PLANNING

• Planning


  The process of developing, organizing, and evaluating the activities required to achieve a desired goal
• Planning process


  An organization's purposeful effort to maximize its future success
• Planning may involve more than just the top-level managers; in smaller companies or in companies with fewer levels of management, front-line employees are often involved in the planning process
• Steps in the Planning Process

  1. Orient the planning process to a singular direction or purpose (vision/mission)

  2. Assess the organization's current situation or status

  3. Set goals

  4. Identify and develop strategies to achieve these goals

  5. Establish the objectives that will support the progress toward these goals

  6. Define the responsibilities and timelines for each objective

  7. Write, communicate, and discuss the plan to individuals and units involved

  8. Monitor progress toward meeting goals and objectives
• The actual process of planning varies by the type of planning being conducted and by the size of the organization
• The planning process should begin with a deliberation of the purpose of the organization, and of the planning effort itself
• This is then followed by an assessment of the organization's current situation or status
• Next, future goals must be determined in order to develop a strategy for bridging the gap between the present and future
• Interim objectives that measure progress toward the goals are then identified, and responsibilities and timelines for each objective are assigned
• Lastly, the plan needs to be communicated and discussed with those involved, and then, executed and monitored
• Henri Fayol


  French industrialist, was the first to develop management theory on management principles and elements in 14 Principles of Management
• 14 Principles of Management

  • Division of Work
  • Authority and Responsibility
  • Span of Control
  • Unity of Command
  • Unity of Direction
  • Subordination of Individual Interest to General Interest
  • Remuneration
  • Centralization
  • Scalar Chain
  • Order
  • Equity
  • Stability of Tenure
  • Simplicity
  • Esprit de corps
• Division of Work


  Specialized jobs are assigned to various departments and/or positions
• Authority and Responsibility


  Employees should have authority for ensuring the performance and completion of tasks assigned to them. Those who are given authority over some functions should also be held responsible for these functions
• Span of Control


  The limitation on the number of subordinates that a manager can effectively supervise and control
• Unity of Command


  An employee must report to a single direct supervisor with whom he or she is responsible
• Unity of Direction


  Group activities should have one boss and one plan with the same objective
• Subordination of Individual Interest to General Interest

  The interest of one individual or group of individuals should not outweigh the interests of the business
• Remuneration


  There should be a fair method of payment to provide the greatest possible satisfaction to both the employees and the employer
• Centralization


  The extent to which authority is concentrated; the principle of management that ensures that policies and decisions are made only by the top management
• Scalar Chain


  The chain of authority from the highest to the lowest ranks
• Order


  Ensures that employees are assigned and resources are allocated properly in the organization
• Equity


  The fair and kind treatment of employees
• Stability of Tenure


  Employees should be given enough time and opportunities to prove their worth to the company
• Simplicity


  Unnecessary elements that could complicate plans and/or activities should be eliminated
• Esprit de corps


  The need for teamwork and the importance of communication and cooperation in achieving the goals of the team
• Types of Planning in Pharmacy Organizations

  • Strategic planning
  • Financial planning
  • Operational planning
  • Organizational planning
• Barriers to Effective Planning

  • Failure to commit enough time and effort to the process of planning
  • Interpersonal issues involving individuals or groups (power struggle, internal politics, resistance to change)
  • Inadequate planning skills
  • Failure to plan for the long-term
  • Constantly changing circumstances on environment
  • Failure to properly implement the plan due to the lack of time and/or resources
  • Inability to monitor the post planning progress
  • Lack of support from management (top executive and or board of directors)
• Limitations of Planning


  • Decisions are made based on evidence available at the time
  • Nothing is certain, the future is unpredictable
  • Plans and planning are based on assumptions and predictions
  • Reliable data and excellent reporting of data with result in poor planning
• The success of an organization's planning efforts and activities correlate directly with the amount of effort, creativity, time, and resources that people put into it
• Organizations that adopt "boilerplate" or "cookie-cutter" approaches to planning will most likely fail
• Planning is nothing without action. Organizations that do not implement their plans will not be successful
• The planning process should consider the changing environment and circumstances. The plan should be adaptable
• Why Managers Fail in Planning

  • Lack of commitment in planning
  • Interchanging planning studies with actual plans
  • Failure to develop and implement strategies
  • Lack of meaningful and/or realistic objectives and goals
  • Underestimating the importance of planning premises
  • Inability to see the scope of plans
  • Failure to see planning as a rational process
  • Too much reliance on experience
  • Non-use of the principle of limiting factor
  • Insufficient support from top management
  • Absence of clear delegation of authority and responsibilities
  • Lack of adequate control techniques and information
• Strategic planning


  The process of identifying and determining the organization's goals, policies, and programs
• Strategic planning can also be an effort to ensure optimal deployment of all resources within current and future restraints and limitations
• An important part of the process of strategic planning is creating momentum and motivating employees within the organization
• Strategic planning has a lot to do with defining what a company is all about and creating a narrative about the organization
• Vision


  The pharmacy's desired goal, how it perceives itself to be in the future
• Mission


  The pharmacy's purpose, what it is and what it does