PLANNING: Characteristics of Planning Part - II

PLANNING: Nature / Characteristics of Planning Part - II

This is in continuation to the earlier Blog on characteristics or nature of Planning. Few remaining points are discussed below:-

Planning is a Choice Making or Selecting Process:

Planning function is required when multiple alternatives are available and selection of most appropriate is need according to prevailing conditions. Without choice making planning cannot proceed ahead, it is the selection of best feasible alternatives anticipating the future requirements.

Planning comes to bare minimum when we have only one alternative or we may say that under such circumstance, we don’t need planning.

Planning is basically a dilemma of choosing. Focus on planning widens with the increases in availability of alternatives. The more the number of alternatives, the more systematic and coordinated planning is required.

Planning is a Compulsory Part of Organization:

Any business or industrial unit irrespective of its size has to depend on planning because this determines the basic fundamental structure of the organization and how the activities would be performed for the achievement of pre determined goals.

Planning Increase the Efficiency in Operation in an Organization:

Planning in an organization decides in advance what is to be done. This reduces the uncertainty, confusion and also wastage of valuable resources. The above activities reduce all types of costs thereby resulting in the efficiency improvement.

The other perspective regarding planning is that in any organization it has to make the most of the available resources to extract the maximum possible output or result. Hence, the focus is to utilize most efficiently and also most economically all the available resources for maximum attainment of result at the minimum cost and time. In the process efforts should be minimum and profits to be at its maximum.

Planning is not an End:

This statement states that planning is not an end in itself. It has to attain the ultimate end result, meaning accomplishing the pre decided objectives of the organization. The center of attention is towards the realization of general objectives of the business or industrial unit.

Planning is Universal in Managerial Activities:

Planning takes place at each and every level of management. No managers can take leave or abscond from this function. Hence, it is the entrusted responsibility of all the managers at all the levels of management in an organization.

Planning is an Intellectual Process:

Planning as a process is higher level of thinking requiring knowledge & experience.

Assumptions and future predictions are made on future general environment & technological as well as other changes. To perform this type of activity a higher level of mental frame and intelligence is the utmost requirement. Future options or alternatives are evaluated and best suitable is opted for, for taking such decisions knowledge and experience is needed and this itself is a mental exercise.

All this is not a speculation but a systematic application of scientific theory and knowledge for forecasting, taking the above information’s, now we can say that Planning is an Intellectual Process