Discipline, Planning, strict adherence to plan indices for socio-economic activity by economic bodies, enterprises ( associations) and their divisions, and also by individual workers, a major prerequisite for the normal functioning of the socialist economic system, greater efficiency of social production and quality of work, and for high final results. It is ensured by public ownership of the means of production and by the planned nature of the socialist economy (see Law of Planned, Balanced Development of the Economy and Planned and Balanced Development of the Socialist Economy). The plans are binding; once approved, they acquire the force of law and must be implemented. Planning discipline is conscious in that it is based on a profound inner conviction of the working people that all plan assignments must be fulfilled for the benefit of society. The role of planning discipline increases with the scale and specialisation of production, expansion of cooperation, and increased interdependence between economic units. In this context one unit’s failure to fulfil the plan can disrupt the operation of many interlinked ones; failure to meet some plan target leads to similar failures with other targets. The result is a loss of working time and material wealth and a slowing down of the growth rate of the economy and public welfare. Disruptions of planning discipline are observed in the preference of departmental and local over national and state interests, in a failure to follow the established procedure and meet deadlines in drawing up plans; in adjustment of plan targets to the actual lower level achieved; in failure to honour commitments to the state, economic agreements, and schedules; and in slackened controls and verifications of plan implementation. A major role in the measures to strengthen the planning discipline is played by ensuring the sound, balanced nature of plan targets, a rational combination of sectoral and territorial development, long- and short-term plans, and improvement of inter- and intra-industrial proportions. The responsibility of industrial associations (enterprises) for carrying through the plans for production supplies in compliance with signed agreements (orders) and their interest in doing so are now being increased in the USSR. Thus, it has been found necessary to evaluate the results of the economic activities of industrial associations (enterprises) and encourage them economically, depending on the extent to which they honour their production commitments in the required range of goods for production and consumer use by the deadlines specified in the agreements (orders), increase labour productivity, the quality of output, and profit (in some industries, also reduce production costs). Production associations (enterprises) change to direct long-term economic ties on the basis of five-year agreements between the parties. In formulating an annual plan customers and suppliers get together to agree on the product-mix to be delivered. The system of material and moral incentives is designed to encourage work collectives to meet the plan targets to the full and with the highest possible efficiency. The material responsibility of industrial associations ( enterprises) and organisations for honouring their commitments and delivery of the entire range of products of the specified quality to the customer on time is being stepped up; in particular, more specific sanctions are being introduced for violating 90 agreements and payment relations between partners. One important way to improve planning discipline is development of the creative activity of the working people, their education as masters of social production (see Participation of Working People in Economic Management), and socialist emulation. Planning discipline is closely related to labour discipline.