The role of planning is to take action in the present that will influence the future

The role of planning is to take action in the present that will influence the future. Administrators outline steps that must be taken to achieve the objectives that must be taken to achieve the objectives that will advance the organization toward its goals.

Planning precedes organizing and plays an important part in decision making. Policy planning, organizational planning, procedural planning, curricular planning, and activity planning all have their own particular role descriptions and specific meanings.

Planning has been found to be important in the following ways:

• Sound and thorough planning tends to lessen the number of arbitrary actions. The path is clearly laid out.

• Systematic planning can help avoid role ambiguity and therefore role conflict.

• Effective planning with regard to salaries and fringe benefits can reduce dissatisfaction among the staff and tends to diminish the number of arbitrary promotions and dismissals.

• The process of planning leads to more frequent reviews of current situations and subsequent maintenance, repair, or reconstruction by finding sources of additional revenue.

While it is often possible to obtain additional allocations from the institutional budget, the alert and competent administrator will also be constantly on the lookout for new sources of funds. Financial management includes:

• Preparation, presentation, and administration of the budget.

• Control of purchases and expenditures.

• Searching for new sources of income.

• Preparation of proposals for grants.

• Proper accounting for all funds.

• Investing surplus moneys.

• Securing official audits of accounts.

• Preparing the financial statement.