Planning process

 What is planning?

Planning refers to think in advance what is to be done when is to be done how is to be done and who is going to do.

Planning is basically the gap between where we are and where we want to be.All the work in process between what we are and what we will become is called planning.

It is the first function and one of the most important function of management.

Planning Process 

• Setting up of the objective objective 

Objective are the end point or and result for which all the activities are undertaken, objective should be achievable, measurable, understandable and clear.

In the first process of planning objective with determined because without objective no other activities can take place.

• Developing premises:

Premises are the assumption regarding future courses of action. The assumption are made on the basis of forecasting and forecasting is the technique of gathering information or prediction of the future. 

Under this process on the basis of assumptions various alternative or plans are created to achieve objective.

• Listing the various alternative for achieving objective

After developing premises, under this process various objectives are listed in sequence. So the evaluation process becomes easy. If the objective of the company is growth then the company has various possible alternative like expansion in some product line, diversifying in new areas, joint ventures, and so on

• Evaluation of different alternatives

After making the list of various alternatives. Under these process each and every alternatives are evaluated on the basis of pros and cons or according to their positive aspects and negative aspect alternative are evaluated in the light of their flexibility.

• Selecting an alternative

After evaluating the various alternative, the next step is to select the most ideal plan.

Ideal plan is one which involved less cost most profitable and with least negative consequences.

Under this process the best alternative or the best plan is selected which is most profitable, flexible and have least negative consequences.

• Implementing the plan

Planning become meaningless if it is not taken into action. All those alternative which are created to achieve objective are taken into action.

After implementing the plan manager talks or communicates plans to all the employees because they are the actual user of the plan.

They keep the plans on track.

• Follow up

After putting the plan into action or after implementation of plan whether the plan or moving in right direction or not these are regularly monitorised, observed and if needed these plans are  regenerated or recreated.

X.....X......X.....X......X......X......X......X.....X.....X......X....X

This whole process takes place everyday we look up and make corrections or sometimes change what we are doing and its keep going on that's the reason planning is called a continuous process.