Guidelines for Objective Setting

In general an organization should have 3 types of Objectives:

1. Short Term Objectives : Targets to be achieved in 1 year or less.
2. Intermediate Term Objectives: Targets to be achieved in 1 to 5 years.
3. Long Term Objectives: Targets to be achieved in 5 to 7 years.

The necessity of predetermining appropriate organizational objectives has led to the  development of a management guidelnes called the PRINCIPLE OF OBJECTIVE.

This principle states that  before managers take any action, they should clearly determine, understand and state organizational objectives.

SUBOPTIMIZATION:

Suboptimization is a condition where subobjectives are conflicting ro not directly aimed at accomplishing the overall organizational objective.

GUIDELINES FOR ESTABLISHING OBJECTIVES:

1. Let the people responsible for attaining the objectives have a voice in setting them.
2. State Objective as specifically as possible.
3. Relate objectives to specific actions whenever necessary.
4. Pinpint expected results.
5. Set goals high enought that employees have to strive to meet them, but not so high that employees give up trying to meet them.
6. Specify when goals are expected to be achieved
7. Set objectives only in relation to other organizational objectives.
8. State Objectives clearly and simply.