What is the difference between top-down and bottom-up planning?

Answer 1

A “top-down” approach is one where an executive, decision maker, or other person makes a decision (main man leads the show). This approach is disseminated under their authority to lower levels in the hierarchy, who are, to a greater or lesser extent, bound by them.

·     A “bottom-up” approach is one that works from the grassroots — from a large number of people working together, causing a decision to arise from their joint involvement (user generated planning).