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plan produces incremental gains

English translation: plan produces steady measurable gains/increases

07:11 Jul 9, 2016
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Management
English term or phrase: plan produces incremental gains
Hello everyone,

In annual planning, there is a clear process for producing and presenting a document consisting of a list of initiatives with their associated time frames and assigned resources. At best, an ***annual plan produces incremental gains.*** Envisioning the future is a much more dynamic, creative, and collaborative process of imagining a transformation in what an organization does and how it does it.

Does "annual plan produces incremental gains" mean that at best only regular increases in profits are indicated in an annual plan? Or does it mean that the performance of an annual plan only makes it possible to reach only regular increases in profits?

Thank you.
Mikhail Korolev
Local time: 21:37
Selected answer:plan produces steady measurable gains/increases
Explanation:
these are the projected gains increased by regular additions or increments

"at best" indicates this is the best type of result that can be indicated in this sort of annual plan i.e. some additional gains that are probably small and can be projected or predicted

It is indicating regular or expected growth rather than the sort of growth that could happen if there is a real transformation in the way in which the company operates and makes its plans and projects

"imagining a transformation in what an organization does and how it does it.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/incremental

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/incremental
Selected response from:

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 18:37
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, Gallagy.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +3plan produces steady measurable gains/increases
Yvonne Gallagher
4the usual annual plan will achieve some small progress, nothing more
Daryo


  

Answers


3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
plan produces steady measurable gains/increases


Explanation:
these are the projected gains increased by regular additions or increments

"at best" indicates this is the best type of result that can be indicated in this sort of annual plan i.e. some additional gains that are probably small and can be projected or predicted

It is indicating regular or expected growth rather than the sort of growth that could happen if there is a real transformation in the way in which the company operates and makes its plans and projects

"imagining a transformation in what an organization does and how it does it.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/incremental

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/incremental


Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 18:37
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 51
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, Gallagy.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jack Doughty
1 hr
  -> Thanks Jack!

agree  Yasutomo Kanazawa
1 hr
  -> Thanks again!

agree  philgoddard: "Gains" doesn't just refer to profits.
5 hrs
  -> Thanks...yes it could refer to any sort of growth.

neutral  Daryo: where did "steady" came from?
8 hrs
  -> So, you don't even understand what I've written but nevertheless feel you need to comment?!
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1 day 1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
at best, an annual plan produces incremental gains
the usual annual plan will achieve some small progress, nothing more


Explanation:

In annual planning, there is a clear process for producing and presenting a document consisting of a list of initiatives with their associated time frames and assigned resources.
At best, an annual plan produces incremental gains.
Envisioning the future is a much more dynamic, creative, and collaborative process of imagining a transformation in what an organization does and how it does it.

if you take into account what comes next:

Envisioning the future is a much more dynamic, creative, and collaborative process of imagining a transformation in what an organization does and how it does it.

using a much more followed by a list of options presented clearly in a very positive and affirmative way would imply that previously mentioned options are by contrast / by opposition not so good, which would resolve the ambiguity of what "at best" could exactly mean.

"at best" = you can't do better that that => your approach has a limited value, you won't achieve nothing more than / nothing spectacular...

"at best" = when you really make an effort you can achieve a lot / your maximum

the way I understand it is:

there are tried and tested methods for annual planning, but you won't get any spectacular results by using them, the best you'll ever achieve are only "small improvements" [increments in maths are small variations of a variable]
but
there are ways of planning that are a much more productive (like having a vision of future structural changes)

what Marxists would express as "at some in your future development, you have to have a qualitative leap, not just simple quantitative increases"

IOW the ST is stressing the limitations of the usual planning process


Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:37
Native speaker of: Native in SerbianSerbian, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4
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