Essentials of Planning and Managing by Objectives

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directors). Proponents of the bottom-up approach, on the other hand,argue that top management needs to have information from lowerlevels in the form of objectives. In addition, subordinates are likely tobe highly motivated by, and committed to, goals that they initiate.Personal experience has shown that the bottom-up approach isunderutilized but that either approach alone is insufficient.
Multiplicity of objectivesObjectives are normally multiple. For example, merely stating that auniversity's mission is education and research is not-enough. It would be muchmore accurate (but still not verifiable) to list the overall objectives, which mightbe the following:• Attracting students of high quality• Offering basic training in the liberal arts and sciences as well as in certainprofessional fields• Granting postgraduate degrees to qualified candidates• Attracting highly regarded professors• Discovering and organizing new knowledge through research• Operating as a private school supported principally through tuition and giftsof alumni and friendsLikewise, at every level in the hierarchy of objectives, goals are likely to bemultiple. Some people think that a manager cannot effectively pursue more thantwo to five objectives. The argument is that too many objectives tend to dilutethe drive for their accomplishment. But the limit of two to five objectives seemstoo arbitrary; managers might pursue more significant objectives. It would be wiseto state the relative importance of each objective so that major goals receive moreattention than lesser ones. At any rate, the number of objectives managersshould realistically set for themselves depends on how much they will dothemselves and how much they can assign to subordinates, thereby limitingtheir role to one of assigning, supervising, and controlling.How to Set Objectives 10Without dear objectives, managing is haphazard. No individual and no groupcan expect to perform effectively and efficiently unless there is a dear aim.Table 4-1 illustrates some objectives and how they can be restated in a way thatallows measurement.Quantitative and qualitative objectivesTo be measurable, objectives must be verifiable. This means that one must beable to answer this question: At the end of the period, how do I know 'if theobjective has been accomplished? For example the objective of
Page 1 and 2: Essentials of Planning and Managing
Page 3 and 4: .Types of PlansPlans can be classif
Page 5 and 6: the same situation every time it co
Page 7 and 8: ProgramsPrograms are a complex of g
Page 9 and 10: 2. Establishing ObjectivesThe secon
Page 11 and 12: 8. Quantifying Plans by BudgetingAf
Page 13 and 14: Hierarchy of objectivesAs Figure 4-
Page 15: Examples of objectives for key resu
Page 19 and 20: 113evolving Concepts in Management
Page 21 and 22: Failures of management by objective
Page 23 and 24: KEY IDEAS AND CONCEPTSFOR REVIEWPla

Essentials of Planning and Managing by Objectives

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