Deck 2: Fundamentals of Planning

Question 1

Of the various managerial functions, planning is probably most closely related to controlling.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The activity planned for by top managers is narrower in scope than that planned for at the supervisory level.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Unified planning means that all departments should help decide what the plans of the overall organization should be.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

In a hierarchy of objectives, middle and supervisory managers establish goals that reflect the goals of the higher management levels.

Question 5

Because planning and organizing are so closely related, these two functions are called the "Siamese twins" of management.

Question 6

Many managers neglect planning to focus on present work problems.

Question 7

Contingency planning means doing what you have to as problems arise.

Question 8

As a supervisor, Mark is developing the first step in the planning process for his department.Mark is probably working on the objectives he wants to achieve within his group.

Question 9

Top-level managers plan for a longer time frame than supervisory-level managers do.

Question 10

Planning involves selecting past courses of action.

Question 11

Objectives stimulate motivation.

Question 12

Since planning is primarily an intellectual activity, it involves the use of one's human relations skills.

Question 13

Many of the short-term crises that managers face could be eased by proper planning.

Question 14

Supervisors are involved with short-term planning that usually spans a timeframe of one day to six months.

Question 15

The first step in the planning process involves organizing and leading.

Question 16

Objectives cannot be measured.

Question 17

Scenario planning has a short-term focus and is typically associated with planning at the supervisory level.

Question 18

The mission of the organization defines the fundamental purpose the organization attempts to serve.

Question 19

As part of the planning process, future contingencies must be considered.

Question 20

Objectives are first needed at lower levels of management.

Question 21

A budget is considered to be a type of standing plan.

Question 22

Objectives that are set too low do not provide a challenge.

Question 23

Single-use plans are developed to accomplish a particular purpose and are then discarded.

Question 24

Setting objectives or goals is the ____ step in planning.

A) First.
B) Second.
C) Third.
D) Fourth.

Question 25

Supervisors normally do not establish policies, even within their own departments.

Question 26

Anticipating alternative future situations and developing courses of action for each alternative is ____ planning.

A) Scenario.
B) Operational.
C) Activity.
D) Institutional.

Question 27

Policies established by upper-level managers should be put in writing.

Question 28

____ involves selecting future courses of action for the organization and deciding how to achieve the desired result.

A) Organizing.
B) Planning.
C) Staffing.
D) Controlling.

Question 29

A policy is a guide to decision making.

Question 30

Contingency planning means:

A) Allotting more time for the solving of problems.
B) Thinking in advance about possible problems and having anticipated solutions.
C) Solving problems after they happen with the best possible solution.
D) None of the above.

Question 31

Standing plans are also known as repeat use plans.

Question 32

A Gantt chart is a scheduling technique that shows how various activities involved in the job depend on each other.

Question 33

Once objectives have been set, it is necessary for supervisors to follow-up by having progress discussions with employees.

Question 34

A program is a single use plan.

Question 35

A rule is stronger than a policy.

Question 36

Objectives should be as vague as possible.

Question 37

The critical path is the series of scheduled activities that require the shortest period of time.

Question 38

Planning is most closely related to:

A) Assessing.
B) Monitoring.
C) Staffing.
D) Controlling.

Question 39

The "Siamese twins" of management are:

A) Organizing and staffing.
B) Planning and controlling.
C) Directing and staffing.
D) Planning and organizing.

Question 40

In order to preserve managerial authority, supervisors should not involve subordinates in setting objectives.

Question 41

Employees who violate an organizational mandate which states that "there is to be no smoking," are going against an organizational:

A) Rule.
B) Procedure.
C) Policy.
D) Objective.

Question 42

____ are what you want to accomplish-the focus toward which plans are aimed.

A) Procedures.
B) Objectives.
C) Rules.
D) Strategies.

Question 43

The organization's ____ define(s) the fundamental purpose the organization attempts to serve.

A) Mission.
B) Policy.
C) Rules.
D) Supervisors.

Question 44

A ____ is an example of a standing plan.

A) Budget.
B) Policy.
C) Schedule.
D) Program.

Question 45

A budget is which of the following?

A) A standing plan.
B) A policy.
C) A single-use plan.
D) A repeat-use plan.

Question 46

A(n) ____ is created when each level of management develops objectives reflecting those of the organizational level above.

A) Hierarchy of management.
B) Objective procedure.
C) Hierarchy of objectives.
D) Management by objectives.

Question 47

____ are inflexible and must be obeyed.

A) Policies
B) Strategies
C) Rules
D) Projects

Question 48

Identifies work stages on a vertical axis and schedule completion dates horizontally.

A) PERT chart.
B) Gantt Chart.
C) Pie chart.
D) Bar chart.

Question 49

Unified planning:

A) Ensures that plans at all organizational levels are in harmony.
B) Means all employees contribute when establishing strategies.
C) Prevents coordination among departments.
D) All of the above.

Question 50

The type of planning that is usually done by top management and is for a period of five years or more into the future, is known as:

A) Operational planning.
B) Short-term planning.
C) Strategic planning.
D) Intermediate planning.

Question 51

Objectives should:

A) Be specific.
B) Be measurable.
C) Be challenging.
D) All of the above.

Question 52

Which of the following managers plan for the shortest time frame?

A) Chief executive officers.
B) Top managers.
C) Middle managers.
D) Supervisory managers.

Question 53

Short- and intermediate-range plans of one month to one year are usually made by:

A) Top managers.
B) Middle managers.
C) Supervisory managers.
D) Nonmanagers.

Question 54

Planning how to increase efficiency in production is usually done by:

A) Top managers.
B) Middle managers.
C) Supervisory managers.
D) Nonmanagers.

Question 55

Which of the following types of plans is often discarded after use?

A) A standing plan.
B) A policy.
C) A procedure.
D) A single-use plan.

Question 56

Operational planning:

A) Gets in the way of strategic planning.
B) Facilitates the achievement of strategic planning.
C) Is planning for more than five years into the future.
D) None of the above.

Question 57

A(n) ____ is a guide to decision making-a way to provide consistency among decision makers.

A) Objective.
B) Policy.
C) Procedure.
D) Project.

Question 58

All of the following are true about objectives, EXCEPT:

A) They serve as a stimulus for motivation.
B) They serve as a stimulus for effort.
C) They are used interchangeably with the word goals.
D) They are first needed at the bottom level of management.

Question 59

A ____ outlines the steps to be performed when a particular course of action is taken.

A) Strategy
B) Procedure
C) Budget
D) Schedule

Question 60

A ____ is a distinct smaller part of a program.

A) Budget.
B) Project.
C) Schedule.
D) Plan.

Question 61

The longest route of scheduled activities is called the:

A) Time log.
B) Critical matrix.
C) Critical path.
D) Gantt chart.

Question 62

Why do managers neglect planning?

Question 63

What is contingency planning, and why is it important?

Question 64

Explain how planning differs at top, middle, and supervisory management levels.

Question 65

What is the importance of setting objectives?

Question 66

Which of the managerial functions is planning most related to, and why?

Question 67

Describe the difference/s between standing plans and single-use plans, and give an example of each type of plan.

Question 68

Discuss two techniques used for scheduling.

Question 69

Used on highly complex, one-time projects.

A) PERT chart.
B) Gantt chart.
C) pie chart.
D) bar graph.

Question 70

Discuss important guidelines in setting performance objectives.

Question 71

How do organizational objectives permit unified planning?

Question 72

What are the three steps in the planning process?