Nature of Planning
Planning is a mental activity. planning is not a simple process. It is an intellectual exercise and involves thinking and forethought on the part of the manager. Planning is goal oriented. Every plan specifies the goals to be attained in the future and steps necessary to reach them. Following are a few aspects of the nature of planning.
1. Planning is a rational approach
Planning is a future course of action where one wants to reach. Depending upon your objective 
time period may vary in the planning process.
2. Planning is an open system
As organization is open planning too is also an open system Change in the environment may affect the planning process
For eg Change in technology,socio-cultural change, political, legal changes to cope up with these changes one has to make these changes in planning also
3. Planning occurs at every level of organisation
Thus planning occurs throughout organization at every level. Managers perform planning function for eg. Product launched at the national level. First plans are prepared at the top level like prepared at the top level like when to launch a product, who will be the brand celebrity followed by organisation of that even assigning duties. Thus it occurs at every level of organisation.
4.Planning as an intellectual process
Planning is a mental work basically concerned with thinking before doing. It is an intellectual process and involves creative thinking and imagination. Wherever planning is done, all activities are orderly undertaken as per plans rather than on the basis of guesswork. Planning lays down a course of action to be followed on the basis of facts and considered estimates, keeping in view the objectives, goals, and purpose of an enterprise.
