Limitations of Planning

Planning is inevitable. Its importance and benefits cannot be undermined. However, it suffers from some limitations. Following are the limitations of planning:

1. Costly:

Planning is costly. It consumes lot of time and money to plan with no guarantee of achieving planned targets.

2. Curbs the imitative of managers:

Planning provides Pre -decided courses of action. Managers cannot change the alternatives once the plans are framed mad put into action.

3. Planning in advance is not always the right source of action:

It is easier to plan than to implement the plans. Actual realities or situations may be different from the planned ones. In the context of observe realities. it may be wise to depart from planned action. Courses of action depend ton facts and circumstances of each case and not on per-determined paths.

4. Multiple goals:

If planning is done for too many goals, scarce organizational resources get thinly spread over them. This affects effective attainment of goals.

5. Too much focus on future:

Planning is future- oriented. There is too much focus on future whether short-term or long-term. Day to day activities are generally ignored. Planning must be done every day, every moment and not periodically.

6. Delay in action:

Planning involves time. It delays action when managers face emergent situations.

7. False sense of security:

When plans are made, it gives a sense of security to organizational members that targets will be fulfilled. It promotes complacency and slows down action. This may be harmful for organizations.

8. Coordination with other managerial functions:

Planning precedes other managerial functions. Other functions are dependent upon planning. A well designed organization structure, suitable motivational plans for rewarding good performance, a sound control system have to be linked with planning otherwise, planning will fail to achieve its results. It is not just enough to plan. Plans have to be linked with other functions also.

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