Planning
Planning is important at all levels of management. However, its characteristics vary by level of management. In organizations, short-term planning is the responsibility of front line managers and middle level managers, whereas top level managers whom are normally called leader, are concerned with long-term planning which is called strategic planning. It is not advised that top level managers engage themselves with short-term planning because they cannot focus on strategic planning which causes harm to their organizations. Planning is the ongoing process of developing the business’s mission and objective and determining how they will be accomplished. It includes both the broadest view of the organization, e.g., its mission, and the narrowest, e.g., a tactic for accomplishing a specific goal. Planning is concerned with the future impact of today’s decisions. Therefore , organizing , staffing, directing and controlling functions stem from the planning function. Managers are ready to organize and staff only after they planed their goals. Likewise, the directing function, influencing the behavior of people in the organization,depends on the goals to be achieved. Finally , in the controlling function, the determination of whether or not goals are being accomplished and standards met is based on the planning function. The planning function provides the goals and standards that drive the controlling function. Planning in organizations normally has five levels and it starts from general to specific :
Vision mission objectives goals tactics/ tasks
The key term are defined as follows:
Vision : nonspecific direction and motivational guidance for the entire organization. Top managers “leaders” normally provide a vision for the business. It is most emotional of the four levels in the hierarchy of purposes.
Mission : An organization’s reason for existence. It is concerned with scope of the business and what distinguishes this business from similar businesses. Mission reflects the culture and values of top management
Objective: objective refine the mission and address key issue within the organization such as market standing, innovation, productivity, physical and financial resources, profitability, management and worker performance and afficiency. They are expected to be general, observable, challenging, and untimed.
Goals : goals are specific statement of anticipated results further define the organization’s objective. They are expected to be SMART : specific, Measurable, Attainable, Rewarding and timed.
Tactics :Tactic are the most specific and narrow plans,describe who, what, when, where and how activities will take place to accomplish a goal. It is normally the responsibility of the front line managers.