(E) Principle of Timing : Planning premises and policies are useful with proper timing
(F) Principle of Flexibility : This principle suggests flexibility in plans if some contingencies
arise. The plans should be adjusted to incorporate new situations.
(G) Principle of Commitment : There should be a time frame for meeting the commitments
made. This will ensure achieving of targets in time.
(H) Principle of Competitive Strategies : while formulating own plans a manager should
keep in mind the plans of competitors. The plans should be framed by thinking of what the
competitors will do in similar situations.
9.5 PLANNING PROCESS : Planning can be accomplished in a series of steps, it is called as planning process. It
starts from perception of opportunities to realisation of opportunities. It determines the future
course of action for utilizing resources in the best possible manner to get optimum possible
results. The various steps in planning process are described below.
STEPS IN PLANNING PROCESS: i) Awareness of opportunities : while planning basically managers are needed to know the
availability of opportunities to the organisation. Opportunities are available from environment. The
new project can be had from changing needs of customers, technological changes, competitors
weaknesses and innovative patterns of the organisation. Awareness of opportunities involves
preliminary understanding and estimation of opportunities and analysing them in the light of
strengths and weakness of the organisation for the purpose of assuming them. When the manag-
ers are utilising the opportunities, they should be free from threats.
ii)Establishing Objectives : The second step in planning is to setup objectives for the enterprise
as a whole, and for the departments and individuals. Objectives are to be set for the long run as
well as for the short run. These are the end points for managerial course of action and they are
the destination for all the activities. Objectives specify the expected results and show how the
destination is to be achieved and where emphasis is to be placed.
Awareness of Opportunities
Establishing Objectives
Considering Planning Premises
Identifying Alternatives
Evaluating Alternatives
Selecting appropriate
alternative
Formulating
Derivative Plans
Budgeting