The 21st century manager is the person tasked to implement the leader's vision and mission for the organization. The manager does this with the help of Fayol's theoretical framework known as the four pillars of management: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. This week, we begin our examination of the four pillars of management with the first function, planning.

The planning stage of management is considered by most to be the most important because of the advantages that planning has for achieving goals. Due to the complexity of the business landscape in the 21st century managers are faced with planning and the need for quick change. The agile organization attempts to address the advantages and disadvantages of planning.

• Explore the Internet and retrieve articles that discuss the pros and cons to the planning function.

• Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages to the planning function and explain how the manager in an agile organization may use both to their advantage.