Postponement

Postponement is the act of delaying or rescheduling a plan, decision, or action to a later time. The word comes from post- (after) and ponere (to place). The term is used across domains to describe a voluntary delay intended to manage risk, information gaps, or resource constraints.

In everyday use, postponement covers delaying events (a meeting moved to a later date), decisions (a policy or funding decision deferred), or actions (maintenance or deployment postponed until conditions are more favorable). In legal settings, postponement may refer to adjournments or stays of proceedings, delaying trials or hearings.

In operations and supply chain management, postponement denotes a deliberate strategy that defers final value-added steps or product customization until demand is known. This can take forms such as form postponement (delaying product differentiation) or time postponement (delaying production until orders are received). The aim is to balance responsiveness with cost and reduce risk of obsolescence or unsold inventory.

Causes include uncertainty about demand, complex regulatory processes, limited resources, or the need for additional information. Effects vary: postponement can lower costs and increase flexibility, but it can also extend project timelines, raise holding costs, and affect stakeholder expectations.

See also: deferral, delay, adjournment, stay. While related to procrastination in psychology, postponement in professional contexts is typically a strategic choice rather than a character flaw.