PLANNING WORK

ACTIVITIES

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-1
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Define the nature and purposes of planning.
2. Classify the types of goals organizations might
have and the plans they use.
3. Compare and contrast approaches to goal-setting
and planning.
 Know how to set goals personally and create a
useful, functional to-do list.
 Develop your skill at helping your employees set
goals.
1. Discuss contemporary issues in planning.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-2
 WHAT IS PLANNING?

• Planning – defining the organization’s

goals, establishing strategies for achieving
those goals, and developing plans to
integrate and coordinate work activities.
• Formal planning
– Specific goals covering a specific time period
– Written and shared with organizational members

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-3
 WHY DO MANAGERS PLAN?

 Four reasons for planning

– Provides direction
– Reduces uncertainty
– Minimizes waste and redundancy
– Sets the standards for controlling

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-4
 PLANNING AND PERFORMANCE

Formal planning is associated with:

• Positive financial results – higher profits, higher return

on assets, and so forth.
• The quality of planning and implementation affects
performance more than the extent of planning.
• The external environment can reduce the impact of
planning on performance.
• The planning-performance relationship seems to be
influenced by the planning time frame.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-5
 GOALS AND PLANS

Goals (objectives) – desired

outcomes or targets.
• Plans – documents that outline how goals
are going to be met. They usually include
resource allocations, schedules, and other
necessary actions to accomplish the
goals. As managers plan, they develop
both goals and plans.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-6
 TYPES OF GOALS

Financial Goals – related to the expected

internal financial performance of the
organization.
Strategic Goals – related to the performance
of the firm relative to factors in its external
environment (e.g., competitors).

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-7
 TYPES OF GOALS (CONT.)

 Stated Goals – official statements of what an

organization says, and what it wants its various
stakeholders to believe its goals are.
 Real goals – goals that an organization actually
pursues, as defined by the actions of its members.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-8
 EXHIBIT 8-1
TYPES OF PLANS
As Exhibit shows, these types of plans aren’t independent. That is, strategic plans
are usually long-term, directional, and single use, whereas operational plans are
usually short-term, specific, and standing.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-9
 TYPES OF PLANS

 Strategic plans – plans that apply to the

entire organization and establish the
organization’s overall goals.
 Operational plans – plans that encompass
a particular operational area of the
organization.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-10
 TYPES OF PLANS (CONT.)

Long-term plans – plans with a time

frame beyond three years.
Short-term plans – plans covering
one year or less.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-11
 TYPES OF PLANS (CONT.)

 Specific plans – plans that are clearly defined and

leave no room for interpretation. A specific plan states
its objectives in a way that eliminates ambiguity and
problems with misunderstanding.

 Directional plans – plans that are flexible and set

out general guidelines. They provide focus but don’t
lock managers into specific goals or courses of action.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-12
 TYPES OF PLANS (CONT.)

 Single-use plan – a one-time plan

specifically designed to meet the needs of a
unique situation.
 Standing plans – ongoing plans that
provide guidance for activities performed
repeatedly.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-13
 APPROACHES TO SETTING GOALS

 Traditional goal-setting – an approach to setting

goals in which top managers set goals that then
flow down through the organization and become
subgoals for each organizational area.
 Means-ends chain – an integrated network of
goals in which the accomplishment of goals at one
level serves as the means for achieving the goals, or
ends, at the next level.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-14
 EXHIBIT 8-2
THE DOWNSIDE OF TRADITIONAL GOAL-
SETTING

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-15
 APPROACHES TO SETTING GOALS
(CONT.)
Management by objectives (MBO) – a process
of setting mutually agreed upon goals and using those goals
to evaluate employee performance. MBO programs have
four elements: goal specificity, participative decision-making,
an explicit time period, and performance feedback.

Instead of using goals to make sure employees are doing

what they’re supposed to be doing, MBO uses goals to
motivate them as well. The appeal is that it focuses on
employees working to accomplish goals they’ve had a hand
in setting.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-16
 EXHIBIT 8-3
STEPS IN MBO

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-17
 STEPS IN GOAL-SETTING

1. Review the organization’s mission, or purpose.

2. Evaluate available resources.
3. Determine the goals individually or with input from
others.
4. Write down the goals and communicate them to
all who need to know.
5. Review results and whether goals are being met.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-18
 EXHIBIT 8-4
WELL-WRITTEN GOALS

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-19
CONTINGENCY FACTORS IN PLANNING

Length of future commitments

– Commitment Concept: Current plans
affecting future commitments must be
sufficiently long-term in order to meet those
commitments.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-20
 EXHIBIT 8-5
PLANNING AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-21
CONTINGENCY FACTORS IN PLANNING
(CONT.)
Environmental Uncertainty
– When uncertainty is high, plans should be
specific, but flexible.
– Managers must be prepared to change or
amend plans as they’re implemented.
– At times, they may even have to abandon the
plans.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-22
 APPROACHES TO PLANNING

In the traditional approach, planning is done

entirely by top-level managers, often assisted by
a formal planning department.
• Formal planning department – a group of
planning specialists whose sole
responsibility is helping to write
organizational plans.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-23
 CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN PLANNING

How Can Managers Plan Effectively in Dynamic

Environments?
– In an uncertain environment, managers
should develop plans that are specific, but
flexible.
– Managers need to recognize that planning is
an ongoing process.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-24
 CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN PLANNING
(CONT.)

• How Can Managers Use Environmental

Scanning?
– Environmental scanning – screening
information to detect emerging trends.
– Competitor intelligence – gathering
information about competitors that allows
managers to anticipate competitors’ actions
rather than merely reacting to them.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-25
 REVIEW LEARNING OBJECTIVE 8.1

• Define the nature and purposes of

planning.
– Planning involves defining the organization’s goals,
establishing an overall strategy for achieving those
goals, and developing plans for organizational work
activities.
– The four purposes of planning include providing
direction, reducing uncertainty, minimizing waste
and redundancy, and establishing the goals or
standards used in controlling.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-26
 REVIEW LEARNING OBJECTIVE 8.2

• Classify the types of goals organizations

might have and the plans they use.
– Goals are desired outcomes.
– Plans are documents that outline how goals are
going to be met.
– Strategic plans apply to the entire organization
while operational plans encompass a particular
functional area.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-27
REVIEW LEARNING OBJECTIVE 8.2 (CONT.)

• Long-term plans are those with a time

frame beyond three years. Short-term
plans cover one year or less.
• Specific plans are clearly defined and leave
no room for interpretation.
• Directional plans are flexible and set out
general guidelines.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-28
REVIEW LEARNING OBJECTIVE 8.2 (CONT.)

• A single-use plan is a one-time plan

designed to meet the needs of a unique
situation.
• Standing plans are ongoing plans that
provide guidance for activities performed
repeatedly.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-29
 REVIEW LEARNING OBJECTIVE 8.3

• Compare and contrast approaches to goal-

setting and planning.
– In traditional goal-setting, goals are set at the top of
the organization and then become subgoals for
each organizational area.
– MBO (management by objectives) is a process of
setting mutually agreed-upon goals and using those
goals to evaluate employee performance.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-30
 REVIEW LEARNING OBJECTIVE 8.3 (CONT.)

• Well-written goals have six characteristics:

1. Written in terms of outcomes.
2. Measurable and quantifiable.
3. Clear as to time frame.
4. Challenging but attainable.
5. Written down.
6. Communicated to all organizational members who
need to know them.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-31
 REVIEW LEARNING OBJECTIVE 8.3 (CONT.)

• Goal-setting involves these steps:

- Review the organization’s mission
- Evaluate available resources
- Determine the goals individually or with input from
others
- Write down the goals and communicate them to all
who need to know them
- Review results and change goals as needed

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-32
 REVIEW LEARNING OBJECTIVE 8.3 (CONT.)

• The two main approaches to planning include:

– The traditional approach, which has plans
developed by top managers that flow down through
other organizational levels and which may use a
formal planning department.
– The other approach is to involve more
organizational members in the planning process.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-33
 REVIEW LEARNING OBJECTIVE 8.4

• Discuss contemporary issues in planning.

– Dynamic environments – usually means developing
plans that are specific but flexible.
– Contemporary planning issue involves using
environmental scanning to help do a better analysis
of the external environment.
– One form of environmental scanning, competitive
intelligence, can be especially helpful in finding out
what competitors are doing.

Copyright
Copyright ©
© 2014
2016 Pearson
Pearson Education,
Education, Ltd
Ltd. 8-34