Types of planning
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Types of planning according to the time the plan refers to
- strategic (above 5 years) - a plan of the future, thanks to which it is easier to set paths of conduct and future decisions regarding resources and priorities,
- long-term (from 2 to 5 years) - specific projects aimed at achieving strategic goals,
- medium-term (from several months to a year) - actions defining what should be done to implement a long-term plan,
- short-term (up to three months) - short tasks to be carried out within projects and plans with a wider scope of time,
- current - daily or weekly (hours and dates of meetings, issues to be dealt with).
Types of plans due to their relevance to the organization
- strategic planning (long-term), defining the main goals and directions of the company's operations in the long-term.
- tactical planning - allows to define general tasks for the entire company, set goals and directions of action set in the strategic plan, update them and adapt to the conditions.As a rule, tactical plans include projects of changes and product improvements, as well as enterprises or plans for changing production technology and production organization.
- operational planning - results from the tactical plan and covers shorter periods, e.g. month or quarter.It indicates specific tasks to be carried out. They are entrusted to specific persons responsible for their execution together with responsibility for the implementation and entrusted resources.
Types of planning due to the subject of planning
- human resources planning, employment, recruitment
- financial planning, financial pre-financing
- budgeting, cost and revenue planning
- financial flow planning
- production planning
- sales planning
- time planning (scheduling, PERT, CPM, Gantt charts, milestones)
- procurement planning
- distribution planning
- investment planning
- planning of research works
- planning of information needs
Special types of plans
- risk response plan
- a plan of action in a crisis situation.
- spatial policy of the country, city,
- local zoning plan,
- study of conditions and directions of spatial development.
- business plan
- projects
- formal and informal planning,
- road map,
- scenarios of situation development (pessimistic, optimistic, most probable)
- planning a scientific experiment
- architectural design
- marketing research plan
- career planning
- intuitive planning, simulation planning
- incremental planning, agile planning
- list of tasks to be carried out
- architectural plan
- process plan (process map)
- crisis planning
- policy guidelines
Examples of Types of planning
- *Short-term planning: Short-term planning typically refers to planning done on a time frame under one year. It is often done to achieve a specific goal or to address a specific problem. Examples of short-term planning can include scheduling and budgeting for a project, planning for a special event, or planning for a new product launch.
- *Medium-term planning: Medium-term planning typically refers to planning done on a time frame between one and five years. It is often used to create long-term strategies, such as setting goals and objectives and creating strategies to reach those goals. Examples of medium-term planning can include creating a business plan, developing a marketing strategy, or planning for a large-scale organizational change.
- *Long-term planning: Long-term planning typically refers to planning done on a time frame longer than five years. It is often used to develop long-term strategies, such as setting long-term goals and developing strategies to reach those goals. Examples of long-term planning can include planning for retirement, creating a succession plan, or developing a strategic vision for a company.
Advantages of Types of planning
Planning is a critical activity for any organization, as it helps to set goals and ensure that these goals are achieved. There are five main types of planning according to the time the plan refers to: strategic, tactical, operational, contingency and project planning. Each of these types has distinct advantages that can help organizations reach their goals.
- Strategic Planning: Strategic planning is the long-term vision for an organization. It helps to identify the organization’s overall direction and objectives, allowing it to focus its resources in the most effective way. This type of planning enables organizations to prioritize their goals, making it easier to stay on track and achieve their desired outcomes.
- Tactical Planning: Tactical planning is the mid-range plan for an organization. It focuses on the steps that need to be taken to achieve the strategic plan. This type of planning allows organizations to break up their goals into manageable tasks and allocate resources accordingly.
- Operational Planning: Operational planning is the short-term plan for an organization. It takes the tactical plan and breaks it down into daily, weekly, and monthly goals. This type of planning helps to ensure that organizations stay on track, as it allows them to monitor progress and make necessary adjustments.
- Contingency Planning: Contingency planning helps organizations prepare for unexpected events or changes in the environment. This type of planning allows organizations to develop strategies to ensure that they can respond quickly and effectively to any situation.
- Project Planning: Project planning is the planning for a specific project. This type of planning helps organizations to stay on track, as it allows them to identify tasks, allocate resources, and monitor progress. It also helps to establish timelines and milestones for the project, ensuring that deadlines are met.
Limitations of Types of planning
Types of planning, according to the time the plan refers to, can be divided into short-term, medium-term, and long-term. However, there are some limitations to these categories. These limitations include:
- Short-term: This type of planning typically refers to plans that are executed within one year and are often focused on immediate goals and objectives.
- Medium-term: This type of planning is typically used for plans that extend beyond one year, but are not long-term. It is often used for strategies and objectives that require more time to achieve.
- Long-term: This type of planning is typically used for plans that extend beyond five years and are typically focused on long-term strategies and objectives. It often requires more detailed planning and forecasting.
Introduction: Planning is a process of setting goals and objectives, and making decisions about how to achieve them. It can be done on a variety of time scales, from short-term to long-term. The following are some of the common approaches to planning according to the time the plan refers to:
- Short-term Planning: Short-term planning is focused on the near future, usually up to the next 12 months. It is typically used to create action plans and strategies for achieving immediate goals.
- Medium-term Planning: Medium-term planning is focused on the mid-term future, usually between 1-5 years. It is used to develop plans and strategies for achieving medium-term goals.
- Long-term Planning: Long-term planning is focused on the long-term future, usually more than 5 years. It is used to create plans and strategies for achieving long-term goals.
- Strategic Planning: Strategic planning is focused on the entire life cycle of a project or organization. It is used to create plans and strategies for achieving long-term goals in the most efficient and effective way.
Summary: Planning can be done on a variety of time scales, from short-term to long-term. The common approaches to planning according to the time the plan refers to are short-term planning, medium-term planning, long-term planning, and strategic planning. Each approach has its own focus and is used to create plans and strategies for achieving different goals.
References
- Mintzberg, H. (1994). The fall and rise of strategic planning. Harvard business review, 72(1), 107-114.
Author: Krzysztof Wozniak
