The Planning Process In Organizations: Steps And Strategies

Steps in the Planning Process

Questions:

1.Explain the Planning Process adopted by Managers in Organisations.

2.Provide a brief summary of Ferguson Plarre’s Organisational History.

3.Describe Ferguson Plarre’s approach to goal setting.

4.How does Ferguson Plarre track progress toward goal achievement.

1.Planning process in an organization refers to defining the objectives and goals of an organization that would direct the organization’s future. It also involves determining the mission of the organization and the resources that would be required in achieving the target. Planning process by the organizational managers also involve strategic planning that has helped several organizations to achieve their objectives and profits. The strategic planning process of an organization is built upon the pyramid of organizational development (Hill, Jones and Schilling 2014). Therefore, the managers of the organizations not only focus on the product/ service and market growth but also on the resources, organizational culture, operational system and management of the organizational systems. The major steps involved in management planning process are as follows:

Establishing goals: The initial step of the planning process involves identification of the goals and objectives of the organization. This process involves detailed analysis and evaluation of the goals and objectives of an organization. This also requires mentioning the reason for selecting the particular goal and the anticipated outcomes. The objectives are required to be measured in either qualitative or quantitative terms (Harper 2015).

Identification of resources: It is very necessary for the managers to identify the essential resources in terms of finance and human resources that would be required in the completion of the project. For instance, the managers are required to identify the number of sales people and accountants would be required to successfully complete a project.

Establishing tasks related to the goals: The managers are responsible for associating the tasks with its achievements in order to achieve the goals of an organization. The managers are required to outline the various activities or tasks that shall aid in meeting the objectives or goals of an organization. For instance, the manager may increase the number of employees working in the sales team in order to meet the objective of the organization.

Prioritize the tasks: The organizational managers are required to prioritize the important tasks so that they can be completed first. The managers are required to identify the sequence in which the tasks must be done in order to efficiently achieve the organizational goals. The most important tasks must be done first and the least important task must be done at the last (Baker 2014).

Strategic Planning Process

Create timelines: The organizational managers are required to identify the time required in completing a task and decide the deadlines accordingly. The manager is required to take into consideration the abilities of the employees and the time required to complete the tasks before setting up the deadlines.

Evaluation of the progress: The organizational managers are required to decide the method of evaluation and evaluate the progress of the tasks accordingly. This could be done by maintaining weekly, monthly or quarterly progress reports of the employees. The progress report helps the managers to known the progress of the organizations towards the achievement of the objectives (Jeston and Nelis 2014).

Identifying alternatives: There are many uncertainties involved in the business environment. Therefore, the organizational managers are required to maintain a contingency plan in the event of failure of the actual plan. The managers are required to identify alternative plans at all the stages of planning to ensure the overall success of the organization (Booth 2015).

Apart from the steps involved is the planning process, an organizational manager is required to ensure sustainable success of an organization by equally emphasizing on the sustainable success of the organization. The various steps involved in the strategic planning are as follows:

Environmental scan: This involves identification and analysis of the market as well as the prospective customers. The managers are also required to analyze the competitors as well as the ongoing trends in the market. All these shall ensure the successful accomplishment of the tasks.

Organizational assessment: This step involves identifying the organizational culture, operational system, markets, products and the management system of the organization.

Resolution of strategic issues: This step involves identifying the issues within the organization and finding out ways to resolve the issues.

Strategic business plan: This process involves the usual steps that are considered in the planning process. This step involves identification of the goals and objectives of the organization. This process also involves detailed analysis and evaluation of the goals and objectives of an organization. It is very necessary for the managers to identify the essential resources in terms of finance and human resources that would be required in the completion of the project. The organizational managers are required to define the mission, vision, goals and objectives of the organization (Shanahan 2013).

Budgeting: The organizational managers are required to identify the ways in which the financial resources shall be invested in the achievement of the organizational plan. The organizational managers are required to convert the plan into financial terms. The managers are required to manage the plan according to the available funds or budget.

Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses

Review: The organizational managers are not only required to plan the organizational processes but they are also required to review the progress and compare them with the organization’s goals. It is responsibility of the managers to ensure the organizational performance. This can be only achieved when the managers identify or anticipate the issues in the organizational plan and develops a contingency plan accordingly.

The organizational managers of Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses have initiated several marketing strategies that involved expansion of business and franchising (Ferguson Plarre 2012). The Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses has been conducted several market surveys to know the tastes and preferences of the customers and has focused upon retention of the loyal customers (generally the grandparents) and acquiring new customers (generally the grandchildren).

2.The Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses have always been a family owned and operated business. The Ferguson family and the Plarre family have European roots while it established its business in Australia around 110 years ago. It commenced its business in 1901 in Melbourne. The organization continued to manage its business even in the tough times during the World wars and the Great depression. The contributions of the families in the art of pastry cooking encouraged the families to merge their businesses to become Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses in 1980 (Fergusonplarre.com.au 2017).

However, the fourth generation of the Plarre family acquired the business of the Ferguson family in the year 2012. The Plarre family manages the day to day business operations of Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses. The bakery continues to provide superior quality products  and services along with great innovations.  The bakery is now recognized for delivering desserts, meat-pies, birthday cakes, wedding cakes and Tiddly Oggies. The bakery is known to have an experience of more than 200 years and has been consistent in providing quality products and services to its customers.

3.The Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses has been conducted several market surveys to know the tastes and preferences of the customers and has focused upon retention of the loyal customers who are usually the grandparents and acquiring new customers who are usually  the grandchildren. The organization has set its goals according to the requirements of the customers. The organization aims at expanding its business by opening stores in several locations and by using the policy of franchising. The organization has focused upon the retention of their loyal customers who are mainly the grandparents and has aimed at attracting their grandchildren into buying their products. The goal of the organization is to provide innovative and quality products and services to its customers (Fergusonplarre.com.au 2017).  

4.The major objective of Ferguson Plarre has been customer satisfaction. Ferguson Plarre tracks is progress towards the achievement of its goals by conducting market research. The organization has been reaching out to its customers to improve the personal contacts with the loyal customers. The organization has been conducting several market surveys in which the customers were asked about their experiences with Ferguson Plarre and what they expect from the bakery. The organization has laid much emphasis on the requirements of its customers and their likes and dislikes. The organization has focused upon the retention of their loyal customers who are mainly the grandparents and has aimed at attracting their grandchildren into buying their products (Ferguson Plarre 2012).

References:

Baker, M.J., 2014. Marketing strategy and management. Palgrave Macmillan.

Booth, S.A., 2015. Crisis management strategy: Competition and change in modern enterprises. Routledge.

Ferguson Plarre 2012, Interview with Steve Plarre, Part 3: Planning, Cengage Learning Australia.

Harper, C., 2015. Organizations: Structures, processes and outcomes. Routledge.

Hill, C.W., Jones, G.R. and Schilling, M.A., 2014. Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning.

Jeston, J. and Nelis, J., 2014. Business process management. Routledge.

Shanahan, M.P., 2013. 15. The economics of climate change: the Stern and Garnaut reports and their implications for business. Sustainable Business: Theory and Practice of Business Under Sustainability Principles, p.268.