Types of Plans – The Planning Pyramid! 🔺

Imagine: You want to win a war.

1. The General (Top) decides: "We will capture the capital city in 3 months." (Big Picture)
2. The Colonel (Middle) decides: "My battalion will attack the north bridge." (Specific Battle)
3. The Soldier (Bottom) decides: "I will clean my rifle and pack ammo tonight." (Daily Task)

Business is the same! Plans happen at 3 levels.

Let's decode them with Tata Motors! 🚗

1. Strategic Plans (The "Big Picture" 🔭)

Who makes them? Top Management (CEO, Board)
Timeframe: Long-term (3-5+ years)
Focus: WHAT are we doing? Where is the company going?

Tata Motors Example (2018):

• Situation: Making losses, boring cars.
• Strategic Plan: "We will become India's #1 Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturer by 2025."
• Scope: Entire organization involved.
• Risk: High! (If EVs fail, company sinks!)

Key Features:

• Broad & general
• Defines mission & vision
• High uncertainty

2. Tactical Plans (The "How-To" 🛠️)

Who makes them? Middle Management (Department Heads)
Timeframe: Medium-term (1-2 years)
Focus: HOW do we achieve the strategic plan?

Tata Motors Example:

• Strategic Goal: "Become #1 in EVs."
• R&D Head's Tactical Plan: "Design a battery that lasts 300km per charge."
• Marketing Head's Tactical Plan: "Launch 'Nexon EV' campaign targeting eco-friendly youth."
• Production Head's Tactical Plan: "Convert Pune factory Line 2 for EV assembly."

Key Features:

• Specific to departments
• Action-oriented
• Supports the strategic plan

3. Operational Plans (The "Daily Grind" 📝)

Who makes them? Lower Management (Supervisors, Team Leads)
Timeframe: Short-term (Daily, Weekly, Monthly)
Focus: EXECUTION of daily tasks.

Tata Motors Example:

• Tactical Goal: "Convert Pune factory Line 2."
• Supervisor's Operational Plan:
  • "Monday: Clear old machinery."
  • "Tuesday: Install new robots."
  • "Wednesday: Train 50 workers on safety."
  • "Daily Target: Assemble 50 cars."

Key Features:

• Very detailed
• Routine & repetitive
• Low uncertainty

The Hierarchy of Plans (The Pyramid)

If they don't align? DISASTER! 💥

• Imagine Top Management wants EVs, but Lower Management keeps building Diesel engines. Chaos!

Single-Use Plans vs. Standing Plans

Apart from levels, plans are also classified by frequency:

A. Single-Use Plans (One-Time Wonder 🎆)

Used for a specific, non-recurring situation. Once done, the plan is discarded.

1. Program: A large set of activities.
   • Example: "Launch of Jio 5G". Once launched, the "launch program" is over.
2. Budget: Financial plan for a specific period.
   • Example: "Marketing Budget for Diwali 2024". After Diwali, this budget is history.
3. Project: A specific task within a program.
   • Example: "Building the new office campus."

B. Standing Plans (The Rulebook 📖)

Used repeatedly for recurring situations. They stand like a rock!

1. Policy: General guide for decision making.
   • Example: "No Returns Policy" or "Promotion from within Policy".
2. Procedure: Exact steps to do something.
   • Example: "Steps to apply for leave" (Login > Select Date > Submit).
3. Rule: Strict specific statement (No choice!).
   • Example: "No Smoking inside factory." (Break it = Fired!)
4. Method: Best way to perform a task.
   • Example: "FIFO (First-In-First-Out) method for inventory."

Real Life: The Wedding Planner Analogy 💍

You are organizing your sister's wedding.

• Strategic Plan: "It will be a Grand Royal Wedding in Udaipur in December." (The Vision)
• Tactical Plan: "Book the Oberoi Udaivilas, hire Sabyasachi for outfits." (The Specifics)
• Operational Plan: "Call florist at 10 AM, pick up guests at 2 PM." (The Daily Tasks)
• Single-Use Plan: "Budget for the Sangeet Night." (Used once)
• Standing Plan: "Rule: No alcohol served before 8 PM." (Applies throughout)

Quiz Time! 🎯

💡 Final Wisdom: "A CEO without an Operational Plan is a dreamer. A Supervisor without a Strategic Plan is a robot. You need the HEAD (Strategy), the BODY (Tactics), and the HANDS (Operations) to make the corporate body move!" 🏃‍♂️💨

Next up: Advantages & Limitations of Planning - Why even the best plans sometimes fail! (Remember Nokia?) 📉