Which NIMS Management Characteristic involves developing and issuing plans and procedures to achieve objectives?

The characteristic that involves developing and issuing plans and procedures to achieve objectives is indeed Management by Objectives. This approach is central to the NIMS framework as it focuses on clearly defining objectives and the strategies necessary to achieve them.

Management by Objectives ensures that all levels of an organization understand their roles in achieving overarching goals. It promotes a shared understanding of objectives, fostering collaboration across different teams and agencies. This process involves setting clear, measurable goals and determining the actions required to reach those objectives, which aligns closely with NIMS' focus on effective and efficient incident management.

In contrast, Integrated Communication emphasizes the seamless flow of information across different entities during an incident, ensuring that all stakeholders are informed and coordinated, while Standardized Procedures refer to the practices that establish consistency in operations and responses among agencies. Command Structure pertains to the hierarchical arrangement within which command and control are executed during an incident, ensuring that there is clear leadership and roles defined to facilitate effective response efforts. Ultimately, while all these characteristics support effective incident management, it is Management by Objectives that specifically targets the formulation of plans and procedures to accomplish set goals.