Introduction of Planning, Features, Importance & Process

1. PLANNING
Simaran Shaheen
Asst. Prof.
Ghanshyam Binani Academy of Management Sciences

2. INTRODUCTION
 Planning is the first of essential managerial functions.
Planning is important as by nature it enquirers about
organizational goals and involves decision making about
desired ways and means to achieve goals.
 Planning is the process by which managers establish
goals and define the methods by which these goals are
to be attained. Planning involves selecting missions and
objectives and the actions to achieve them; it requires
decision making, which is choosing from among
alternative future courses of action. planning can be
thought of as deciding on a future course of action. It

3.  1. Intellectual Process:
 Planning is an intellectual and rational process. Planning
is a mental exercise involving imagination, foresight and
sound judgement.
 2. Goal-orientation:
 All planning is linked up with certain goals and
objectives. It follows, therefore, that every plan must
contribute in some positive way to the accomplishment
of group objectives.
NATURE OF PLANNING

4.  4. Pervasiveness:
 Planning pervades all managerial activities. It is the job
of all managers in all types of organisation. It is
undertaken at all segments and levels of the
organisation—from the general manager to the foreman.
 5. Uniformity:
 There may be separate plans prepared in different levels
in the organisation, but all the sub-plans must be united
with the general plan so as to make up a comprehensive
plan for operation at a time.
 6. Continuity:
 To keep the enterprise as a going concern without any

5.  7. Flexibility:
 Plans should not be made rigid. It should be as
flexible as possible to accommodate all possible
changes in the enterprise with a view to coping with
the changing conditions in the market.
 8. Simplicity:
 The language of the work schedule or programme in
the planning should be simple so that each and
every part of it may easily be understood by the
employees at different levels, specially at the lower
level.

6.  11. Choice among Alternative Courses:
 Planning involves selection of suitable course of
action from several alternatives. If there is only one
way of doing something there is no need of
planning.
 12. Efficiency:
 Planning is directed towards efficiency. A plan is a
course of action that shows promise of optimizing
return at the minimum expense of inputs. In
planning, the manager evaluates the alternatives on
the basis of efficiency. A

7. Importance of Planning

8. 1. Providing Basis of Decision:
The first and most important reason for planning lies in the
fact that it provides a basis on which decisions are made.
2. Focusing Attention on Objectives:
Planning concentrates attention on the objectives of an
enterprise. The first function of planning is to spell out its
objectives. The objectives are defined in more concrete,
precise and meaningful terms.
3. Minimising Uncertainty and Risk:
The future is uncertain. Planning helps the managers in
taking care of future uncertainties and thus minimizes
business risk.

9.  5. Securing Economy:
 Planning focuses on efficiency and economy in
operation. A plan is a course of action that can take the
organisation to its objectives at the minimum cost.
 6. Helping in Co-ordination:
 Planning leads to achieve a coordinated structure of
operations. It provides a unifying framework. Sound
planning inter-relates all the activities and resources of
an organisation.
 7. Making Control Effective:
 The managerial function of controlling is concerned with
a comparison between the planned performance and the

11. Process of Planning