English term
21 books translated
Native in: Russian 
Works in: English to Russian, Russian to English, Spanish to Russian, and 1 more.
plan produces incremental gains
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.
Non-PRO (1): acetran
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Responses
Ireland
right word, right place. everytime
Native in: English (Variants: US, Canadian, Irish, UK) 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English, and 1 more.
plan produces steady measurable gains/increases
"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
the usual annual plan will achieve some small progress, nothing more
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
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