We are now entering unit 3. We start out by discussing the POLC levels of management or as they are also known as, the four levels of management. The POLC system is the back bones of how to manage. POLC stands for planning, organization, leading, and control. In week three we will be taking an in depth look into the first step of the POLC method, which is planning. Week four will be about organization, week 5 about leading, and week 6 will conclude our learning of the POLC method by learning the last step, which is control. The three learning objectives for this week will be; learning the basic steps in the planning process, finding the relationship between strategic, tactical, and operational planning, and learning the elements of a basic SWOT analysis. Everything that we discuss, learn, or write about will be about these three learning objectives. We will be introduced to a case about a business called Sandwich Blitz Inc. run by Dalman and Lei. We will sometimes need to read about their management issues and then use the concepts we are learning to advise them of how to solve the problem they are having in their business. This may be a fake business but the challenge they face are common issues that we may someday face when trying to manage our own businesses. This week our discussion board and our assignment are about Dalman and Lei.
Goals are the desired end results. But plans are the steps needed to actually reach those goals. There are six steps in the planning process. First you must analyze the situation meaning you need to figure out what the problem is. Then you have to generate alternative goals and plans. List all the various approaches that could get you to your goal. Step three is to evaluate goals and plans by checking your list and eliminating impractical solutions. In step four you pick a goal and a plan that you feel is going to work best. Then