Planning is the design of a desired future and of effective ways of bringing it about. It is an instrument that is used by the wise, but not by the wise alone. When conducted by lesser men it often becomes an irrelevant ritual that produces short-run peace of mind, but not the future that is longed for.

p. 1 as cited in: George David Hughes (1997) Marketing management: a planning approach. p. 14 and many other works. - A concept of corporate planning, 1969