Business Planning and Goal Management: A Case Study of Ferguson Plarre

This report delves into the planning process adopted by managers in organizations, emphasizing its significance in achieving business objectives, developing strategies, and allocating resources effectively. It then presents a detailed organizational history of Ferguson Plarre, highlighting key events and milestones from its inception to its current state. The report further analyzes Ferguson Plarre's approach to goal setting, discussing its reliance on individual needs and values within a franchise model and its use of participative, assigned, and specific goal-setting methods. Finally, it explores how Ferguson Plarre tracks goal achievement, including the use of technology and data analysis to monitor performance and make informed decisions. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the company's strategic management practices.

1. Explain the planning process adopted by managers in organizations?
 Ans: The Planning process is the way which is essential to retrieve the business objectives like business
strategies, develop the business goals, tasks and schedules (Turner, 2014). This is the fundamental concept
for management and must give output in the best possible ways which is required for solutions and satisfy
in the available resources.
 The process of planning is essential for any organization so this process is used to retrieved the
aims and goals of firms via analysing and planning the objectives and activities. Process of planning is an
intelligent behaviour of fundamental concepts. There are many trials for mental tests to know the capability
of peoples planning. These things are majorly used for managing the managements of an
organization(Saunders and Cornett, 2014). Planning is the systematic process for various work. The
different plans and ideas help in an organization to retrieve its aim and goals. Assessing of firm's aims,
build in real via creating deeply detailed plan of action which meets the requirements of those aims of
business is the process of planning management. These plans help[s for long and short term of businesses.
 For meets aims and goals of companies this consists planing process steps that is a structure and
outlines for firms (Christopher, 2016). For this planning process in organizations the managers should
follow some steps which are: Establish aims and goals, analyse resources, establish tasks related goal,
prioritize tasks and goals, make timelines and assignments, establish evaluation techniques or methods and
analyse the alternative courses of action.
 Establish aims and goals : Every company has its own vision, mission and goals. So managers first
understand the companies work and then build aims and goals for organization. These can be long term
goals and short term goals because this depends on the business strategies and its objectives (Kaplan and
Atkinson, 2015). For the management of planning initial point is to identify particular aim and goal of firm.
So owner of business or may be CEO will make only one goal for business but the manager makes more
possibilities and aims to achieve that goal. This process consists a detailed study or overview of each aims
and goals which involve reasons for choosing options and solutions of aims and regarding tasks. These all
possibilities and objectives describe in a well systematic term. Like any aim of firm that make 25% profit in
9 months.
 Analyse resources : Resources are the available sources in the business that helps the organization to
achieve the aims and goals. Business resources are like manpower of business, financial things, physical
equipments and some knowledge factors. Goals or aims should be completely identify after that they must
monitored in the projections of human resources and financially for their completion (Tedeschi, 2013).
Like plan of management may use to monitor the sales and cost to meets the aims which like maximizing
sales by 25%. In organization the available resources must be identified like manpower, systems etc. In the
organization the resources are playing major role without this the firm can not reach its goal.
 Establish tasks related goal: Tasks which are closely related to the goals and aims of business must be
analysed and established (Sprung, and et.al, 2013). The tasks which majorly affect goals of business then
these tasks should be built first so all these tasks are established by the managers. Achievements and tasks

must relate to the goals. Like the organization wants to maximize their sales with 25% then the firm's
manager must make synopsis and mark related tasks essential to meet those objectives. The manager
designs techniques and training developing the extra sales from the staff.
 Prioritize tasks and goals: The tasks which are closely related in retrieving the goals should be prioritized as
per their levels of importance. These levels should be monitored and analysed by the manager that which is
more important and which should be completed first. In the order of importance the tasks must be listed in
sequence and prioritized them according to their objectives and the goals (Burke, 2013). First the task must
hold which is important and approached theoretically and finish it. Give priorities to the tasks are necessary
for finishing that task or retrieving the aim. There are various tasks in the firms so these tasks should be
prioritized on the requirements and the aims of firm. Giving priority to important tasks or projects will help
to increase the possibilities of firms’ aims.
 Make timelines and assignments : Timelines are the major things for tasks and projects that helps to know
which task should be completed first on their priorities. Creating timelines will help to know the time
period of projects or tasks. Giving deadlines on tasks or projects on a particular files or tasks will increase
the possibilities of retrieving that aim (Hill, Jones and Schilling, 2014). Like increasing sales by 25% for
making more profit in organization. So organization's manager will create a deadline for increasing sales
like in 12 months sales will be increased.
 Establish evaluation techniques or methods : For retrieving the goals of firm the manager should use and
make some techniques. The manager provides techniques and methods for retrieving the aims of firm. For
example : The organization wants to increase their sales by 30% so the manager will create methods and
techniques for reaching these goals (McNeil, Frey, and Embrechts, 2015). So manager will increase the
staffs, use digital marketing and also use references or contacts or may be business relations.
 Analyse the alternative courses of action : The manager should analyse and identify the alternative courses
for actions. Using unexpected events the plans can be tracked. The plan for management must consist the
happening plan that effects on the management process. Several courses for actions can be used like make
segments of each and particular plans for making effective process for management. Planning for business
is important for reaching the aims of organisation. For these the manager should make and use alternative
courses for actions (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014). Before that manager must analyse the various courses
for action.

2. Organizational history of Ferguson Plarre's
Ferguson and Plarre have a huge popularity across Melbourne's northern and western suburb's area since
the year 1901. The have faced various adverse and depressing events since the time of their inception such as: bush
ranger robberies and the time of great depression and even the shortage of cream at wartime which threatened their
business on a great extent(aunders and Cornett, 2014.). The company manages a long way since its beginning with
the conglomerate of two people Eliza Ferguson and Otto plarre. Ferguson was selling the cakes in her own Swanston
street restaurant whereas Plarre started his Moonee ponds bakery(Christopher, 2016).
The company was started in 1901 and Plarre migrated to Australia in year 1909 to start the restaurant. The first
bakery was opened in the year 1911 named as Plarre's cakes. Bush ranger robbed the horses of Ferguson in the year
1918, three years before they bought their first ford delivery lorry(Ferguson Plarre, 2012). Both the families joined
forces in the year 1980 and started more than 50 franchised outlets all across the states(Kaplan and Atkinson, 2015).
In the same year the bakehouse secured the right of making the cupcakes with the decoration of Angry bird on it.
After a very colourful history the lawyer of Plarre family filed a document to wind up the company because of the
dispute among the families(Armstrong and Taylor, 2014).
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3. Ferguson Plarre's approach to goal setting
As the business model of Ferguson Plarre's is based on the franchise model so they feel that the goal setting
should be based on the individuals’ needs and values. The organization primarily acquired the approach of desired
conditions so that they can acquire the knowledge and skills in making the product which they are willing to
serve(Fayol, 2016). After knowing their desired conditions the company moved towards assessing their current
conditions, they first started with their own bakeries and then the conglomeration happened. The goal setting process
of the organization is based on the three different goal setting process such as: participative, assigned and specific
goals which can be seen in the way they opened their further outlets (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2014). Describe
Ferguson Plarre’s approach to goal setting!!
 Participative goal setting approach acquired by Ferguson Plarre’s helps them in attaining the level of
higher goal commitment, which led to reduction in subsequent goals.
 Assigned goal setting helps Ferguson Plarre’s to distributing the task among the employees, to attaing the
higher level of productivity and customer satisfaction
 Specific goals which Ferguson Plarre’s acquired is provide training to their sales person and chefs,
opening of new outlet so that the organization chain work more effectively and efficiently
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4. Ferguson Plarre's tracking the goal achievement
Min.135 words as per brief. Tracking the goal achievement process is very important as it provides the
overall performance record to the organization. Ferguson and Plarre also used various tools to track the performance
of their organization. As reaching the goals process is required persistence and regular attention (McNeil, Frey and
Embrechts, 2015). They use some technology related innovations for sustainable tracking of their business. They
kept their day to day operations organised by maintaining the records of the selling (Ferguson Plarre, 2013). They
used to keep the record on the basis of the which product is sold on what amount so that they get to know which
product is in demand and which one is not (Hill, Jones and Schilling, 2014).
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Video Referencing
Ferguson Plarre 2012, Interview with Steve Plarre, Part 3: Planning, Cengage Learning Australia.
Website Referencing
Ferguson Plarre 2013, Our History, viewed (27th May 2017), <http://www.fergusonplarre.com.au/about/history/>

Online
What is Business Process Management?. 2017 [Online]. Available Through: <http://www.aiim.org/What-is-BPM>
[Accessed On: 27th May 2017].
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