Strategic management: types of objectives

It is believed that each organization exists on the market to perform a number of specific tasks and meet certain needs.

In order to understand what kind of tasks can be involved in strategic management, and what kind of goals some kind of organization wants to achieve, it is necessary to understand the concept of the goal as such.

The concept of the goal, what is it?

The goal is an intermediate step towards the mission that the organization sets itself. However, if the mission is only a guide for the movement, the final state, then the goal is a step on the way to the mission.

A single concept for any enterprise is the concept of purpose. The types of goals are different for each organization.

The concept of a mission - what is it?

Mission is a fairly broad concept. So, each separate organization has its own mission. For example, a manufacturing company can consider its mission to release a large volume of quality products at a minimum price. At the trade and intermediary enterprise mission can be considered buying up of goods for more profitable resale. The types of objectives of the organization in these two cases vary.

The goal is an exact concept. She answers questions such as:

• What exactly needs to be done;

• For what to do;

• Who will be responsible for achieving the goal;

• Who will be the executor of the goal;

• In what terms it is necessary to keep within.

The goal is put before the enterprise to achieve the mission. So, in order for a manufacturing company to produce high-quality products
The minimum price (not at a loss), you need to perform a number of tasks, for example, such as:

• market research;

• A study of similar proposals among competitors;

• Minimizing the cost of production while maintaining its quality;

• Search for new suppliers ready to offer more favorable terms.

For the trade and intermediary enterprise, other purposes will be expedient:

• Search for partners who are ready to offer advantageous terms;

• Buying up the cheapest raw materials and materials (products, goods);

• Studying the market in order to find new customers (customers);

• Resale of the goods at a price higher than the cost of procurement.

And although the goals of each organization are different, there is some generally accepted classification, according to which the types of objectives of the activity were able to be grouped.

The main types of goals, classification by time

Divide the types of goals into groups by similar signs.

So, they can be classified on a time basis by:

• Short-term (for the achievement of the goal is given less than 12 months);

• Medium-term (the implementation period is up to 5 years);

• Long-term (to achieve the goal is allocated more than 5 years).

The long-term goal sounds clear. So, the long-term goal of the enterprise may be the desire to enter the top three leaders in the production of chocolate. In order to fulfill the task, the company's management will put forward short-term goals (appoint a responsible person to erect an additional building for the workshop, increase the quality of the products).

Also, intermediate (medium-term) goals can be created. For example, the construction of a separate wing of the new workshop; The release of the most popular product among buyers in a double volume.

Short-term goals are "current" and can be changed if this is due to certain circumstances. Long-term goals should be accurate.

Classification by content

By content goals are divided into:

• Economic (increase in profits, compilation of annual financial statements, search for new investors, increase in the value of shares);

• Administrative (improvement of the personnel management system);

• Production (output of a certain volume, improving the quality of products);

• Marketing (promotion of company products, promotions, search for new customers, expansion of customer base);

• Technological (installation of the 1C program, replacement of computer equipment in the customer service department);

• Social (improving the skills of employees, providing their employees with housing, a device for labor code, a full social package).

All of the above goals are of a short-term nature (they will take no more than 12 months to complete).

Classification by source

Depending on the sources, the goals are:

• External (broad concept, covering the work of the organization outside its borders, for example, fighting with competitors);

• Internal (goals that can be achieved only within the organization, for example, the introduction of a new system of motivation).

The external and internal environment of the organization are related to each other. So, the organization can not become a leader if the company does not have a management system in place.

Classification by degree of complexity

By the degree of complexity of achievement, the following goals are singled out:

• Complex (include a structured goal);

• Simple (monosyllabic goals).

So, a simple goal may sound like this: raise the employees of the marketing department. The fulfillment of such a goal is possible in one action.

A complex goal will contain several smaller goals. Suppose, the task is to increase the income from the sale of products. The result will be achieved if we divide the larger target into several smaller tasks: to replenish the company's headquarters with new employees, introduce a new motivation system, and develop a new program for selling the product (shares, discounts).

The system of goals within the organization

At any enterprise there is a system of goals. It is customary to distinguish three main systems:

• Tree. The root of the tree is the basic mission of the organization. Branches are separate goals, the fulfillment of which leads to the final result. The number of branches can be calculated in thousands. So, a large branch is an important goal. A small knot is a monosyllabic task.
• Hierarchy. Go from mission to less important goals. And so on to infinity, to the easiest task.

• Ranging. Division of the main mission into two / three voluminous goals. Each goal, in turn, will be divided into smaller tasks. Thus, the fulfillment of a certain number of associated smaller tasks leads to the fulfillment of a single goal.

In organizations, the ranking system is quite popular now. At large enterprises such a system can be referred to as accounting by responsibility centers, where each individual site has its own goals and its own degree of responsibility.

Types of proposals for the purpose

The types of proposals depend on the starting point and on the result to be achieved. The table below shows the types of proposals.

Demand really generates a proposal. In other words, depending on how interested the consumer is in the enterprise's products, management can make different decisions about the improvement of the organization's activities.

Conditions for setting goals

Any goal must meet certain conditions, among which:

• Clarity, transparency, evidence (the interpretation of the goal should not sound ambiguous);

• Coherence (the goal can not contradict another goal);

• Commensurability (for achieving any goal a certain amount of time is allocated);

• Clarity (the task should be extremely accurate);

• Orientation (should be set to achieve a certain result);

• Specificity (compiled taking into account the specifics of the enterprise).

All conditions must be fulfilled simultaneously, and not separately from each other.

The main goal of a commercial enterprise is considered to be to obtain maximum profit with minimal costs. In fact, enterprises often aim at increasing revenues, drawing up a plan for the year, lastly, putting forward tasks that help consumers meet their needs.