive, it should also be simple. A simple plan
seeks to attain its objective with the fewest components, forces, effects and
relationships. A plan should not be ambiguous. Lack of clarity makes understanding
and implementation difficult.

 Contingency planning is the development of alternative plans for use in the

event that environmental conditions evolve differently than anticipated, rendering
original plans unwise or unfeasible.

 Planning staff- is a small group of individuals who assist top-level managers in

developing the various components of the planning process.

CHAPTER 3: PLANNING 17
V. MANAGERIAL DECISION-MAKING
Meaning:
- Decision-making is a rational choice or selection of one alternative from among a set of
alternatives; i.e. it is the act of choosing one alternative from among a set of
alternatives.
- Decision-making is the management function that consists of choosing one course of
action from all the available alternatives.
Decision-making is part of every aspect of the manager’s duties, which include planning,
organizing, staffing, leading and controlling, i.e. decision-making is universal. In all
managerial functions decision-making is involved. All managerial functions have to be
decided. For example, managers can formulate planning objectives only after making
decisions about the organization’s basic mission. Even though in all managerial functions
decision-making is involved, the critical decision-making is during planning because
planning identifies the objectives of the organization; i.e. decision must be made to
identify the objectives/missions of an organization. In the planning process, managers
decide such matters as what goals or opportunities their organization will pursue, what
resources will be used, who will perform each required task etc. The entire planning
process involves managers in a continual series of decision-making situations.
Decision-making has three elements (parts)
1. When managers make decisions; they are choosing or selecting from among
alternatives.
2. When managers make decisions, they have available alternatives. When there are
no alternatives, there is no decision-making, rather it become mandatory.
3. When managers make decisions, they have purpose in mind. The purpose in mind
is organizational objectives.

THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

Decisions are organizational responses to problems. Every decision is the outcome of a
dynamic process that is influenced by multitude of forces. So decision-making has its
own processes / series of steps. The process is a sequential process rather then a series of
steps.
1. Identifying problems
A necessary condition for a decision to exist is a problem - the discrepancy between an
actual and desired state; a gap between where one is and where one wants to be. If
problems do not exist, there will be no need for decisions; i.e. problems are prerequisites
for decisions. How critical a problem for the organization is measured by the gap
between levels of performance specified in the organization’s goals and objectives and
the level of performance attained; i.e. it is measured by the gap between level of

CHAPTER 3: PLANNING 18
performance specified (standards set) and level of performance attained. The problem is
very critical when the gap between the standard set and actual performance attained is
very high. To locate problems, managers rely on several different indicators:
- Deviations from past performance. A sudden change in some established pattern of
performance often indicates that a problem has developed. When employee turnover
increases, sales decline, selling expenses increase, or more defective units are
produced, a problem usually exists.
- Deviation from plan. When results do not meet planned objectives, a problem is
likely. For example, a new product fails to meet its market share objective, profit
levels are lower than planned, the production department is exceeding its budgets.
These occurrences signal that some plan is off course.
- Out side criticism. The actions of outsiders may indicate problems. Customers may
be dissatisfied with a new product or with their delivery schedules; a labor union may
present a grievance; investment firms may not recommend the organization as a good
investment opportunity; alumni may withdraw their support from an athletic program.
Decision makers face three types of problems:
 A crisis problem is a serious difficulty requiring immediate action. An example of a
crisis is a severe cash flow deficiency that has a high potential of evolving into serious
losses, and a customer protest against the quality of a product.
 A non-crisis problem is an issue that requires resolutions but does not simultaneously
have the importance and immediacy characteristics of a crisis. Many of the decisions
that managers make center on non-crisis problems. Example of such problems is a
factory that needs to be brought into conformity with new state antipollution standards
during the next three years and an employee who frequently is late for work.
 An opportunity problem is a situation that offers strong potential for significant
organizational gain if appropriate actions are taken. Opportunities typically involve new
ideas and novel directions that could be used, rather than difficulties that must be
resolved. Non-innovative managers tend to focus on problems rather than opportunities.
Confusions are common in problem definition because the events or issues that attract the
manager’s attention may be symptoms of another more fundamental and pervasive
difficulty than the problem itself. That is, there may exist confusion on the identification
of a problem and its symptoms. The accurate definition of a problem affects all the steps
that follow. Managers once they have identified problems, they have to try to diagnose
the cause of the problem. Causes unlike symptoms are seldom apparent.
This step has three general stages: scanning, categorization, and diagnosis.
Scanning stage: involves monitoring the work situation for changing circumstances that
may signal the emergence of a problem. At this point the manager may be only vaguely
aware that an environmental change could lead to a problem or that an existing situation
constitutes a problem.
Categorization stage: entails attempting to understand and verify signs that there is
some type of discrepancy between the current state and the desired state. At this point the
manager attempts to categorize the situation as a problem and a no problem, even though
it may be difficult to specify the exact nature of the problem, if one exists.
Diagnosis stage: involves gathering additional information and specifying both the
nature and the causes of the problem. Without appropriate diagnosis, it is difficult to

CHAPTER 3: PLANNING 19
experience success in the rest of the decision-making process. At the diagnosis stage, the
problem should be stated in terms of the discrepancy between current conditions and
what is desired; the cause of the discrepancy should be specified.
2. Developing Alternatives
Before a decision is made feasible alternatives should be developed. This is a search
process in which relevant internal and external environment of the organization are
investigated to provide information that can be developed into possible alternatives. At
this point it is necessary to list as many possible alternatives solutions to the problem as
you can. No major decision should be made until several alternative solutions have been
developed. Decision-making at this stage requires finding creative and imaginative
alternatives using full mental faculty. The manager needs help in this situation through
brainstorming or Delphi technique.
3. Evaluating Alternatives
Once managers have developed a set of alternatives, they must evaluate them to see how
effective each would be. Each alternative must be judged in light of the goals and
resources of the organization and how well the alternative will help solve the problem. In
addition, each alternative must be judged in terms of its consequences for the
organization.
4. Choosing an Alternative
Based on the evaluation made managers select the best alternative. In trying to select an
alternative or combination of alternatives, managers find a solution that appears to offer
the fewest serious disadvantages and the most advantages. The purpose of selecting an
alternative is to solve the problem so as to achieve a predetermined objective. Managers
should take care not to solve one problem and create another with their choice.
A decision is not an end by itself but only a means to an end. This means the factors that
lead to implementation and follow –up should follow solution selection.

5. Implementing and Monitoring the Chosen Solution

For the entire decision-making process to be successful, considerable thought must be
given to implementing and monitoring the chosen solution. It is possible to make a "good'
decision in terms of the first five steps and still have the process fail because of
difficulties at this final step.
Implementing the Solution: A decision that is not implemented is little more than an
abstraction. In other words, any decision must be effectively implemented to achieve the
objectives for which it was made. Implementing a decision involves more than giving
orders. Resources must be acquired and allocated. Decisions are not ends by themselves
they are means to an end; so proper implementation is necessary to achieve that end.
Monitoring the solution: Monitoring is necessary to ensure that things are progressing
as planned and that the problem that triggered the decision process has been resolved.
Effective management involves periodic measurements of results. Actual results are
compared with planned results (the objective); if deviations exist, changes must be made.
Here again we see the importance of measurable objectives. If such objectives do not
exist, then there is no way to judge performance. If actual results do not match planned
results, then the changes must be made in the solution chosen, in its implementation, or in

CHAPTER 3: PLANNING 20
the original objective if it is deemed unattainable. The various actions taken to implement
a decision must be monitored. The more important the problem, the greater the effort that
needs to be expended on appropriate follow up mechanisms. Are things working
according to plan? What is happening in the internal and external environments as a
result of the decision? Are subordinates performing according to expectations? …….
must be closely monitored.

Decision-Making Conditions
When managers make decisions, the amount of information available to them or the
degree of knowledge they have about the likelihood of the occurrence of each alternative
vary from managers to managers or/and from situation to situation. To put it in other
way, decisions are made under three basic conditions. These are condition of certainty,
condition of risk, and condition of uncertainty.
1. Decision-making under Certainty
When managers know with certainty what their alternatives are and what conditions are
associated with each alternative, a state of certainty exists. Decisions under certainty are
those in which the external conditions are identified and very predictable; i.e. we are
reasonably sure what will happen when we make a decision. The information is available
and is considered to be reliable, and we know the cause and effect relationships. In
decision-making under certainty there is a little ambiguity and relatively low chance of
making poor/bad decisions. Decision-making under certainty seldom occurs, however,
because external conditions seldom are perfectly predictable and because it is impossible
to try to account for all possible influences on any given outcome it is very rare.

2. Decision-making under Risk

A more common decision-making situation is under risk. Under the state of risk, the
availability of each alternative, the likelihood of its occurrence and its potential payoffs
and costs are associated with probability estimates; i.e. decisions under risk are those in
which probabilities can be assigned to the expected outcomes of each alternative. In a
risk situation, managers may have factual information, but it may be incomplete. There is
moderate ambiguity and moderate chance of making bad decision.
E.g. tossing a coin, metrology
3. Decision-making under Uncertainty
Under this condition the decision maker does not know what all the alternatives are, what
the probability of each will occur is or what consequences each is likely to have. This
uncertainty comes from the dynamism of contemporary organizations and their
environment. Big multi-national corporations assume these kinds of decisions. Decision-
making under uncertainty is the most ambiguous and there is high chance of making poor
decisions. In decision-making under uncertainty, probabilities cannot be assigned to
surrounding conditions such as competition, government regulations, technological
advances, the over all economy, etc. Uncertainty is associated with the consequences of
alternatives, not the alternatives themselves. The decision-making is like being a pioneer.
Reliance on experience, judgment, and other people's experiences can assist the manager
in assessing the value of alternatives.
E.g. Innovation of new machine, journey of discoverers.

CHAPTER 3: PLANNING 21
Types of Decisions
Decisions can be classified in to: programmed and non programmed.
1. Programmed Decisions
Programmed decisions are those made in routine, repetitive, well-structured situations
through the use of predetermined decision rules. The decision rules may be based on
habit, computational techniques, or established policies and procedures. Such rules
usually stem from prior experience or technical knowledge about what works in the
particular type of situation. Most of the decisions made by first line managers and many
of those made by middle managers are the programmed type, but very few of the
decisions made by top-level managers are the programmed type. Managers can usually
handle programmed decisions through rules, procedures, and policies.
E.g. Establishing a re-order point, Decide if students meet graduation requirements,
Determination of employee pay rates
2. Non-programmed Decisions
Non-programmed decisions are used to solve non-recurring, novel, and unstructured
problems. No well-established procedure exists for handling them, because it has not
occurred before managers do not have experience to draw up on, or problems are
complex or completely new. Because of their nature non-programmed decisions usually
involve significant amounts of uncertainty. They are treated through farsightedness.
Most of the highly significant decisions that managers make fall into the non-
programmed category. Non-programmed decisions are commonly found at the middle
and top levels of management and are often related to an organization’s policy-making
activities.
E.g. To add a product to the existing product line, to reorganize a company, to acquire
another firm

Types of Managerial Decisions

Type of Type of Procedures Examples
decisions problem
Programmed Repetitive, Rules, Business: processing payroll vouchers
routine standard College: processing admission applicants
operating Hospital: preparing patient for surgery.
procedures, Government: using state owned motor
policies vehicle.
Non- Complex, Creative Business: introducing a new product.
programmed novel problem College: constructing new classroom
solving facilities
Hospital: reacting to regional disease
epidemic

CHAPTER 3: PLANNING 22
 Government: solving spiraling inflation
problem

In reality most decisions fall between the two; i.e. a continuum of decision situations
exists ranging from those that are highly structured to those that are unstructured.
Situations between the two extremes are partially structured. As the name suggests, in a
partially structured situation, only a part is well structured. Typically, although the
manager has a great deal of data available, the final choice is not obvious. Many
intangibles are involved in the final choice. Therefore, the manager must base the
ultimate decision on the data and supplementary factors, using judgment and experience.
E.g. A hospital wishing to improve patient care may adjust its patient-staff ratio
(programmable situation), reorganize its staff (a non programmable situation).

Continuum of Decision situations

WELL STRUCTURED PARTIALLY ILL-STRUCTURED
(PROGRAMMED) STRUCTURED (NON PROGRAMMED)
1. Specification of 1. Only a part of 1. Decision procedure
decision procedure decision process can not be completely
agreed in advance can be completely structured in advance
of resolution. specified and of resolution.
structured.
2. Little managerial 2. Manager makes 2. Individuals resolve
involvement at time final resolution each situation on the
of each resolution from structured basis of experience
portion of his/her and judgment.
experience and from
intuition.
3. Repeated resolutions 3. Different managers may 3. Different managers may
with same data yield agree on certain data reach different conclusions.
same results.

Why Do Managers Make Poor Decisions?

All managers recognize the importance of making sound decisions. Yet most managers
readily admit having made poor decisions that hurt their company or their own
effectiveness. Why do managers make mistakes? Why doesn’t decision always result in
achieving some desired goal? Making the wrong decision can result from any one of
these decision-making errors:
 Lack of adequate time
Waiting until the last minute to make a decision often prevents considering all
alternatives. It also hampers thorough analyses of the alternatives.
 Failure to define goals
Objectives cannot be attained unless they are clearly defined. They should be
explicitly stated so that the manager can see the relationship between a decision
and a desired result.

CHAPTER 3: PLANNING 23
  Using unreliable sources of information
A decision is only as good as the information on which it is based. Poor sources
of information always result in poor decisions.
 Fear of consequences
Managers often are reluctant to make bold, comprehensive decisions because they
fear disastrous results. A “play it safe” attitude sometimes limits a manager’s
effectiveness.
 Focusing on symptoms rather than causes
Addressing the symptoms of a problem will not solve it. Taking aspirin for a
toothache may provide temporary relief, but if an abscess causes the pain, the
problem will persist. Business managers too often foul on the results of problems
instead of the causes.
 Reliance on Hunch and Intuition
Intuition, judgment and ‘feel’ are important assets to the decision maker. But a
manager who permits intuition to outweigh scientific evidence is likely to make a
poor decision.
Some times a manager’s decision is not exactly “poor”, but it still doesn’t produce
optimal results. Less than optimal decisions can have three causes:
1. Bounded rationality imposes limits on a decision, such as that it should be
economical or logistically practical. This limit serves as a screening device,
eliminating some of the alternatives. The manager must choose from the
options that have filtered through the restrictions. The overall optimal decision
may no longer be a valid option when using this method. The decision maker
simply selects the best alternative, given various specifications that must be
met.
2. Sub optimization is a manager’s tendency to operate solely in the interests of
his/her department rather than in the interests of the company as a whole. In
making a decision, the department manager cannot be so self-centered as to
ignore the effects of the action on other areas. The key is to improve the
company’s performance, not just the performance of one department.
3. Unforeseen changes in the business environment also cause less than optimal
decisions.

CHAPTER 3: PLANNING 24