Q & A on Planning

Define planning. Explain its features, nature and importance.

Planning involves the determination of future course of action. Planning is deciding in advance whwt to do and how to do. It is one of the managerial functions.

Koontz and O'Donnell: "planning bridges the gap from where we  are to where we want to go. it makes it possible for things to occur which would not otherwise happen "

MC Farland: "planning may be broadly defined as a concept of executive action that embodies the skills of anticipating, influencing and controlling the nature and direction of change"

In short planning is preparing today for tomorrow. It is the activity that allows the managers to determine what they want and how they will achieve it.

Features of Planning: After defining the concept of planning following features can be deduced about the main function of management.

1. Future Oriented: Planning basically focuses on future.
2. Planning and decision making: Planning also involves the suitable course of action.
3. Pervasive function: Planning is all pervasive and is required at all levels of management.Its role increases at successively higher levels of management.
4. Continuous process: Planning is a continuous process and managers need to be imbibed with the complex process of perception, analysis, conceptual thought, communication, decision and action 

Nature of Planning:

1. primacy of planning:
2. pervasiveness of planning:
3. future oriented:
4. based on information:
5. Rationality:
6. Formal as well as Informal in nature:
7. Intellectual Process:
8. Action Oriented:
9. Decision Making:

Importance of Planning:

1. To offset uncertainty and change:
2. To focus attention on objectives:
3. To help in coordination:
4. To help in control:
5. To increase organizational effectiveness: