Planning: Concept, Definition, Types, and Need
Planning is a fundamental managerial function, identified as the first element in frameworks like POSDCORB (Planning, Organising, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Reporting and Budgeting). It serves as a bridge from the present state to a desired future, involving the determination of what should be accomplished and how it will be done.
Concept and Definition
Management itself is defined as the process of achieving goals by utilizing human, financial, and material resources through five basic functions: planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. Within this framework, planning is an analytical process of setting goals, assessing the future, generating and evaluating alternatives, selecting programs, and estimating resources.
The key characteristics of planning include:
- Primacy: It is the "first" function, logically preceding all other managerial actions.
- Pervasiveness: It is a function carried out by managers at all levels of an organization.
- Purpose-driven: The goal of every plan is to facilitate the accomplishment of the organization's objectives.
- Efficiency: A plan's efficiency is measured by its contribution to the objectives, offset by the costs required to formulate and operate it.
The Planning Process
The development of a plan follows several logical steps:
- Being aware of opportunities, often through a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis.
- Establishing clear and specific objectives.
- Premising, which involves taking note of planning assumptions. The success of a plan relies on the accuracy of these premises.
- Searching for and examining alternative courses of action.
- Evaluating the alternatives to select the best course of action.
- Formulating derivative plans to support the main plan.
- Budgeting, or converting plans into numerical figures to allocate resources.
Need for Planning
Effective planning is crucial for organizational success. Its advantages include:
- Offsetting uncertainty and change.
- Focusing attention on objectives.
- Ensuring rational and effective development by providing a framework for execution and direction.
- Facilitating control and improving services.
- Allowing for the anticipation of future resource needs.
Library Building, Space, and Infrastructure Planning
Planning is critical when it comes to a library's physical infrastructure, which includes the building, functional spaces, furniture, and technology support systems.
Need and Concept
A library building is needed to house and protect collections, provide space for users to study and staff to work, and offer ancillary functions like photocopying and instruction. Even in the digital age, the library building remains a vital social space for scholarly pursuit and interaction. The concept of library buildings has evolved from monolithic structures to flexible, modular designs and even dispersed systems of buildings, reflecting changes in storage and communication technologies.
The Planning Process
The process of constructing a new library building involves several distinct stages:
- Pre-planning: Assessing the need and securing financial resources, which is primarily the librarian's job. This results in a "pre-planning brief" that describes the design elements, interrelationships between areas, and the library's philosophy.
- Planning: Writing the architect's brief and selecting the architect and the site.
- Design: Translating the brief into a working blueprint.
- Construction: The physical erection of the building.
- Occupancy: Moving in and making the building operational.
- Post-Occupancy Evaluation: Assessing the building's performance against the original brief.
A Building Planning Committee is essential to this process, typically including the librarian, an architect, a representative of the library authority, an institutional engineer, and senior library staff.
Space Planning and Management
Space requirements are determined by the needs of users, collections, staff, and services. Standards and guidelines exist for calculating space needs; for example, an academic library might provide space for 10% to 20% of its total enrollment, with each reader allocated 25 sq. ft.. Space for collections is calculated based on the number of volumes.
Internal space allocation should be planned logically. Key considerations include:
- Functional Grouping: Dividing departments into Quiet, Talking, and Noisy areas.
- Traffic Flow: Ensuring efficient movement of users and staff.
- Security: Placing special collections and valuable equipment in highly visible or supervised areas.
- Convenience: Locating frequently visited areas centrally.
- ICT Impact: Planning must account for the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), ensuring flexible installation of systems, sufficient power outlets, and adequate network capacity.
Site Selection
Choosing the right location is critical to a library's success. Key factors include:
- Cost: The actual cost of the land or the opportunity cost of its alternative uses.
- Accessibility: Proximity to public transport and convenience for all users, including those with disabilities.
- Physical Suitability: Considerations like subsoil conditions and seismic zones.
Standards, MBO, Contingency Management, and Risk Management
Standards
Standards are crucial for achieving order, collaboration, and interoperability in library operations. They are established by consensus through recognized bodies like the International Standards Organisation (ISO), National Information Standards Organisation (NISO) in the US, and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). In the context of library automation and information management, key standards include:
- ISO-2709: For bibliographic data interchange.
- MARC 21: A family of standards for bibliographic, authority, and holdings data.
- Z39.50: A protocol for information retrieval across different systems.
- Unicode: A standard for multilingual data processing.
Management by Objectives (MBO)
Definition:Management by Objectives (MBO) is a strategic management approach that aims to improve organizational performance by aligning goals and subordinate objectives throughout the organization. Developed by Peter F. Drucker in the 1950s, MBO emphasizes participative goal setting, clear performance expectations, and systematic evaluation of results.
Key Principles of MBO
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Goal Clarity:Objectives must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). This ensures everyone understands what is expected.
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Participative Decision-Making:Managers and employees jointly set goals. This increases commitment, motivation, and ownership of outcomes.
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Alignment of Objectives:Individual and team goals are aligned with departmental and organizational objectives, creating a unified direction.
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Performance Feedback:Regular progress reviews help track performance, provide coaching, and make adjustments as needed.
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Evaluation and Reward:Performance is assessed against agreed-upon objectives, and results are linked to recognition, rewards, or professional development.
MBO Process (5-Step Cycle)
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Define Organizational ObjectivesSenior leadership establishes the library's mission-driven goals (e.g., "Increase digital literacy in the community by 20% over two years").
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Set Individual/Team ObjectivesManagers and staff collaboratively develop specific, measurable objectives that support broader goals (e.g., "Deliver 50 digital skills workshops annually").
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Develop Action PlansOutline tasks, resources, timelines, and responsibilities needed to achieve each objective.
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Monitor and Review ProgressConduct periodic check-ins (monthly/quarterly) to assess progress, address challenges, and ensure alignment.
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Evaluate Performance and Provide FeedbackAt the end of the cycle, formally evaluate results against objectives and use insights for future planning and staff development.
Application of MBO in Libraries
MBO is highly effective in library settings for enhancing accountability and service quality:
- Collection Development:Objective: "Achieve 90% user satisfaction with new acquisitions in STEM fields by year-end."Action: Analyze usage data, conduct user surveys, and adjust selection criteria.
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User Services:Objective: "Reduce average reference query response time to under 2 minutes during peak hours."Action: Cross-train staff, implement chatbot support, and streamline workflows.
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Staff Development:Objective: "Ensure 100% of technical services staff complete metadata standards training by Q3."Action: Schedule workshops, allocate professional development funds.
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Digital Initiatives:Objective: "Increase e-resource usage by 25% through targeted promotion campaigns."Action: Launch email newsletters, in-library demos, and usage analytics dashboards.
Advantages of MBO in LIS
- Enhances staff motivation and engagement through involvement in goal setting
- Improves clarity of roles and expectations
- Promotes performance accountability
- Facilitates strategic alignment between daily operations and long-term vision
- Supports evidence-based decision-making and resource allocation
Challenges and Limitations
- Time-Consuming: Requires ongoing dialogue, documentation, and review
- Overemphasis on Quantifiable Goals: May neglect qualitative aspects like user experience or innovation
- Rigidity: Fixed objectives may hinder adaptability in fast-changing environments (e.g., during technological shifts)
- Poor Implementation: If top-down or poorly communicated, MBO can feel bureaucratic rather than empowering
Best Practices for Effective MBO in Libraries
- Keep objectives user-centered and aligned with the library's mission
- Balance quantitative metrics (e.g., number of workshops) with qualitative outcomes (e.g., user feedback)
- Ensure regular, two-way communication between managers and staff
- Use MBO as a development tool, not just an evaluation mechanism
- Integrate MBO with strategic planning and performance appraisal systems
Contingency and Risk Management (Disaster Management)
Risk management, also referred to as contingency or disaster planning, is an essential part of library management to protect resources from unexpected events. Disasters can be natural (floods, earthquakes) or man-made (fire, war, vandalism).
A Disaster Management Plan is a set of rehearsed actions to minimize the effects of a disaster. The planning process involves four phases:
- Prevention: This includes measures taken during building design, such as using fire-retardant materials, installing fire suppression systems, ensuring proper drainage, and incorporating security features. It also involves routine housekeeping and protecting vital records off-site.
- Preparedness: This phase involves developing a written plan, training an in-house disaster response team, preparing essential documentation like floor plans and salvage priorities, and assembling emergency supplies.
- Response: These are the immediate actions taken when a disaster strikes, such as raising alarms, evacuating personnel, assessing damage, stabilizing the environment to prevent mold, and salvaging materials.
- Recovery: This final phase focuses on restoring the site and damaged materials. It involves setting restoration priorities in consultation with conservators, cleaning the site, and analyzing the disaster to improve future plans.
Additionally, security systems are crucial to guard against theft and vandalism, including electronic security for computer-stored information. Having a comprehensive insurance policy is also a vital component of risk management to cover potential losses to the building, collections, and equipment.