Standing Plans:
Policies: A policy is a general guideline for decision making. It sets up the boundaries around the decisions. Policies deal with “how to do” the work. These provide a framework within which decisions are to be made by the management.
According to George R. Terry: “Policy is a verbal , written or implied overall guide, setting up boundaries that supply the general limits and direction in which managerial action will take place”.
Eg. Personnel policy, recruitment policy, price policy, advertisement policy.
Say, the personnel policy of a company is to recruit through the employment exchanges.
Objectives and policies both guide thinking and action. Objectives are the end-points of planning while policies channelise decisions to these end points.
Procedures: Policies are carried out by more detailed guidelines called “procedures”. A procedure is a detailed set of instructions for performing a sequence of actions involved in doing a certain piece of work.
Difference between policies and procedures: 1. Policies are general guidelines to both thinking and action for people at higher level. Procedures are general guides to action for people at lower level. 2. Policies fulfil objectives. Procedures show the way of implementing policies. 3. Policies are generally broad and allow some discretion. Procedures are specific and lay down the sequence of definite acts.
Methods: A method is a prescribed way in which one specific step of the procedure has to be performed. For performing a particular step, there could be multiple methods. The organisation must select a method which is efficient and effective.
Rules: Rules are detailed and recorded instructions that a specific action must or must not be performed in a given situation.
Eg.1. In case of a fire-alarm, all the employees have to vacate the building immediately.
Eg.2. The personal computer needs to be switched off before the employees leave the office premises.
Single Use Plans: