Operational Planning
Ongoing plans include policies for approaching problems, rules for specific regulations and procedures for a step-by-step process for accomplishing particular objectives.
Tactical Planning
“Basically at the tactical level, there are many focused, specific, and short-term plans, where the actual work is being done, that support the high-level strategic plans. Tactical planning supports strategic planning. It includes tactics that the organization plans to use to achieve what’s outlined in the strategic plan. Often, the scope is less than one year and breaks down the strategic plan into actionable chunks.
Contingency Planning
Although managers should anticipate changes when engaged in any of the primary types of planning, contingency planning is essential in moments when changes can’t be foreseen.
Recognizing Need for Action
An important part of the planning process is to be aware of the business opportunities in the firm’s external environment as well as within the firm. Once such opportunities get recognized the managers can recognize the actions that need to be taken to realize them.
Developing Premises
So in the function of management certain assumptions will have to be made. These assumptions are the premises. All managers should be aware of these premises and should agree with them.
Identifying Alternatives
The fourth step of the planning process is to identify the alternatives available to the managers. There is no one way to achieve the objectives of the firm, there is a multitude of choices. All of these alternative courses should be identified. Maybe he chooses an innovative alternative hoping for more efficient results.
Examining Alternate Course of Action
The alternative plans need to be evaluated in the light of the organizational objectives. Detailed calculation and analysis are done to ensure that the plan is capable of achieving the objectives in the best and most efficient manner possible.
Selecting the Alternative
Finally, we reach the decision making stage of the planning process. The choice is obviously based on scientific analysis and mathematical equations. But a managers intuition and experience should also play a big part in this decision.
Formulating Supporting Plan
Once you have chosen the plan to be implemented, managers will have to come up with one or more supporting plans. These secondary plans help with the implementation of the main plan.
Implementation of the Plan
This is when all the other functions of management come into play and the plan is put into action to achieve the objectives of the organization.
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