Barriers to Effective Planning
(i) Poor communication
It is one of the major barriers of planning. If it is not properly communicated the process of planning gets complicated. Poor communication may be caused by undeveloped skills, rivalries, misunderstandings of the planning process or excessive complexity in the plan.
(ii) Resistance to planning
People get resistant to a particular plan if they don’t like the idea. Resistance to planning for change within organisations can take the form of low morale and dissatisfaction among employees.
(iii) Insufficient resource
Plans may be unsuccessful because of insufficient resources available in the organisation.
(iv) Uncertainties or unflexibilities
Internal as well as external unflexibilities or uncertainties may be one of the major barriers to effective planning. No matter, how tough a planning process is, the future always holds surprises and there are many things unknown and unexpected to us. An extremely good and well laid plan for a company expansion or a new product line may be flopped by an unexpected economic crash.
(v) Rigid towards past experiences
It is human tendency to base his thoughts, expectations and activities on the past experiences. In planning process it becomes liability and hampers his innovativeness and creative thinking.
Inertia fear of change has made many good plans unsuccessful in large organisations. Inertia is created by combination of archaic infrastructure, calcified modes of thinking, oversize bureaucracy and fear of change.
(vi) Lack of resources
The lack of resources in terms of time and money may lead to the barrier to planning. A plan-cannot be executed successfully unless proper time and money is provided. If the plan itself has so many limitations or drawbacks, then it itself acts as a barrier in making the plan unsuccessful.
(vii) Failure of People
Apart from the above factors, sometimes people involved in planning process fail to formulate correct plans. There can be many reasons for that like lack of top management support, lack of delegation of authority, lack of adequate control of techniques.
Features of a Good Planning
1. Planning should be linked to long term process.
2. Planning involves selection of suitable course of , action.
3. Planning is undertaken at all levels of organization.
4. It is flexible as commitment is based on future conditions.
5. It should be pervasive and continuous.