Establishing Objectives and Goals

The first step of the management planning process is to identify goals specific to the organization and also for each department unit. A comprehensive planning effort to be successful requires that managers in each department be involved in the planning process. Thus objectives and goals which will direct the future course of the organization must be clear, concise and specific.

At this stage, the planning process should include a detailed overview of each goal, including the reason for its selection and the anticipated outcomes of goal-related projects. The objectives thus established govern the framework for every major department, which in turn, control the objectives of subordinate departments and so on down the line.