Concept of planning

 Planning is not only the first function of management, it is an integral part of it.
                  To plan is to look ahead and chart out the future course of operations. It is the determinant of a course of action to acheive a desired result. It is one of he corner stones upon which successful enterprise depends. Planning is meant for the following,
1) For the analysis of a problem.
2) Thinking out the forward solutions to that problem.
3) Outlining the steps that must be taken to reach the objectives
 A planning has to think about the following aspects,
a) What is to be done?
b) How it is to be done?
c) When it is to be done?
d) By whom it is to be done?
e) Where it is to be done?

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Meaning of planning

                                     Every human activity undertaken with a view to achieve something must be proceed by planning. For instance, a student desirous of securing a good grade in the examination has to plan his study. A person intending to set up a business cannot do so unless he has done a lot of previous thinking considering various aspects and taken many decisions if not all. He has to plan within the available resources, the location, the products to be sold, customers to be approached or the markets to be entered.
                                    Managerial operations must be based on suitable and sufficient planning. It has to plan not only in the beginning but throughout the operations.

Definitions:

   "Planning is deciding in advance what is to be done"

   "Planning bridges the gap between where we are to where we want to go."

   "Planning will involved deciding a course of action from amongst a number of alternative courses which would help the enterprise to achieve its objectives most expeditiously and economically" 

   "Planning ensures proper application of resources for the attainment of desired ends"

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Role and Responsibility of Lower level Management

                          Supervisory management (lower level management) consists of senior supervisor. Supervisor management is above the operatives but below the middle level management in the organisation. The executives at this level are in direct touch with the rank and file of workers and have to see that the work is properly carried out. The personnel employed at this level play an important role in the organisation. The effective implementation of the plans and polices, the quality of workmanship quality of output and over all success of the organisation very much depend on the hard labor, discipline and loyalty of the personnel at this level of management. Further, this level of management represents the workers before the higher management and the higher echelons of management to the workers.
                        As the supervisor is the immediate boss of the workers, the workers look to him for orders policies, instructions, guidance, encouragement, increased pay etc. The success of the supervisor depends on the preference of the workers, their co-operation, their ungrudging effort, their satisfaction and their loyality to him. The supervisor in turns looks to his superior in the middle management for orders, policy information, help and guidance.

Functions of Lower Level Management: 
                      The various functions of supervisor are as follows:
1) To issue orders and instructions to the workers and to supervise and control their work
2) To plan the activities of his section
3) To classify and assign jobs to the workers
4) To direct and guide the workers about work procedure
5) To arrange for the necessary tools, equipment, materials etc., for the workers
6) To arrange for providing on the-job training to the workers
7) To look after the proper maintenance of tools, machinery etc
8) To solve the problems of workers
9) To inform the management about the problems of workers which are not solved at this level.
10) To advise middle management about the working environment and to act as liaison between the middle management and the rank and file workers
11) To maintain discipline among the workers and to develop in them the right approach to work.
12) To maintain good human relations.
13)  To build a high group morale among the workers.

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Role and Responsibility of Middle Level Management

                     Middle management consists of departmental, divisional or sectional heads and other executive officers attached to the different departments. This level of management is responsible for implementing the polices and plans decided by the top management. Middle management comes between the top management and the supervisory management. According to Mary C.Niles, middle managers have pressures from the corners, viz., (a) from above by his chief in top management with whose idea, policies and attitudes he must agree (b) From below by the supervisors who press for counsel  guidelines, decisions etc. and (c) sideways by colleagues whose departments or functions are interrelated with its own.

Functions of Middle Level Management:
                     According to Mary C. Niles  middle management acts with and under the top management to accomplish who follows board objectives of administration.
1) To execute the various functions of organisations, so that the top management gets enough time to look after their responsibilities.
2) To co-operate among themselves, will the top management and the supervisors so that the organisations functions smoothly.
3) To understand the interlocking of departments in major polices.
4) To achieve co-ordination between the different parts of the organisation.
5) To develop and train employees in the organisation for better functioning and for filling up vacancies that may arise in future.
6) To build company spirit where all are working to provide a product or service wanted by the public.

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Role and Responsibilities of Top Level Management

                                           Top management is at the head of the organisation. It consists of the Board of Directors and its Chairman, the Chief Executive (Ex., Managing Director or General Manager) and the Senior Executive (viz, Deputy General manager). In the operation of the enterprise, top management is the ultimate level of authority. Further, these top level managers are primarily involved in board organisational matters such as policy formulation, long range planning, goal the top management of organisational strategies. In general, the top management effectively deals with all elements and forces that affet the survival, stability and growth of an organisation. 
                                           In other words of B.Yuill, the top management duty is to protect the integrity of the organisation, so that it can survive for ita own employees, the shareholders, suppliers and the customer`s interests and for the general good of the social and economic system within which it operates.

Functions of top level management:
 The main functions of top level management are as follows:
(a) Determine objectives for the organisation: Objectives may relate to profit, business growth, survival, prestige, competitive pricing, marketing method, widening the area of sales, relations with workers, customers, public etc.

(b) Frame the policy: To frame the policy and chalk out the plans to carry out the objectives and policies. Policies may relate to different aspects of the organisation. For example, production policy deals with the quality, product variety, scheduling of production to meet the market demand etc.
1) Market policy: this policy deals with such matters as advertising and sales promotion techniques, pricing product, channel of distribution, commission, discount, placements, training, remuneration promotion, appraisal of performance etc. of the personnel.
2)Financial policy: This relates to the procurement of funds, source of finance, management of earning, etc.

(c)Organisational Frame Work: Top management determines the organisational structure for the purpose of executing the plans that have been laid down. Execution of plans is necessary to carry out the objectives and policies.

(d)Assemble the Resources: For the purpose of executing the plans, the resources of men, machines, materials and money have to be assembled. This again is the task of top management.

(e)Control the operations through organisation: Controls the top management regarding operations through budgets, cost and statistics quality control and accounting devices.

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