8. Planning work activities

Question 1

Planning

Answer 1

defining the organization’s goals, establishing strategies for achieving those goals, and developing plans to integrate and coordinate work activities.

Question 2

Formal planning

Answer 2

• Specific goals covering a specific time period

- Written and shared with organizational members

Question 3

Four reasons for planning

Answer 3

• Provides direction
• Reduces uncertainty
• Minimizes waste and redundancy
• Sets the standards for controlling

Question 4

Formal planning is associated with

Answer 4

• Positive financial results – higher profits, higher return on assets, and so forth.
• The quality of planning and implementation affects performance more than the extent of planning.
• The external environment can reduce the impact of planning on performance.
• The planning-performance relationship seems to be influenced by the planning time frame.

Question 5

Goals (objectives)

Answer 5

desired outcomes or targets.

Question 6

Plans

Answer 6

documents that outline how goals are going to be met

Question 7

Financial Goals

Answer 7

related to the expected internal financial performance of the organization.

Question 8

Strategic Goals

Answer 8

related to the performance of the firm relative to factors in its external environment (e.g., competitors).

Question 9

Stated Goals

Answer 9

official statements of what an organization says, and what it wants its various stakeholders to believe its goals are.

Question 10

Real goals

Answer 10

goals that an organization actually pursues, as defined by the actions of its members.

Question 11

Strategic plans

Answer 11

plans that apply to the entire organization and establish the organization’s overall goals.

Question 12

Operational plans

Answer 12

plans that encompass a particular operational area of the organization.

Question 13

Long-term plans

Answer 13

plans with a time frame beyond three years.

Question 14

Short-term plans

Answer 14

plans covering one year or less.

Question 15

Specific plans

Answer 15

plans that are clearly defined and leave no room for interpretation.

Question 16

Directional plans

Answer 16

plans that are flexible and set out general guidelines.

Question 17

Single-use plan

Answer 17

a one-time plan specifically designed to meet the needs of a unique situation.

Question 18

Standing plans

Answer 18

ongoing plans that provide guidance for activities performed repeatedly.

Question 19

Traditional goal-setting

Answer 19

an approach to setting goals in which top managers set goals that then flow down through the organization and become subgoals for each organizational area.

Question 20

Means-ends chain

Answer 20

an integrated network of goals in which the accomplishment of goals at one level serves as the means for achieving the goals, or ends, at the next level.

Question 21

Management by objectives (MBO)

Answer 21

a process of setting mutually agreed upon goals and using those goals to evaluate employee performance.

Question 22

Steps in Goal-Setting

Answer 22

1. Review the organization’s mission, or purpose.
2. Evaluate available resources.
3. Determine the goals individually or with input from others.
4. Write down the goals and communicate them to all who need to know.
5. Review results and whether goals are being met.

Question 23

Well-Written Goals

Answer 23

• Written in terms of outcomes rather than actions
• Measurable and quantifiable
• Clear as to a time frame
• Challenging yet attainable
• Written down
• Communicated to all necessary organizational members

Question 24

Commitment Concept

Answer 24

Current plans affecting future commitments must be sufficiently long-term in order to meet those commitments.

Question 25

Planning in Environmental Uncertainty

Answer 25

• When uncertainty is high, plans should be specific, but flexible.
• Managers must be prepared to change or amend plans as they’re implemented.
• At times, they may even have to abandon the plans.

Question 26

Formal planning department

Answer 26

a group of planning specialists whose sole responsibility is helping to write organizational plans.

Question 27

How Can Managers Plan Effectively in Dynamic Environments?

Answer 27

• In an uncertain environment, managers should develop plans that are specific, but flexible.
• Managers need to recognize that planning is an ongoing process.

Question 28

Environmental scanning

Answer 28

screening information to detect emerging trends.

Question 29

Competitor intelligence

Answer 29

gathering information about competitors that allows managers to anticipate competitors’ actions rather than merely reacting to them.