Planning in small manufacturing firms: A survey

A study was undertaken to determine if strategic planning approaches were being utilized in small manufacturing firms. Specific attention was given to: 1. the development of long-range plans and the establishment of short-term objectives, 2. the personnel and information necessary to develop these plans, and 3. the relationship between organizational size and age and the presence of these plans. A total of 62 interviews were conducted with the head person at each organization. The study found that 52% of the firms prepared a set of short-term objectives, but very few of those companies put the objectives into writing. The owner or president was personally responsible for the entire objective-setting process in 22% of the 32 firms with short-term objectives. It was found that 11 of the 62 firms had written long-range plans. Only 14 of the firms prepared monthly budgets.