ABSTRACT
You've got to come up with a plan. You can ~ wish things will get better.
-John F. Welch CEO, General Electric
PLANNING PERSPECTIVE
All organizations do at least some planning even if it is largely informal and even largely unintentional. One writer states, "planning has to be defined by the process it represents" (Mintzberg, 1994). The process is largely informal in many institutions which means it is also incremental (each decision builds upon prior planning decisions). Informal planning, however, leads to misunderstandings because there are few records of planning decisions which have been made, planning efforts are sporadic, and it is likely that the effort will not result in a completed plan. There is also no system of follow-through. Informal planning is not likely to be comprehensively implemented. Effective planning is a disciplined process.
