Covers sections on types of plans,
Strategic Planning
(2-5 years) outline of steps designed with the goals of the entire organization as a whole in mind
Tactical Planning
(1 year or less) concerned with what the lower level units within each division must do, how they must do it, and who is in charge at each level
Operational Planning
(single-use or ongoing) plans used by a manager to accomplish his or her job responsibilities
Contingency Planning
identifying alternative courses of action that can be implemented if and when the original plan proves inadequate because of changing circumstances
What are the barriers to planning?
Inability to plan/inadequate planning, lack of commitment to the planning process, inferior information, focusing on the present at the expense of the future, too much reliance on organization’s planning department, concentrating on controllable variables
What are the strategic approaches?
Low-cost provider, broad differentiation, focus/niche, best-cost provider
A strategy needs to pass:
the fit test, the competitive advantage test, and the performance test
The Single-use plans are:
budgets, special sales program
Policy
Provides broad guidelines for managers to follow when dealing with important areas of decision making
Procedure
Step-by-step directions that explain how activities or tasks are to be accomplished
Rule
An explicit statement that tells an employee what he or she can and cannot do
What are the 5 management functions?
Planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling.
A plan is a:
blueprint for goal achievement that specifies the needed resource allocations, schedules, tasks, and other actions
A goal is a:
desired future state that the organization attempts to realize
planning means;
determining the organization's goals and defining the means for achieving them
Mission Statement:
Explains what the organization stands for and why it exists
Top level managers focus on
Strategic goals/objectives
Middle-level managers focus on
tactical goals/objectives
First-level managers focus on;
operational goals, involved in day-to-day planning