Meaning of an organizational Goal
Management process begins with setting organizational goals. All management functions and processes are directed to achieve goals. Goals serve as the reasons for the organizations to exist. They are the end results to be achieved. In the words of Etzioni, "Organizational goals are a desired state of affairs that organizations attempt to realize." Thus, goals are critical to organizational success and effectiveness. A single goal is not adequate for modern organization. Therefore, multiple goals are needed to satisfy the interests of owners, customers and society. The goals of the organization can be survival, growth, profit, efficiency, service quality leadership, and social responsibility.
Purposes of Organizational Goals:
The purposes, of goals are to contribute in enhancing overall organizational effectiveness and sustain growth properly The following are the valuable purposes of organizational goals.
i. Future Guidance:
Organizational goals provide clear guidance about future. Goals provide a source of guidance and unified direction for people in the organization. Organizational goals help everyone to understand where the organization wants to go.
ii. Helps in planning:
Goals provide a basis for planning, decision making and management control. Goal is the primary stage of planning. Goal helps in setting target and allocation of resources. There can't be any planning without goals.
iii. Source of Motivation:
Goals help to develop commitment of individuals and groups to the activities of organization. Goals can motivate employees to work harder to improve performance. Goals focus attention and provide a basis for motivation and reward system.
iv. Helps in Evaluation and Control:
Goals are the basis for meeting the objectives and policies of the organization. Goals provide an effective way for evaluation and control. It means that performance can be measured in the future in terms of how successfully today's goals are accomplished. Goals serve as standard for evaluation of actual performance and taking of corrective actions. **********************************************************************
Functions of Organizational Goals
The above discussions on the definition and purposes of organizational goals have given us some idea about the importance and functions of these goals. Organizational goals have meaning and relevance not only to the entire organization, but also to the individuals working in them. Let us now consider the usefulness or functions of the goals on organizational and individual levels separately.
A.) FUNCTIONS FOR ORGANIZATIONS :
- Goals often focus attention or give direction to managers attempting to acquire a make use of organizational resources. Goals provide guidelines for members of organization.
- Goals are often a reason for organizing. They restrict the deviations in behavior of members and groups. Goals dictate power, authority, work schedules, communication patterns, etc. to departments and units.
- Goals can serve as a standard by which efficiency and effectiveness of the organization or its units can be judged. For example, a company's whose primary goal is making a profit can determine fairly easily at year's end how successful it has been in achieving its goal.
- Goals are of central importance in motivating staff and adapting in a dynamic and uncertain environment.
- Goals can assist the organization in acquiring the right type of human resources. People who join a service organization like Nepal Red Cross Society may not expect higher salaries because they identify with the organization's objectives.
B.) FUNCTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS :
- Goals may serve as a vehicle for personal goal attainment. A commission-based staff
can satisfy both his or her own monetary goals and the company's profit goals by
increasing sales.
- Goals may assist individuals by providing a sense of comfort and security, a feeling that the organization is going somewhere and will remain in operation for some time.
- Goals can provide a source of identification and status for employees. The sense of
self-identity is closely related to the organization and its goals. *********************************************************************
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