In order to further an organization's goal of increasing sales by a large margin, upper-level managers coordinate the acquisition of a number of retail outlets in smaller cities. These acquisitions represent the implementation of a(n) _____ plan. a. operational b. mission c. strategic d. tactical

Tactical planning takes a strategic plan of the company and establishes certain measures and short-term plans, usually by department of the company or function. The horizon of tactical planning is shorter than the horizon of the strategic plan. If the strategic plan is five years, the tactical plans can be for a period of one to three years, or even less, depending on what type of market the company serves and the pace of change.

An example would be: Let's assume for a moment that your company sells insurance products in a large metropolitan area. The tactical marketing plan for your insurance company must describe, step by step, each marketing component necessary to achieve the objectives and vision of the company's strategic plan. For example, if you decide that one of the best ways to reach your target consumer is television advertising, then the tactical plan has to carefully spell out the details of the television campaign. The steps in the development of this plan include, but are not limited to, deciding on an appropriate message for the organization of the production of the commercial, deciding which channels to air the commercial and when, and the follow-up of potential customers that respond to the Bell.