Objectives and Goals: A Comparison

Objectives and goals are the end results which an organization strives for. Since there may be different ways in expressing end results like market leadership (a qualitative measurement), or a certain percentage of increase in sales in a particular year (a quantitative measurement), the question is: for which result the term objectives should be used and for which result the term goal should be used. This problem arises because these two terms are used in variety of ways; many of them are conflicting.

First, these terms are used interchangeably meaning one and the same thing. Therefore, there is no difference between the two. To make distinction between long-term and short-term orientations, these prefixes are used either with objectives or goals. Second, some authors use goals as the long-term results which an organization seeks to achieve and objectives as the short-term results. Third, some writers reverse the usage referring to objectives as the desired long-term results and goals as the desired short-term results. This latter view is, however, more prevalent, from this point of view, Ackoff has defined both the terms as follows:

“Desired states or outcomes are objectives. Goals are objectives that are scheduled for attainment during planned period. Thus, objectives and goals defined in this way convey two different concepts. The distinction between these two concepts is important because management needs both.