Research Paper on Planning & Organization Essay Example

staff members can easily refer to it for guidance on their specific tasks. Planning reduces uncertainty and ensures everyone is committed towards achieving the desired outcome. Additionally, it encourages staff members to anticipate changes and prepare appropriate responses.

Planning simplifies dealing with uncertainty and helps organizations react faster in the face of problems. It also minimizes waste and redundancy, ensuring that no resources are left unused and ultimately leading to efficient outcomes. These resources include time and finances.

In the food industry, efficient stock management is crucial to prevent waste and expired products. This includes determining the necessary quantity within a given timeframe. Moreover, having a set standard helps maintain operational efficiency and enables competition with other companies. It serves as a benchmark for measuring accomplishments and assessing goal attainment.

Companies have the ability to monitor the progress of their plan on a daily, weekly, monthly, or annual basis. While it is commonly observed that organizations with effective planning tend to perform better, it cannot be definitively claimed that organizations without planning always fail. A prime example of successful planning can be seen in Sunrise Confectioners. In 1987, Ken Klooger took over as leader of the confectionary business following his father-in-law's retirement. During this period, the company had consistently generated around $4 million in annual revenue for ten years, experiencing minimal growth or decline.

Realizing the need for planning to increase revenues, he implemented changes in new products and production methods. Ongoing research on consumer preferences and awareness also prompted appropriate responses, such as a $300,000 investment in television advertising for two months. The purpose of this investment was to attract health-conscious consumers who were unaware that their product

contained no artificial coloring or flavoring. As a result, revenues skyrocketed from $1.5 million to $15 million in the 2000-2001 period, while market share surged from 2% to 25%. Sunrise Confectionary stands out from competitors by utilizing organizational planning for direction and setting standards (Robbins et al 2003). Planning can be broadly classified into formal and informal approaches.

Formal planning involves focusing on achieving goals through measures such as setting timeframes and creating lists. This approach can be shared throughout an organization, providing clarity on tasks, destinations, and reference points. Conversely, informal planning is prevalent in small businesses or organizations, lacking the organization and documentation of formal planning. Limited sharing occurs in informal planning, as it takes an abstract form. The distinction suggests that formal planning is more suitable for larger organizations aiming to achieve their future objectives by formalizing and systematizing processes.

There are different organizational plans available. However, this essay will only focus on three main types: budget planning, project planning, and strategic planning. The way to classify each plan is based on its scope, time span, level of detail, and frequency. To be specific, a budget is an action plan that aligns with the necessary resources for its execution (Hussey 1998). In essence, a budget is a plan.

Budgets can be divided into two main types: the operating budget, also known as the "expense" budget, and the capital budget. According to Webster's New World College Dictionary (2001), budgets are a designated sum of money set aside for specific purposes. Regardless of its size, budgeting is essential in everyone's life. It serves as a tool for managing and controlling an organization's functions by formalizing goals in

financial terms.

Managers rely on budgets for several important functions including projecting future revenues, expenses, and expected profits. Budgets play a critical role in planning, evaluating performance, coordinating activities, implementing plans, communicating decisions, motivating employees, and authorizing actions.

The duration of the budget period depends on whether the action plan is short or long term. Creating a budget helps establish responsibilities, encourages forward thinking in managers, and provides a framework for evaluating performance. Additionally, it facilitates coordination to align organizational plans with objectives (Hussey 1998). For effective project planning, a team should have a shared goal and collaborate to achieve specific targets. It is important for team members to contribute innovative ideas that optimize resources towards reaching the goal. The participation of each team member in the planning process is vital as it brings diverse perspectives and multiple approaches to project initiation. Project planning involves setting goals, coordinating procedures, and deciding actions prior to starting the project. Essentially, project planning is a logical process for initiating, managing, and concluding a project.

When organizing a team project, it is vital to follow certain steps. To achieve success, create a code of conduct for team members and define their roles and expectations (Free Management Library 2007). Moreover, it is essential to divide the project into specific tasks and find ways to manage the workload effectively. By addressing potential problems and conflicts beforehand, team members can resolve issues early on (Free Management Library 2007).

According to the Free Management Library, team members should have a structured method for problem-solving and ensure that all problems are identified in advance. It is also important to establish a project deadline as proper time management is

necessary for controlling the project. Consequently, team members must prioritize their tasks and maintain a consistent work pace.

Project planning involves having a set schedule for tasks and effective communication among team members. Feedback is important for tracking progress and addressing conflicts of change. It is also crucial for team members to contribute their ideas, as this diversity will enhance the project and provide multiple approaches to achieving the goal. Strategic plans, on the other hand, encompass the entire organization, establishing overall goals and positioning the organization within its environment. These plans typically span a longer timeframe.

Long-term plans, which have a duration of over three years, encompass a broader view of the organization (Robbins et al 2003). Strategic plans involve setting goals (McNamara 2007) and can be approached in various ways depending on factors such as leadership, organizational culture, environmental complexity, size, and planner expertise.

There are various types of strategic planning models, including goals-based, issues-based, organic, and scenario planning. The most common model is goals-based planning which begins by focusing on the organization's mission and establishing goals to accomplish it. Strategies are then created to achieve these goals, followed by action planning. On the other hand, issues-based strategic planning starts by examining the challenges faced by the organization. Strategies are formulated to address these issues and action plans are developed accordingly. Organic strategic planning involves articulating the organization's vision and values while developing action plans to achieve the vision while remaining true to those values. It is worth noting that some planners have a preferred approach to planning (McNamara 2007).

Strategic planning involves determining the direction, goals, and measures of success for an organization. It encompasses the

entire organization, whereas a business plan typically focuses on a specific product, service, or program. Strategic planning utilizes various perspectives, models, and approaches based on factors like leadership, organizational culture, complexity of the environment, size, and planners' expertise.

There are different models of strategic planning such as goals-based planning which is the most commonly used approach. This model begins with the organization's mission followed by setting goals that align with the mission. Strategies are then developed to achieve these goals and action plans are created to assign tasks and timelines.

Issues-based strategic planning typically involves the analysis of organizational challenges, strategies to address them, and corresponding action plans. On the other hand, organic strategic planning begins with stating the organization's vision and values, followed by action plans that align with those ideals. Some planners prefer specific approaches like appreciative inquiry. Plans can vary in duration from one to three years or even five to ten years ahead. While some plans only offer high-level information without specific actions, others are more detailed and can exceed five to eight pages.

Often, an organization's strategic planners already have much knowledge about what will be included in a strategic plan. This also applies to business planning. However, the focus of the planning activities can vary between for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits mainly concentrate on board development, fundraising, and volunteer management, whereas for-profits primarily focus on maximizing profit. Additionally, how organizations conduct these planning activities is more influenced by the participants' nature rather than the organization's for-profit or nonprofit status. For instance, individuals who pay close attention to details may prefer a linear, top-down, general-to-specific approach to planning.

On the other hand,

those who are artistic and reflective may prefer a more divergent and "organic" approach to planning. Strategic planning provides several benefits to organizations, such as:

1. Clearly defining the organization's purpose and setting realistic goals and objectives within a specific time frame that the organization can implement.
2. Communicating these goals and objectives to the organization's constituents.

Developing a sense of ownership of the plan is important. This includes ensuring the most effective use of the organization's resources by prioritizing key areas and providing a base for measuring progress. It also establishes a mechanism for making informed changes when necessary.

6. The combination of everyone's best and most well-thought-out efforts holds significant value in establishing a consensus regarding the direction of an organization. Furthermore, strategic planning: 7. Enhances the organization's clarity of purpose, thereby increasing efficiency and effectiveness 8. Fosters collaboration between staff and board of directors (in the case of corporations) 9.

Builds strong teams in the board and the staff (in the case of corporations) 10. Provides the glue that keeps the board together (in the case of corporations) 11. Produces great satisfaction among planners around a common vision 12. Increases productivity from increased efficiency and effectiveness 13.

The timing of strategic planning depends on the organization's nature, needs, and immediate external environment. In rapidly changing industries, frequent and detailed planning may be necessary, possibly once or twice a year. This comprehensive approach includes addressing mission, vision, values, environmental scan, issues, goals, strategies, objectives, responsibilities, time lines, budgets, etc. Conversely,
organizations in stable marketplaces may conduct planning once a year but update certain aspects such as action planning (objectives,responsibilities,time lines,budgets) annually. Here are some guidelines

to consider: 1.

Strategic planning is crucial for organizational establishment and is usually integrated into the overall business plan, which includes a marketing plan, financial plan, and operational/management plan. It becomes particularly important when embarking on major initiatives such as creating a new department, division, or product line. Furthermore, conducting annual strategic planning aids in preparing for the upcoming fiscal year by identifying organizational goals, required resources, and funding needs.

While these funds are allocated in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, it is not necessary to complete all phases of strategic planning on an annual basis. The entire strategic planning process should be conducted at least once every three years. However, if the organization is experiencing significant change, it is recommended to carry out these activities annually. Moreover, action plans should be revised and updated yearly.

During the implementation of the plan, it is important to review the progress at least quarterly by the board. The frequency of review depends on the rate of change within the organization. There are various overviews of strategic planning available, including basics, models, and necessary skills. A general overview provides a basic description of strategic planning and includes key terms to know. Additionally, there is a ten-step method for strategic planning that explains the process at a high level. Nonprofit organizations can find information on strategic planning in the context of their sector, including tools for each phase of planning. The Alliance for Nonprofit Management offers a comprehensive overview, accessible under "Answers" and then selecting "Strategic Planning" from the menu. The National Endowment for the Arts provides extensive planning tools in the typical order of the process.

The text presents a

basic overview of various planning models in the context of a nonprofit organization. It highlights one example of a basic overall approach divided into three parts: "What Are We Doing?", "Reaching Your Goals" and "Do I Have The Right Team?". In order to conduct strategic planning effectively, it is recommended to have a team of planners with skills in developing and facilitating groups. This can involve the use of committees, conflict management, consultants, creative thinking, innovation, decision making, facilitating both face-to-face and online groups, focus groups, group-based problem solving and decision making, meeting management, problem solving, time management, valuing diversity, and preparation for strategic planning. It is important for managers to keep perspective during planning instead of constantly dealing with immediate issues.The individuals' time is dedicated to recognizing and responding to issues.

These managers, and perhaps many others, struggle to step back and critically evaluate their goals and methods. They are too preoccupied with what they believe is progress. However, experienced managers possess the ability to see the bigger picture and take a long-term approach to achieving their objectives. Developing this skill requires continuous involvement in strategic planning. The following instructions can aid you in maximizing your strategic planning experience.

The true advantage of the strategic planning process lies in the process itself, rather than in the resultant plan document. Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that a "perfect" plan does not exist.

Doing your best at strategic thinking and implementation, and learning from it to improve in the future, is an essential part of the strategic planning process. It is similar to the management process, where a series of small moves help the organization stay on

track and move towards the desired goals.

In planning, things are typically not as bad as you fear or as good as you desire. However, it is important to start simple and take that first step. If you need assistance with planning, you might consider hiring a consultant or facilitator. This is particularly relevant if your organization has never done strategic planning before, or if previous attempts at strategic planning were deemed unsuccessful for various reasons.

There is a wide variety of ideas and concerns among organization members regarding strategic planning and the current organizational issues that need to be addressed in the plan. Additionally, there is a lack of individuals within the organization who possess sufficient facilitation skills and nobody within the organization feels dedicated to facilitating strategic planning for the organization.

6. Leaders feel that having an internal facilitator will either hinder others from participating or prevent the facilitator from fully engaging in the planning process themselves.

7. Leaders prefer an impartial perspective, i.e.

, someone who is unlikely to have strong predispositions about the organization's strategic issues and ideas. Strategic planning should be done by a planning team, including the chief executive and board chair, who should lead the development and implementation of the plan. It is important to consider the following guidelines when forming the team. (Please note that boards of directors refer to corporations.) 1. The planning group should include the chief executive and board chair, who should drive the development and implementation of the plan.

Establishing clear guidelines for membership is important, such as identifying those who will be directly involved in the planning process, those responsible for providing key information, those who

will review the plan document, and those who will authorize it. One of the primary responsibilities of a board of directors is strategic planning in order to effectively lead the organization. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the board is actively involved in the planning process, possibly by appointing a planning committee, which can also be the executive committee.

4. The organization should inquire whether the board membership accurately represents its clientele and community. If this is not the case, it may be necessary to include more representation in the planning process. If the board chair or chief executive object to involving more board members in planning, they should carefully reflect on the organization's commitment to strategic planning.
5. It is crucial to have at least one individual in the group who has the authority to make strategic decisions, such as determining which goals will be pursued and how. Additionally, it is essential to involve as many stakeholders as possible in the planning process.
7.

Include the individuals responsible for creating and executing the plan. Additionally, appoint someone to oversee the process, including organizing meetings, documenting important information, assisting with visual aids, and monitoring progress. It may be beneficial to have the appointed administrator outline the main steps of the planning process to facilitate future planning endeavors within the organization. Keep in mind the following factors:

Different types of members may be needed more at different times in the planning process. This includes strong board involvement in determining the organization’s strategic direction (mission, vision, and values), and then more staff involvement in determining the organization’s strategic analysis to identify current issues and goals. Finally, primarily the staff should determine

the strategies needed to address the issues and meet the goals.

In general, it is recommended to involve anyone who may have doubts about their involvement in planning. It is preferable to include someone useful rather than excluding them. This is particularly important for organizations where board members may lack extensive expertise about the organization and its products or services.

Therefore, it is advantageous for an organization to involve both board and staff planners as much as possible in all phases of planning.

Mixing the board and staff during planning helps board members understand the day-to-day issues of the organization and helps the staff understand the top-level issues of the organization.

How Do We Ensure Implementation of Our New Plan?

A common complaint about the strategic planning process is that it produces a document that ends up collecting dust on a shelf — the organization ignores the valuable information included in the document. The following guidelines will help ensure that the plan is implemented. (Note that reference to boards of directors is in regard to organizations that are corporations.)

When conducting the planning process, it is important to involve the individuals who will be in charge of implementing the plan. It is recommended to use a cross-functional team, which consists of representatives from each of the major products or services within the organization, to ensure that the plan is both realistic and collaborative. Throughout the planning process, continue to ask the participants if the plan is truly realistic and feasible.

Organize the overall strategic plan by breaking it down into smaller action plans. Each committee on the board should have an action plan or work plan. In the overall planning

document, clearly state who is responsible for each task and when it must be completed. The implementation section of the strategic plan often refers to these action plans. Some organizations may choose to separate the action plans from the strategic plan, focusing solely on the mission, vision, values, key issues, goals, and strategies. However, this approach carries the risk of the board losing sight of the action plans.

5. When creating the plan, include a section for implementation that outlines the roles and responsibilities. Clearly define the tasks and duties for the first 90 days of implementing the plan. Additionally, incorporate regular reviews to monitor the progress of plan implementation.

6. The strategic plan's actions should be translated into job descriptions and personnel performance reviews.

7. It is important to communicate the importance of follow-ups to the plan. When individuals are aware that the action plans will be regularly reviewed, they are more likely to fulfill their responsibilities before they are assessed.

It is important to document and distribute the plan, while also inviting review input from everyone. Additionally, it is crucial to assign one internal person with the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the plan is implemented in a timely manner. The support of the chief executive plays a significant role in driving the implementation of the plan.

Incorporate the plan's goals and objectives into the chief executive's performance evaluations. Give significant importance to feedback from the planning participants to the board's executive committee. Use the following strategies to ensure implementation of the plan: designate rotating "checkers" to verify, e.

. , every quarter, if each implementer completed their assigned tasks. 13. Have pairs of people be responsible for tasks.

Have each partner commit to helping the other to finish the other’s tasks on time. CONDUCTING STRATEGIC PLANNING Strategic Analysis (Environmental Scan and SWOT) A common criticism of strategic plans is that they simply consist of a list of tasks to be completed in the coming years.

Others argue that strategic planning is ineffective when it comes to making difficult decisions or preparing for the future. This is often due to a lack of thorough strategic analysis during the planning process. Instead of considering future possibilities, planners tend to base their plans solely on current knowledge, resulting in a less strategic and more speculative approach.

The strategic planning process relies on strategic analysis, which should not be overlooked. Some planners prefer to update the mission, vision, and values statements before conducting the strategic analysis, while others prefer to update these items after the strategic analysis. In this library, these items are addressed in the next major section called "Setting Strategic Direction". The basic concept of environmental scanning involves taking a wide look around and conducting stakeholder consultations. Various views on the future and organizational assessments can also be helpful in gaining an overall understanding of the organization. For-profit and nonprofit organizations can use specific assessments tailored to their needs. It is worth noting that many writers discuss identifying strategic goals along with the associated methods or strategies for achieving those goals.

Consequently, the materials referenced from this section often address both goals and strategies. Strategizing involves setting overall organizational goals and determining how they will be reached. Creative thinking and innovation skills are crucial when strategizing. In strategic planning, it is important to select the strategy from the

pulldown menu. Strategy is defined in three forms and includes setting goals and objectives. The Goals Grid is a useful tool for clarifying goals and objectives. Additional topics to consider include organizational change and development, management-by-objectives, project management, and developing/updating a mission and vision statement. It is recommended to use a browser to search for "vision statements".

This will likely lead to numerous links to a wide variety of organization's vision statements that you can review as samples of vision statements. Developing/Updating a Values Statement Basics in Developing a Values Statement Suggestion: Use your browser to do a search for "values statements". This will likely result in numerous links to a wide variety of organization's values statements that you can review as samples of values statements. Action Planning (objectives, responsibilities, timelines) Strategic planning can be exciting when coming up with new visions, missions, and values, discussing long-standing workplace issues, and identifying new opportunities. However, without careful action planning and diligent implementation, the plan will remain unused. See Basics of Action Planning (as part of strategic planning) The Goals Grid -- A Tool for Clarifying Goals & Objectives Also see: Setting Employee Goals Management-by-Objectives (specifics about aligning goals throughout organization) Project Management (thorough planning and tracking to achieve goals) Writing and Communicating the Plan If you have followed the guidelines so far in this Library...