Identify the general plan prepared by top Management outlining resource allocation, priorities and takes into consideration the business environment and competition.

Strategy

The correct answer is Option (2)- Strategy.

Strategy provides the broad contours of an organisation’s business. It will also refer to future decisions defining the organisations direction and scope in the long run. Thus, we can say a strategy is a comprehensive plan for accomplishing an organisation objectives. This comprehensive plan will include three dimensions, (i) determining long-term objectives, (ii) adopting a particular course of action, and (iii) allocating resources necessary to achieve the objective. Whenever a strategy is formulated, the business environment needs to be taken into consideration. The changes in the economic, political, social, legal and technological environment will affect an organisation’s strategy.

OTHER OPTIONS

• Programmes are detailed statements about a project which outlines the objectives, policies, procedures, rules, tasks, human and physical resources required and the budget to implement any course of action. Programmes will include the entire gamut of activities as well as the organisation’s policy and how it will contribute to the overall business plan. The minutest details are worked out i.e., procedures, rules, budgets, within the broad policy framework.

• Objectives - The first step in planning is setting objectives. Objectives, therefore, can be said to be the desired future position that the management would like to reach. Objectives are very basic to the organisation and they are defined as ends which the management seeks to achieve by its operations. Therefore, an objective simply stated is what you would like to achieve, i.e., the end result of activities.

• A budget is a statement of expected results expressed in numerical terms. It is a plan which quantifies future facts and figures. For example, a sales budget may forecast the sales of different products in each area for a particular month. A budget may also be prepared to show the number of workers required in the factory at peak production times. Since budget represents all items in numbers, it becomes easier to compare actual figures with expected figures and take corrective action subsequently. Thus, a budget is also a control device from which deviations can be taken care of.