Effective Planning: Nature, Steps, Importance, and Objectives

Posted on Apr 3, 2025 in International Business Economics

Planning is a two-way process of looking back to derive a future course of action. This preparatory step is systematic and scientific, as it follows an order of what, when, how, and whom a specific job will be carried out by. It is a detailed and comprehensive blueprint of organizational functioning in the future. Planning involves a thorough examination of an organization’s available physical as well as human resources to coordinate and contribute towards organizational activities. This basic management function involves developing a detailed organizational plan to balance between the needs and demands of organizational resources and achieving organizational results thereof. Urwick stated that “Planning is a mental predisposition to do things in an orderly way, to think before acting and to act in the light of facts rather than guesses.” It is a mental process of selecting the best of alternative resources to achieve organizational goals following predetermined standards. In the words of Koontz & O’Donnell, “Planning is deciding in advance what to do, how to do, and who is to do it. Planning bridges the gap between where we are to, where we want to go. It makes possible things to occur which would not otherwise occur.”

Features of Planning

• Planning focuses on achieving objectives by deciding upon the activities to be undertaken.
• Planning is a primary function as it precedes all functions of management, i.e., organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling.
• Planning is pervasive as it is required at all levels of management, but its scope may vary.
• Planning is continuous as plans need to be made on a continuous basis until an organization exists.
• Planning is futuristic as it seeks to meet future events effectively to the best advantage of an organization. Planning is, therefore, called a forward-looking function.

Planning involves decision-making as it involves rational thinking to choose the best alternative among the various available alternatives in order to achieve the desired goals efficiently and effectively.

• Planning is a mental exercise as it is based on intellectual thinking involving foresight, visualization, and judgment rather than guesswork.

Nature/Characteristics of Planning

The complex and comprehensive nature of planning makes it a function with several characteristics. Planning may have the following characteristics:

1. A Cognitive Process

The planning process is highly intellectual and thus is cognitive. This managerial function is about thinking with creativity to utilize existing available resources for available opportunity. Planning for managers involves functions such as what, how, when, and by whom is to be done. An organization that makes a timely decision today with careful thinking need not worry for the future. Such an organization can effectively establish equilibrium between the external environment and internal environment. Planning with critical thinking and a high level of cognition ensures effective decision-making.

2. Planning vs. Forecasting

Many times planning and forecasting seem to be similar to each other, though they are common to each other to some extent. Yet, they hold a greater degree of differences. Forecasting refers to what is expected to happen if there is no way out to escape. Whereas, planning is about what one wants to happen. Forecasting leads to planning. For example, a threat to natural resources may encourage people and nations to plan for the conservation of natural resources.

Though planning involves evaluation, assessments, estimates, and calculations, yet these are made in the presence of available resources, time, and goals and objectives of natural resources. Apart from these, planning is a continuous process of assessment and evaluation to find the deviations and making corrections thereafter. In the modern decade, planning is highly complex and data-driven and involves various data mining and analytics.

3. Planning is the Accomplishment of Group Objectives

An organization operates with the joint efforts of various individuals with varied personalities, skills, attitudes, learning, and motivation. These varied individuals with varied beliefs and personalities make a cohesive group that operates harmoniously to achieve organizational goals. Thus, planning involves achieving the objective of individuals keeping group and organizational objectives in mind.

4. The Choice Between Alternatives

The plan and procedure that used to be effective in the past tend to be obsolete and redundant in the present scenario with a completely new and different business environment. Similarly, the presently available resources may not be available tomorrow or may not fulfill the future new demands. Thus, planning involves judicious adjustments and adaptation in resources to grab the emerging business opportunities. The top management generally follows three steps of decision-making: the decision about the objective of business i.e., profitability, growth, consumer satisfaction, etc.; next, it focuses on selecting the strategy to achieve these objectives followed by operational goals.

5. Planning is All-Pervasive

Planning as a management function is so imperative that it pervades in all managerial functions for a goal-oriented organization. It would be wrong to state that planning is just a first step; rather, it is the step that influences each managerial function, be it organizing or controlling. Moreover, it is wrong to quote that planning is a task performed by top-level management only. Several planning tasks require managers at different levels. The first step in determining the objective involves top management, but other following steps like operationalization of the plan may require the involvement of middle and lower levels as well. Involvement of people in the planning process belonging to different levels in the organization can significantly boost their motivation level.

6. Planning is Flexible

For an organization to be successful, it is crucial to establish synergies between opportunity and available resources. Forecasting the growth opportunity and adapting the resources accordingly does provide a competitive advantage to an organization. This requires careful identification of KSAs (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities) of people, man, material, and money to take advantage of the available opportunity. Since the business environment is prone to suffer from uncertainty and dynamism, alteration in a mix of materials and plans is very essential to survive and suit the change.

7. Planning is the Integrated Process

With the establishment of various policies, programs, and procedures, an organization establishes organizational objectives that it aims to achieve under the planning process. When the organization establishes such objectives and implements the interventions, it may encounter a difference of opinion among personnel of the organization, particularly from those who are involved in the planning process. For example, where a sales manager may look for various products to satisfy the needs of the consumer and to grab more market share, production managers may look for keeping the production simple with least standardization. Effective planning takes care of these conflicting interests and tries to maximize the organization’s interest with the least cost of an individual’s interest.

Steps Involved in Planning

The complex and systematic process of planning involves certain basic logical steps to be followed. These are:

1. Setting Up Organizational Objectives

The first and foremost objective of an organization establishes various objectives and goals that an organization strives to achieve. Objectives determine the various activities and direction of efforts. For an effective planning function, objectives need to be stated clearly and must be precise and unambiguous. Unclear and ambiguous objectives lead to chaos and wastages. Objectives set under the planning process can be for the entire organization, for each department, units, and employees. It can be short-term as well as long-term based on the organization’s desire to achieve.

Apart from objectives being clear, precise, and unambiguous, they must be practical, feasible, achievable, and realistic.

2. Developing Planning Premises

Planning is about predicting the uncertain future to carry out the business activities. To forecast the future, certain assumptions about the future need to be made by the planning managers. These assumptions serve as the base to create a premise for developing a plan of action. This is called planning premises. These assumptions are made in the form of forecasts. Forecasting is a technique of gathering information for developing planning premises. In general business parlance, enterprises forecast the demand for a product, inflation prediction, tax regime, interest rates, government interventions, etc. Thus, to develop an effective plan, accurate forecasting is essential. Where external forecasting is necessary and complex to be made, internal forecasting also plays a crucial role in the planning process. Internal forecasting such as trade relations, capital investment policy, and management philosophy significantly influences forecasting and thus the planning process.

3. Identification of Alternative Courses of Action

As objectives setting and making of assumptions is done, various alternative courses of actions are identified to achieve those objectives. This step involves the identification of a maximum number of alternatives based on the type of project. An important project requires detailed and comprehensive identification of alternatives than the general one. A detailed statement of alternatives is presented amongst the members of the organization to be discussed about the selection of alternatives.

4. Evaluating Alternative Courses of Action

After identification of various alternative courses of actions, each action is examined in terms of their pros and cons. The positive and negative aspects of each course of actions are evaluated concerning the objectives of an organization. For the selection of course of action, the cost and benefits, feasibility, and practicability are examined. For a financial plan of an organization, the risk-return of the project is taken into consideration. The plan with higher risk tends to have higher profit earning and is evaluated in terms of EPS, earnings, taxes, dividends, and interests.

5. Selection of Alternative

At this point, the final decision is taken. The best plan in terms of maximum benefits and the minimum cost is adopted for implementation. The plan chosen would be feasible, profitable, and tend to yield higher profits and the least cost.

6. Implementation of the Plan

At this stage, various other managerial functions come into the picture as the best-selected plan is implemented. In this stage, the implementation of the action takes place, i.e., doing what is required. For a production department, if an objective is to increase production more than labor, then the organization may implement a plan that involves more investments in machinery.

7. Follow-Up of Action

This is the crucial stage as it involves seeing whether the selected and implemented plan is working as per plans or not. This stage is essential and requires close monitoring to assess deviation in selection and implementation and to achieve desired objectives.

Importance of Planning

The fast-changing business environment creates the need for development and planning. An organization that adopts a lackadaisical approach in the identification of environmental change would surely struggle to survive and grow. The following points show how planning is an important management function:

1. Ensures Selection of Optimum Goals

The selected course of action ensures the overall growth of an organization keeping in mind the organizational limitations in terms of resources, time limit, objectives, and strategies. In the overall development of the organization, it is necessary to optimize the overall operation of the organization and sub-optimization of other departments.

2. Manages Complexities

An effective plan of organization is a way to create a common interest among individuals of an organization who work together towards the accomplishment of organizational goals in which they have shared common goals too. Thus, planning is a way towards goal-directing activity.

3. Survive Environmental Change

The business environment witnesses tremendous change now and then. From a conservative business model to a democratic, global business scenario has left the business houses to keep itself updated to meet changing demands with a changing environment. Change in demand, change in technologies, fashion, preferences, and social values significantly affect the organizational normal course of operation. Management must strive to grab the opportunity to take advantage of the changed situation by adapting and adjusting its inputs to meet new demand and preferences of customers. Proper, scientific, and systematic planning helps to survive in the turbulent situation created out of environmental change.

4. Protection from Failure

Unpredictable change in consumer’s taste and preferences, cut-throat competition, rapid technological change, economic slowdown, and political disturbances significantly affect the nation and so business houses. Sometimes these changes are so adverse that lead to complete business failure. However, many organizations could not survive these radical changes due to ineffective planning and faulty decision-making. It cannot be denied that planning cannot eliminate all business failures, but it can surely help in identification and evaluation of business opportunities and threats and examining the various courses of action thereafter.

5. Unity of Action

Since the organization works with joint efforts of individuals with different KSAs, thus their harmonious working is necessary towards accomplishment of organizational goals. This is possible with efficient planning that provides stake to employees to work jointly for organizational success.

6. Supports Control and Coordination

Planning function supports other management functions such as control and coordination. What, when, how, and by whom a function is to be performed, all these are planned and worked out well in advance. This helps in easy and timely performance appraisal and finding the deviation thereof.

7. Planning Promotes Innovative Ideas

While making an effort on alternative discovery, many new ideas emerge and they are studied intensively in order to determine the best out of them. In this way, planning imparts a real power of thinking in the managers. It leads to the birth of innovative and creative ideas.

8. Planning Facilitates Decision Making

Decision-making means the process of taking decisions. The planning sets the target for decision-making. It also lays down the criteria for evaluating courses of action. In this way, planning facilitates decision-making.

The most popular ways to describe organizational plans are by their:

1. Coverage – Strategic, tactical, and operational,
2. Time frame – Short and long term,
3. Specificity – Specific versus directional,
4. Frequency of use – Single use and standing.

1. Strategic, Tactical, and Operational Plans

a. Strategic Plans

Strategic plans are designed to meet the broad objectives of the organization – to implement the mission that provides the unique reason for the organization’s existence. They are set at the top managerial level and are meant to guide the whole organization. An organization’s strategic plan is the starting point for planning. The aim of strategic planning is to help a company select and organize its businesses in a way that would keep the company healthy in spite of unexpected upsets occurring in any of its specific businesses or product lines. A strategic plan serves as a guide to the development of sound sub-plans to accomplish the organizational objectives.

b. Tactical Plans

Tactical planning deals primarily with the implementation phase of the planning process. Tactical planning turns strategy into reality. Tactical planning usually has a 1-2 year time horizon. Tactical planning is usually tightly integrated with the annual budget process.

Operational Plans: The supervisor interprets the strategic and tactical management plans as they apply to his unit. This way, he makes operational plans to support tactical plans. These plans provide the details of how the strategic plans will be accomplished. Examples of planning by supervisors include scheduling the work of employees and identifying needs for staff and resources to meet future changes.

Operating plans tend to be repetitive and inflexible over the short run. Change comes only when it is obvious that plans and specific action steps are not working. There are two main types of operational plans – Single-use plans which are developed to achieve specific purposes and dissolved when these have been accomplished; standing plans are standardized approaches for handling recurring and predictable situations.

Note that Tactical plans are based on the organization’s strategic plan. In turn, operational plans are based on the organization’s tactical plans. These are specific plans that are needed for each task or supportive Activity comprising the whole. Strategic, tactical, and operational planning must be accompanied by controls. Monitoring progress or providing for follow-up is intended to ensure that plans are carried out properly and on time. Adjustments may need to be made to accommodate changes in the external and/ or internal environment of the organization.

2. Short-Range and Long-Range Plans

Generally, a short-range planning (SRP) means a plan for one or two years and long-range planning (LRP) means a plan for three to five years or more.

Specific and Directional Plans: Specific plans are established to achieve a specific purpose and dissolves when the purpose is accomplished. For example- a manager who seeks to increase his firm’s sales by 20 percent over a given twelve-month period might establish specific procedures, budget allocations, and schedules of activities to reach that objective. These represent specific plans.

Directional plans identify general guidelines. They provide focus but do not lock managers into specific objectives or courses of action. Instead of following a specific plan to cut costs by 4 percent and increase revenues by 6 percent in the next six months, a directional plan might shoot for improving corporate profits by 5 to 10 percent every year.

Objectives

The future goals and desired state that an organization strives to achieve in the future. Objectives are a road map or direction path that keeps an organization attentive and focused towards its goals and helps in dodging obstacles. Peter Drucker says that an organization mostly has objectives related to market share, innovation, productivity, profitability, physical and financial resources, performance, and development, etc. Charles Perrow classified objectives into five categories namely; Societal objectives (cultural values, production of goods and services), output objectives, system objectives, product objectives, and Derived objectives (community development).

Management by Objectives (MBO)

Management by objective is the scientific and strategic approach to enhance the organizational objective wherein goals and objectives of organizations are clearly stated, defined, and conveyed by the managers to the entire organization. The crucial step of defining the objective under this approach is to monitor and evaluate employees’ performance against the stated objectives. Ideally, under this approach, employees themselves set their goals and course of action that effectively fulfill their obligation. In other words, MBO is a scientific strategy to establish objectives jointly by managers and subordinates and desire to achieve them while achieving organizational objectives simultaneously. MBO approach follows the following six steps:

1. Defining organizational objectives/goals with the help of different managers and supervisors. Based on organization status and performance, objectives to be achieved in a specific time are established. A broad range of objectives that are critical to the organization is established and most top-level managers are involved in this step.
2. Defining objectives for employees: after establishing the general broad organizational objectives, plans, and procedures, managers and superiors discuss and work with their subordinates to establish their objectives. This step is crucial enough as the personal objectives of employees motivate them to work towards organizational objectives. Managers and superiors discuss the need, goals, time, and resources required by the employees to achieve their objective and organizational objective ultimately. Employees present their thoughts and ideas about what departmental objectives are necessary to be framed and achieved.
3. Regular monitoring performance and progress: since an organization is managed by managing the objectives of an organization. Thus, apart from increasing managerial efficiency, regular monitoring and progress of employees are necessary. Close monitoring of performance ensures eliminating performance deviation and flaws.
4. At this step, the performance of each employee concerning performance standard and objectives are evaluated by the concerned managers of supervisors.
5. Providing Feedback: feedback step is very crucial under management by objective approach. Continuous feedback on performance helps the employees to manage their performance quality and correcting their actions. Feedback at a particular point in time should be replaced with continuous feedback through regular formal and informal meetings of superiors and subordinates. In this way, probable performance deviation can be eliminated and progress can be ensured.
6. Performance Appraisal: the routine of performance of an employee by the managers is the final step under the MBO approach.

Work Improvement

The term ‘work improvement’ is very wide and includes the study of work and simplification and standardization of methods, equipment, and working conditions. It is otherwise known as ‘method study’ or method engineering’. Work improvement may be defined as scientific techniques of studying and analyzing the conditions influencing the quantity and quality of work done by the workers According to W.W. Haynes and J.D. Massie, “All of the physical aspects of operations can be considered as a part of the work improvement study, layout of work-place, materials handling, design of equipment, working conditions including lighting, color, air-conditioning, power and so forth”. Work improvement not only improves work efficiency but also improves human comfort and satisfaction. This is also known as ‘human engineering’ or ‘ERGONOMICS’.

Work Measurement

Work measurement deals with assessing the time content of a job performed by an operator to determine the proper time to be allowed and the efforts required for the efficient performance of a job. R.M. Curie has defined work measurement as ‘application of techniques designed to establish the time for a qualified worker to carry out a specified job at a defined level of performance’. Work measurement is popularly known as ‘time study’ which is a major constituent of the work study. Its advantages are as follows:

• Work measurement determines the normal time for a job and thereby serves as a basis of a sound wage incentive system.
• The standard time determined by work measurement helps in labor cost control.
• Work measurement provides the relevant data for efficient work planning and control.
• Work measurement facilitates effective manning of plant and equipment.
• Work measurement technique can be useful in reducing the time and cost involved in the proposed production orders

Ergonomics is the scientific, interdisciplinary study of individuals and their physical relationship to the work environment It is closely associated with industrial and experimental psychology. Beginning in 1940, the term ‘human engineering’ was associated with equipment design. By mid-1950s, several aircraft companies began to utilize human engineering in machine design and training programs. Ergonomics is also called the science of human engineering. Human engineering may be described as an approach by which an engineer set about the problem of designing machines and equipment to be used by human beings. The human engineer applies scientific knowledge and research methodology to study human areas as they pertain to the operation of the machine systems and concepts. Human engineering groups generally include engineers, psychologists, physiologists, mathematicians, anthropologists, physicians, and specialists from other fields. The human and machine systems possess different characteristics as shown in Table 2. Ergonomics advocates using these characteristics in a complimentary manner while designing and implementing any production and mechanical operations.

IT has been used as a facilitator as well as an enabler of new work. As a consequence, it has enabled many companies to reduce their fixed asset costs, mainly office space and buildings.

A few examples of new forms of IT-enabled work design are:

Satellite Location is an attempt to reduce the office space. Satellite Locations are networked together to form a cohesive structure. Expensive large corporate centers have been reduced in size and only a token ‘image’ presence is kept in prestige locations.

Hot Desking And Hoteling is another attempt to reduce office space and hence the cost of fixed assets. Employees simply plug in to office space with docking facilities for laptop computers and other support.

Telecentres and Telecottages: Telecentres are specific regional centers that support many organizations’ employees providing all the electronic communications infrastructure needed for effective working. Telecottages are a variation on these themes to support workers in rural or thinly populated locations.

Teleworking and Telecommuting: Teleworking could be described as home working with electronic communication support whereas telecommuting could be described as the mobile office in a car, hotel, or anywhere, supported by the mobile phone and the laptop computer.

Telematics (Field Systems): A closely related concept to telecommuting but the equipment is more specialized usually fixed in vehicles. Used to communicate information between control centers and mobile workers. It is used by the utilities, service companies, and the Police, etc.

Computer Supported Co-Operative Working (CSCW): It is gaining appreciation as a technology that can support and enhance a truly enterprise-wide working environment.

The Virtual Organisation: Many sole traders use agencies that provide a virtual presence for their clients using CIT (computer integrated telephony) and by providing office space and electronic facilities when needed.

Staffing

The procedure of employing qualified candidates in the company or organization for particular positions. Staffing as defined by management is an action of hiring the personnel by reviewing their competence, knowledge, and providing them particular job roles accordingly. Staffing is one of the most vital management functions. It includes the procedure of fulfilling the available position of the correct personnel at the correct job, at the correct time. Consequently, each thing will take place in the correct manner. For every organization, human resources are of the utmost importance as in any organization entire resources like money, equipment, machines, etcetera can be acquired constructively and efficiently through productive endeavors of human resources. Hence, it is extremely important for every employee to get the correct position in the company in order to get an accurate job, as per their talent, capability, and specialization which may provide help to the organization in order to attain the pre-determined goals in the appropriate manner by the full contribution of manpower. Therefore, it can be inferred that staffing is a crucial function of each business corporation.

Functions of Staffing

1. Procure qualified personnel- obtaining a qualified workforce for various job positions in the company is the most important purpose of staffing.
2. Recruitment of a right person- higher performance and maximum productivity can be attained through recruiting the correct person for the accurate jobs.
3. Promoting the optimal application of HR- the optimum utilization of HR can be achieved through different aspects.
4. Enhancing job satisfaction- through employment of the correct person, job satisfaction along with morale of the employee strengthens.
5. Ensuring growth of the organization- growth and continuity of the company is ensured by the development of managers.

Importance of Staffing

1. Efficient performance- staffing is the key for performing other functions efficiently.
2. Efficient utility of technology- while performing the function of staffing’ management can ensure the accurate kinds of personnel.
3. Optimal utilization- a large amount of money is spent on recruiting, selecting, training, and developing employees. In order to get an optimal output the function of staffing should be efficient.
4. Constructing high morale- the accurate work climate should be built for the employers to contribute to the procurement of the organizational objectives. A fine work climate not only ensures job satisfaction but also helps in boosting morale. This can be achieved through efficient staffing.
5. Expansion of human capital- since management has to train and advance the existing workers for advancement in career, therefore the concern of the staffing is the requirement of human capital.
6. Stimulation of human resource- the behavior of an individual in an organization is influenced by multiple factors like socio-cultural factors.

Characteristics of Staffing

1. PEOPLE-CENTRED- staffing can be broadly perceived as a function of people-centered and hence it is pertinent to all kinds of organizations. It has to do with the group of personnel from topmost to the bottommost of the organization.
2. MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITY- the most fundamental function of management is staffing which incorporates that the manager is involved in performing the function of staffing continuously. Managers are actively related to the employment, selection, teaching, and evaluation of his subordinates. Hence, the chief executive, managers of the department, and foremen in association with their subordinates perform the activities.

1. HUMAN SKILLS- the chief concern of the staffing function is with training and development of various types for human resources. Hence, the human relation skill should be used by managers in order to provide the subordinates with appropriate guidance and training of the function of staffing is executed properly, then in an organization, human relations will be amiable and will be performed mutually in an organized fashion.
2. CONTINUOUS FUNCTION- For a start-up or a well-established firm, it is important to perform the function of staffing. In a new organization, employment, selection, and training of personnel has to be done, whereas in an already established organization every single manager should be involved for various activities of staffing. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the manager to look after all the employees so that overall objectives of a company can be achieved by completing the work assigned.

Directing

Directing is defined as a procedure of guiding, counseling, instructing, leading, inspiring, and overseeing people to the achievement of the goals of the organization. It is an ongoing process of a manager which continues throughout the organizational life. Directing is the chief component of the managerial function. The various functions of management like staffing, organizing, planning, etc. have no value without directing.

Characteristics of Directing

1. Beginning of Action- in order to release the roles in an organization, managers perform directing functions in addition to staffing, controlling, planning, and organizing. Other functions arrange action platform and action is initiated by directing.
2. Prevalent Function- directing plays a role at each level of the company. Directing exists at every superior-subordinate relationship as each manager guides and inspires his/her subordinates.
3. Ceaseless Activity- directing is an ongoing function because it continues through the life of a company regardless of the replacement of managers or employees.
4. Condescend Order of Hierarchy- the function of directing is exercised by each manager on the subordinate. It points flow from a top to bottom level of management.

1. Human factor- since there occurs an individual difference among employees, therefore every employee behaves differently in every situation. Hence, it is important for managers to address the situation appropriately.
2. Impactful Utility of Resources- it includes determining the roles and responsibilities of each subordinate hence avoiding replication of efforts etc. and making use of employees, money, machine, and material in the largest possible way. This way cost is reduced and profit is increased.

Elements of Directing

1. Circulating orders and directions to subordinates- it is an important step in the procedure of directing subordinates. An order is an essential tool for getting things completed. Orders may be formal, general, written, or specific, informal, and oral.
2. Administration in a complete manner- it means supervising the progress of daily work of subordinates and providing them proper guidance. The most important feature of supervision is face-to-face interplay between subordinate and supervisor. It also includes personal contact of supervisor to his subordinate.
3. Prompting subordinates- prompting subordinates means motivating subordinates so that they work for achieving desirable objectives. Among different factors of production only the human factor is dynamic and gives mobility to further physical resources. Motivation helps in keeping employees eager to perform better.
4. Leadership- leadership is defined as influence one exerts on others in order to guide them to perform in a manner that the leader expects them to perform.
5. Connection with subordinates- connection with subordinates can be built through communication by transmitting the ideas, feelings, facts, etc. from one person to the other. It is the duty of the manager to guide, supervise, and monitor his subordinates about what, how, and when to do different things.
6. Nurturing discipline and gratifying effective people- effective and efficient work can be done by employees if the manager feasibly gives directions by nurturing discipline and trust in the company.

Principles of Directing

1. MAXIMUM CONTRIBUTION OF AN INDIVIDUAL- those directing policies which motivate the employees to perform their maximum potential so that the goals and objectives of an organization are met, should be adopted by management. Maximum contribution of an individual is one of the most important principles of directing.
2. AGREEMENT OF OBJECTIVES– directing plays a vital role in keeping harmony of objectives between employees and the organization in order to avoid the conflict which sometimes occurs between the objectives of the individual and the organization.
3. UNIFICATION OF COMMAND- according to the principle of unification of command solely one supervisor should give instructions to a subordinate at a time. Confusion can be created if a subordinate receives instructions from different supervisors at a time. This confusion also has a potential to result in conflict and disorganization and the subordinate might not be able to give priority to the work.
4. RELEVANT TECHNIQUE OF DIRECTION- in order to supervise, communicate, monitor, motivate, and lead the employees on the basis of their attitude, abilities, requirements, and further situational variables, a relevant directing technique should be used.
5. COMMUNICATION OF MANAGER- instructions are clearly given to the employees. Managerial communication is important to ensure that the employees have acknowledged the similar meaning which was supposed to be communicated.
6. USING INFORMAL ORGANIZATION- an informal group always exists within each formal organization. Those informal groups should be identified and used by managers to communicate information. An effective interchange of information is essential for the organization’s growth.
7. FOLLOW UP– a follow-up is important to monitor whether subordinates are following the policies, instructions, and procedures. A modification can be done if there is found to be any problem in implementation