Exam 7: Foundations of Planning

In a short essay, define the following types of plans: strategic plans, operational plans, long-term plans, short-term plans, specific plans, directional plans, single-use plans, and standing plans.

Tarek's goal for each store of $100 per square meter per day has several of the characteristics of a well-designed goal. First, it is written in terms of outcomes and not actions. Second, this goal is measurable and quantifiable. What else can Tarek do to improve the design of this goal?

What should a person do to understand what the real objectives of the organization are?

It's Academic (Scenario) You are the academic dean for a small college. The university president has asked you to develop a plan for the college. She wants the plan to cover the next five years. She wants it to be as specific as possible, but it should leave some room for flexibility. -Because your plan will have specific objectives covering a period of five years along with specific action plans for achieving these objectives, your plan could best be described as ________.

An MBO program consists of four elements: loose goals, participative decision making, an explicit time period, and performance feedback.

In a short essay, list and discuss six characteristics of well-designed goals.

As organizational environments have become more uncertain, ________.

What is the purpose of an organization called?

Governmental regulations, powerful labor unions, and other critical environmental forces constrain managers' options and ________ the impact of planning on an organization's performance.

Plans are documents that outline how goals are going to be met and ________.

Planning gives direction, reduces the impact of change, minimizes waste and redundancy, and ________.

When the hierarchy of organizational goals is clearly defined, it forms a ________.

In a short essay, list the three planning contingency factors and illustrate how these factors influence planning.

A-Z Planning (Scenario) Organizations ABC and XYZ are both in the same industry and compete for the same set of customers in the marketplace. At ABC, the plans are made at the top level of management each year and then are formulated for and announced to each of the mid-level and first-level managers. At XYZ, the plans are made at the top, and then those managers meet with their subordinates at the next level and mutually agreed-to goals are established with them. The mid-level managers then meet with their first-level managers and mutually agreed-to goals are established with them. Finally, the first-level managers meet with each of their employees and mutually agreed-to goals are established with them. -Which organization is more likely to have higher employee performance and organizational productivity?

The statement that all stores should be well maintained both inside and out is an example of a ________.

When setting goals, what should a manager do after writing down the goals and communicating them to all who need to know?

Effective planning in dynamic environments means flattening the organizational hierarchy.

In a short essay discuss the concept of fatalism (Qadar) and how it relates to planning.

Planning is a waste of time in a volatile environment.

A legislative plan that calls for a 2.45 percent increase in property tax for the next 2 years would be considered what type of plan?