What aspect of planning involves developing and applying standard methods for conducting work?

The correct choice highlights the crucial component of planning that focuses on creating and implementing standard procedures for tasks. Establishing procedures is essential for ensuring consistency, efficiency, and quality in work processes. By developing these standard methods, organizations can streamline operations, minimize variability, and promote a shared understanding among team members on how work should be performed.

Procedures serve as a guiding framework that outlines specific steps to be followed, ensuring that everyone is aligned and aware of the expectations. This helps in achieving desired outcomes and enhances the overall effectiveness of the organization.

In contrast, establishing objectives involves setting goals and desired outcomes, which is a different aspect of planning focused on what needs to be achieved rather than how to achieve it. Decision making pertains to the process of selecting the best course of action among various alternatives, which does not directly relate to standardizing methods but rather focuses on evaluating options. Scheduling involves determining when various tasks or activities will take place, emphasizing timing over the methods used to complete them.