Management Tasks: Planning and Control
1
Discuss any two of the fundamental management tasks in a business: Planning & Control Introduction
In this essay I shall discuss Planning and Control in terms of their importance and benefits to a business, and how they are interlinked.
Planning
I see planning as, the organisation of resources and activities of a business, to achieve specific outcomes over short, medium and long term periods. The path that the organisation will take is stipulated in its vision and mission statements, and should always be considered in the planning process. According to Du Toit, Erasmus and Strydom (2012, p.173), planning has two components namely, plans and goals. Goals are set targets, while the plans are the system or approach the company will use to reach these goals. Goals that are formulated in the SMART framework have greater changes to be accepted, as oppose to general goals. This will ensure goals to be specific with definitive outcomes. Where, when and who questions can be asked. When a goal is measurable, the results can be assessed against set standards. At any point one should be able to know how many computers were sold month to date, for example. Goals should be attainable in a specific timeframe, but at the same time provide employees with challenges. A very important aspect of a goal is its relevance. It must be remembered that goals and plans must be tied to the company’s strategic plans and objectives. A goal should always be time bound to create that sense of urgency among those involved. When no time frame is set, deadlines will be overshot, and targets may not be reached. In the company I work for, Makoya Mining, the CEO has a heart to heart with individual employees at least once a year, where he discusses the future plans of the company and the employees give their view as to where they see themselves in that plan. Specific tasks are then being designed and key performance area’s established in order for both parties to benefit. This integration of
Discuss any two of the fundamental management tasks in a business: Planning & Control Introduction
In this essay I shall discuss Planning and Control in terms of their importance and benefits to a business, and how they are interlinked.
Planning
I see planning as, the organisation of resources and activities of a business, to achieve specific outcomes over short, medium and long term periods. The path that the organisation will take is stipulated in its vision and mission statements, and should always be considered in the planning process. According to Du Toit, Erasmus and Strydom (2012, p.173), planning has two components namely, plans and goals. Goals are set targets, while the plans are the system or approach the company will use to reach these goals. Goals that are formulated in the SMART framework have greater changes to be accepted, as oppose to general goals. This will ensure goals to be specific with definitive outcomes. Where, when and who questions can be asked. When a goal is measurable, the results can be assessed against set standards. At any point one should be able to know how many computers were sold month to date, for example. Goals should be attainable in a specific timeframe, but at the same time provide employees with challenges. A very important aspect of a goal is its relevance. It must be remembered that goals and plans must be tied to the company’s strategic plans and objectives. A goal should always be time bound to create that sense of urgency among those involved. When no time frame is set, deadlines will be overshot, and targets may not be reached. In the company I work for, Makoya Mining, the CEO has a heart to heart with individual employees at least once a year, where he discusses the future plans of the company and the employees give their view as to where they see themselves in that plan. Specific tasks are then being designed and key performance area’s established in order for both parties to benefit. This integration of
Bibliography: Du Toit, G.S., Erasmus, B.J., Strydom, J.W. 2012. Introduction to Business Management. 8th ed. Cape Town: Oxford University Press Southern Africa. Kruger,D., Ramphal R. 2009. Operations Management. 2nd ed. Cape Town: Oxford University Press Southern Africa. Websites www.boundless.com www.suite101.com www.managementstudyguide.com www.topachievement .com