Planning, control, and strategic management functions

Planning, Control

The grade that I would like to earn in this course is an A. The reason I set this goal is simply that if I aim for an A, I will put forth my best effort. The objective may or may not be reachable, but in my case there is no downside to trying for an A, no real tradeoff that I need to consider. Failing to achieve the goal will still result in a B. So some of the rules with regards to organizational goal-setting do not apply here.

In order to achieve an A in this course, there are several steps that I will need to take. The first step is to create a plan that outlines the steps I feel will earn me an A. I can create these steps based on past experiences of my own academic successes, and the advice of others who have experienced academic success. The plan begins with the syllabus, which outlines the study schedule. I need to allot a certain amount of time each week to studying, spread out over multiple days so that the material is always fresh. I need to read the materials related to the course, and provide myself with time to review materials prior to exams. The plan must allow for ample time, and then I must discipline myself to use that time -- there is no magic formula but time and hard work for getting an A in this course.

3.

A key element of the plan will be to implement a control process. Control is one of the four elements of management. The keys to effective control are to set objectives, measure against those objectives, identify areas of weakness and to undertake corrective action to eliminate such areas of weakness (p.134). To achieve an A in any course requires excellent throughout the length of the course. It is not sufficient to master the material at the end because you will leave grade points on the table in the earlier stages of the course. An A implies mastery throughout, and to achieve that requires a control system.

One control technique is benchmarking. Benchmarking provides an objective from an external source. I do not know if the course is going to be graded on a Bell curve, but I do know that I can measure my own progress against those of the best students in the class. I need to be at their level if I want to get an A myself. Thus, I should connect with some of the better students and find out what level they are at, by studying with them. Internal benchmarking also works. With the syllabus, I can measure my performance on each element of the course, and be aware if I am meeting the standards.

Measuring success is easy with respect to the feedback from the course assignments, but if I want to excel, it might be good to have interim internal measures. This way, I will have a good sense of my progress before I get to the point where I am submitting an assignment. I will initiate a series of self-tests in order to ensure that I fully understand the material. The self-tests will not be 100% accurate predictors of my grades, but they will give me an opportunity to learn about my areas of strength and weakness.