Ch 9 - Planning Work Activities

These flashcards cover key concepts and definitions related to planning work activities as outlined in the lecture notes.

Planning

A management function that involves defining goals, establishing a strategy for achieving those goals, and developing plans to integrate and coordinate work activities.

Goals

Desired outcomes or targets that provide direction and performance evaluation criteria.

Plans

Documents that outline how goals will be met, describing how resources are to be allocated and establishing activity schedules.

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.

Long-term Plans

Plans with a time frame beyond three years.

Short-term Plans

Plans covering one year or less.

Specific Plans

Plans that are clearly defined and leave no room for interpretation.

Directional Plans

Plans that are flexible and set out general guidelines.

Single-use Plan

A one-time plan specifically designed to meet the needs of a unique situation.

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 at the next level.

Management by Objectives (MBO)

A process of setting mutually agreed upon goals and using those goals to evaluate employee performance.

Environmental Scanning

The process of screening information to detect emerging trends.

Competitor Intelligence

Gathering information about competitors that allows managers to anticipate competitors’ actions.