Good and Good

| [see  Approaches to Planning - Workshop Activity] |

* Centralised Planning Approach & Cultural Constraints

-Use up-to-date literature on planning approaches taken at global industries in general. Write on early centralised planning process of ECGB and how this reflects on country’s culture (Hofstede’s dimension) In addition to CEGB-comment on how culture (national & organisation culture) affect the way the company plans for the future like PowerGen-whether to follow centralised or de-centralised planning process

Approaches to Planning

All organizations plan; the only difference is their approach. Prior to starting a new strategic planning process it will be necessary to access the past planning approach that has been used within the organization and determine how the organization's cultural may have been affected. Addressing these cultural issues is critical to the success of the current planning process.

The four possible approaches to planning are:

1. Reactive - past oriented

Reactive planning is an active attempt to turn back the clock to the past. The past, no matter how bad, is preferable to the present. And definitely better than the future will be. The past is romanticized and there is a desire to return to the "good old days." These people seek to undo the change that has created the present, and they fear the future, which they attempt to prevent.

2. Inactive - present oriented

Inactive planning is an attempt to preserve the present, which is preferable to both the past and the future. While the present may have problems it is better than the past. The expectation is that things are as good as they are likely to get and the future will only be worse. Any additional change is likely to be for the worse and should therefore be avoided.

3. Preactive - predict the future

Preactive planning is an attempt to predict the future and then to plan for that predicted future. Technological change is seen as the driving force bringing...