Lesson 6 — Intermediate

Planning Process & Types

Planning matlab future ke baare mein aaj decide karna — kya karna hai, kaise karna hai, kab karna hai. Ye POSDC ka pehla function hai aur baaki sab uske peeche chalte hain. Is lesson mein hum process ke steps, types of plans aur unke beech ka fark samjhenge.

⏱ 14 min• Intermediate• Scientific Management

Planning kya hai

WHAT

Planning ek mental process hai jisme goal decide kiya jaata hai aur unhein achieve karne ke BEST tarike pehle se soch liye jaate hain. Ye "aage sochna" hai — future decide karne ki koshish jo uncertainty kam karti hai.

WHEN

Naya business shuru karte waqt, naye financial year mein, market mein entry se pehle, ya jab risk zyada ho — planning hamesha kaam se pehle hoti hai.

WHERE

Company ke budget se lekar tumhare daily timetable tak — planning har jagah hai. Government ka 5-year plan bhi yahi hai, startup ka MVP plan bhi.

Ek line mein: Planning = deciding in advance what to do, how to do, when to do. Koontz & ODonnell kehte hain — planning pehle karna chahiye, baaki functions uske baad.

Planning process ke steps

1. SETTING OBJECTIVES   : kya achieve karna hai? (measurable hona chahiye)
2. DEVELOPING PREMISES   : assumptions — market kaisa hoga, budget kitna,
                         competition kya karega (future ke conditions)
3. IDENTIFYING ALTERNATIVES: ek se zyada tareeke dhundho
4. EVALUATING ALTERNATIVES: har alternative ka analysis — cost, risk, benefit
5. SELECTING THE BEST    : sabse suitable option chuno
6. IMPLEMENTATION        : log, budget, timeline de kar execute karo
7. FOLLOW-UP / REVIEW    : chal raha hai ya nahi — feedback le kar revise

Yaad rakho: Objective SET karna pehla step hai — yahi se shuru hota hai. Aur last step review/follow-up hai jo planning ko continuous banata hai. Exam mein "first step of planning" direct aata hai.

Types of plans

BY USE:
  SINGLE-USE PLANS (ek baar ke liye)
    Programme : bade goal ka detailed plan (launch programme)
    Project   : chhota defined task (office shifting project)
    Budget    : numbers mein plan (₹5 lakh marketing budget)

  STANDING PLANS (baar baar use)
    Policy    : general guideline (travel policy — AC class only)
    Procedure : sequence of steps (refund procedure — step by step)
    Rule     : strictly YES/NO (office mein smoking nahi)
    Method   : ek specific kaam ka fixed tareeka (billing method)

BY LEVEL:
    Strategic  : long-term, top level (5-10 saal)
    Tactical   : mid-term, middle level (1-3 saal)
    Operational: short-term, first line (roz/hafte)

Fark yaad rakho: Policy bataati hai direction (kis taraf chalna hai), procedure bataati hai sequence (kaise karna hai), rule ek line ki restriction hai (kya NAHI karna). Policy mein discretion hota hai, rule mein nahi.

Features aur limitations

Goal-focused: planning hamesha kisi objective ke peeche chalti hai — bina target ke plan bekaar.
Pervasive: sab level pe hoti hai — CEO ka strategy bhi, supervisor ka weekly plan bhi.
Future-oriented: future ke decisions aaj — isi liye assumptions (premises) itne important hain.
Intellectual process: dimaag ka kaam hai — foresight, judgement, creativity chahiye.
Continuous: plan → check → revise — ye loop chalta rehta hai (planning aur controlling ek doosre ke bina adhoore).

Limitations: Planning cost leti hai (time, consultants), rigid ho sakti hai (market badla par plan purana), aur future hamesha predict nahi hota (COVID jaisi uncertainty). Koontz kehta hai — planning no guarantee of success hai; execute karna zaroori hai.

Exercise

Question: Planning process ka PEHLA step kya hai? (setting objectives / implementing / comparing)

Question: Standing plan jo batata hai ki steps kaunse order mein lene hain — policy ya procedure?

Question: Long-term planning (5-10 saal) kis type ki hoti hai? (strategic / tactical / operational)

Common mistakes

Policy aur procedure confuse karna: Policy = direction/general guideline (kya sochna hai), Procedure = sequence of steps (kaise karna hai). Policy flexible, procedure fixed.
Planning ko ek baar ka kaam samajhna: Planning continuous hai — review aur revise hoti rehti hai. Ek baar banao aur bhool jao = sabse bada galat.
Premises ko steps samajhna: Premises = assumptions/conditions (market kaisa hoga). Ye step 2 hai, alternative nahi — exam mein confusion create karte hain.

Desi example: Diwali sales plan

Lucknow ki ek saree shop ne Diwali se 2 mahine pehle plan banaya — yahi poora planning process chala:

Objective : Diwali pe 30 lakh ka sale
Premises  : crowd 2x hoga, competitor discount dega
Alternates: 3 shops × ads vs 1 big showroom × offers
Choice    : online ads + in-store combo offer (cost kam)
Implement : stock october se, staff extra rakha
Review    : weekly sales vs target — agar peeche toh offer badhao

Exam mapping (CUET / UGC-NET / MBA)

CUET: "First step of planning" — setting objectives (classic MCQ).
UGC-NET: policy vs procedure vs rule ka difference aksar aata hai.
MBA interview: strategic vs operational planning with example.
Trap: "Planning guarantees success" — galat, Koontz kehta hai no guarantee of success.

Lesson complete?

Planning clear. Agla lesson — Organising — mein dekhenge structure kaise banta hai aur departmentalisation ke type.