Nature and purpose of planning

It is a blue print of business growth and a road map of development. * the conscious, systematic process of making decisions about goals and activities to be pursued in the future. * It helps in deciding objectives both in quantitative and qualitative terms. * It is setting of goals on the basis of objectives and keeping in view the resources. * It predicts what the future should look like.

Formal procedures used in such an endeavor, such as the creation of documents, diagrams, or meetings to discuss the important issues to be addressed, the objectives to be met, and the strategy to be followed. PLANNING is also a management process, concerned with defining goals for future organizational performance and deciding on the tasks and resources to be used in order to attain those goals. To meet the goals, managers may develop plans such as a business plan or a marketing plan. Planning always has a purpose. The purpose may be achievement of certain goals or targets.

The planning helps to achieve these goals or target by using the available time and resources.

To minimize the timing and resources also require proper planning. The concept of planning is to identify what the organization wants to do by using the four questions which are * “ where are we today in terms of our business or strategy planning? * Where are we going?. . . Where do we want to go?. .

. How are we going to get there?… Planning refers to the practice and the profession associated with the idea of planning (land use planning, urban planning or spatial planning).

In many countries, the operation of a town and country planning system is often referred to as “ planning” and the professionals which operate the system are known as “ planners A plan should be a realistic view of the expectations. * Depending upon the activities, a plan can be long range, intermediate range or short range. It is the framework within which it must operate. * For management seeking external support, the plan is the most important document and key to growth. * Preparation of a comprehensive plan will not guarantee success, but lack of a sound plan will almost certainly ensure failure.