nizations, planning can become a management process, concerned with DEFINING goals for a future direction and determining on the missions and resources to achieve those TARGETS. To meet the goals, managers may develop plans such as abusiness plan or a marketing plan.Features/Nature/Characteristics of PlanningGoal oriented: the main purpose of plan is always to determine the goal to be achieved and the activities to be performed to achieve these goals. So planning relates to creative thinking for the solution of various problems.Primacy (basic function) of planning: it means planning is the basic function of all other managerial functions. It provides a base for other managerial functions like organizing, staffing, directing and controlling. We can say that structure of all other functions depends on planning.Forward looking: planning is never done for past but is done for the future to achieve certain objective. Therefore, it is said that planning is thinking before doing. Planning is based on estimated future trends of social, economic and technological changes because it has to tackle the future requirements.Pervasiveness: planning is REQUIRED in all sectors, i.e. business, industry, profession etc. whether it is of large scale or small scale and in all the department of organisation like purchase, production, marketing, finance department etc. HOWEVER nature of planning differs from one department to another.Involving choice (alternative): planning can be when there are two or more alternatives and the planner can make a choice for the best, in other words, in the absence of choice there will be no planning because then there is a single way of doing something i.e. to be adopted.Continuous process: planning is an ongoing process, planning starts before performing the job and them goes an with the activities to be performed to do that job and them just after the competition of the job planning regarding starting the new job. Moreover changes take place in business environment and regular plans are made to face such changes.Flexible: there must be flexibility in planning, because plans are always based on future, which is uncertain. So flexibility will give a chance to make changes as per future requirements.Efficiency of operations: planning is made with the objective of RAISING efficiency of operations but it is not necessary that efficiency will raised, if may or may not. So the management should make continuous efforts to minimize the cost of wastage and improving the efficiency by use of latest change in technology.Planning is a primary function: planning is the basis or foundation of the management process. All other functions of management are designed its attain the goals set under planning.Planning is the fundamental premise of all management functions: as managerial operations in organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling are designed to support the accomplishment of enterprise objectives, planning logically precedes the execution of all other managerial functions.Planning is closely linked to objectives:each plan specifies the objectives to be attained in the future and the steps necessary to reach them. As Billy E. Goetz said, “plans forecast which actions will tend towards the ultimate objective…Managerial planning seeks to achieve a consistent, coordinated structure of operations focused on desired ends.”