12 Characteristics of good work plan that help you in management
Characteristics of Planning
Planning is a process of setting
goal, establishing a course of action, implementing the action plans and
attaining the goals. It affects all the functions of management.
Characteristics of planning are
as follows
1) Planning is the primary function
of the management
The functions of management are
broadly classified as planning, organization, direction and control. It is thus
the first function of management at all levels. Planning lays foundation for
other function of management. All the function of management are performed
within the framework of plans laid out, thus it is primary function.
2) Planning is goal-oriented
Planning is goal oriented as it
identifies the action that would lead to desired goals quickly and
economically. Planning is special
activity that is made to achieve desired objective of business.
3) Planning is a function of all
managers
Every manager must plan. A
manager at a higher level has to devote more time to planning as compared to
person at the lower level. So the president or Managing director in a company
devotes more time to planning than the supervisor.
4) Planning is decision making
Decision making is of the
important part of planning. Managers need to take decision on number of
alternative depending upon requirements and resources of the enterprise.
Planning essentially involves choice among various alternatives.
5) Planning is intellectual process
Planning is a mental work
basically concerned with thinking before doing. It is an intellectual process
and involves creative thinking and imagination. Whenever planning is done, all
activities are orderly undertaken as per plans rather than on the basis of
guess work. Planning lays down a course of action to be followed on the basis
of facts and considered estimates, keeping in view the objectives, goals and
purpose of an enterprise.
6) Planning is continuous process
Planning is a continuous process
and a never ending activity of a manager in an enterprise. The manager has to
go on modifying, revising and adjusting plans in the light of changing
circumstances. Planning involves
continuous collection, evaluation and selection of data, and scientific
investigation and analysis of the possible alternative courses of action and
the selection of the best alternative.
7) Planning is effective
Planning is required at all level
of management and in all departments of enterprise. It exists everywhere. The
top level may be concerned about planning the organization as a whole whereas
the middle level may be more specific in department plans and the lower level
plan implementation of the same.
8) Planning involves forecasting
Planning largely depends upon
accurate business forecasting. The scientific techniques of forecasting help in
projecting the present trends into future. It is a kind of future picture
wherein proximate events are outlined with some distinctness while remote
events appear progressively less distinct.
9) Planning helps better utilization
of resources
An important advantage of
planning is that it makes effective and proper utilization of enterprise
resources. It identifies all such available resources and makes optimum use of
these resources.
10) Planning is flexible
Since planning is unpredictable,
planning must provide enough room to cope with the changes in customer’s
demand, competition, and government.
11) Planning secures efficiency,
economy and accuracy
A prerequisite of planning is
that it should lead to the attainment of objectives at the least cost. It
should also help in the optimum utilization of available human and physical
resources by securing efficiency, economy and accuracy in the business
enterprises. Planning is also economic because it brings down the cost to the
minimum.
12) Planning helps in coordination
Good plans unify the
interdepartmental activity and clearly lay down the area of freedom in the
development of various sub-plans. Various departments work in accordance with
the overall plans of the organization. Thus, there is harmony in the
organization, and duplication of efforts and conflict of jurisdiction are avoided.
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