Goals: Definition, Types

Goals

Goals are important factors in the management process. Goals are the desires that individuals or families are willing to work for. They are more definite and clear than values because they are to be accomplished. They are tangible things, objects, ends or purposes. Goal is an objective or purpose to be attained. They are specific ways of realizing the values one hold.

Definition: Goal is defined as an objective, condition or something you desire to achieve or attain at any given period or time.

At present, your goals are to com-plete your courses and obtain higher degree so as to get job in your chosen profession. As each of these goals are achieved, new goals, will emerge leading to other higher goals in your life.

Goals, like values, play an impor-tant role in your life. Values give mean-ing to your life. Goals on the other hand, point the direction you want your path to follow. Thus, it can be said that val-ues and goals are inter-related. Values are the vehicles and goals are the highways you use to attain your desired quality of life.

Types of Goals

Goals are classified under the following heads.

They are classified:

I) According to the number of groups:

Individual goals are established by an individual for himself. These are based on his own values. He puts in efforts for their achievement and receives satisfaction to himself, for example scoring 70% marks in the examination.

Group goals are established by the group. These are based on the some of the common values and interests of the group members, for example, achievement of 100% result of the class at the S.S.L.C. examination.

II) According to duration for achievement of goals

Throughout life each individual and each family is always seeking some objectives.

According to duration for achievement, goals are classified as short-term, intermediate and long-term goals.

i) Short-term goals

In short term goal, the period of attainment of goal is short. Example is to successfully complete the course of study. Since the achieve-ment is anticipated in the near future, these goals usually involve a time period of six months or less.

ii) Intermediate goals

Intermediate goals are nothing but the link connecting between short term and long term goals. They have definite characteristics and serve a purpose in your life time achieve-ment. The time duration involved in intermediate goals is longer than short term goals. Achievement of these goals is measured in terms of several months or years. For exam-ple, to complete your graduation you will require few years.

iii)Long term goal

The duration in achieving this goal is long. Classification differs from the other two, in regard to the time period, the degree of specificity and the extent of active imple-mentation involved in attainment. Long term goals are those you have set for yourself in the distant future.

Long term goals may include one or more of the following – get-ting a good job in chosen pro-fession, getting married, owning home or farm.