Objectives

The governing concept is planning, which means deciding in advance what is to be achieved and how, when and by whom it will be achieved. Objectives provide the destination for all later managerial actions, so deciding them is the first important step in the planning process. Hence option A is correct. Organising follows by arranging activities, jobs, authority and resources to pursue the objectives. Directing guides and motivates employees during execution, while controlling measures results against planned standards and corrects deviations. The word “first” and the act of deciding objectives are decisive clues: they describe planning rather than the functions that follow it.

The first essential step in planning is to identify and clearly state the objective to be achieved. An objective gives direction, provides a standard for later evaluation, and helps managers decide what resources and activities are required. Once the desired result is known, alternative courses of action can be compared and the most suitable one can be selected. Therefore, option A is correct. The other options concern incidental personal or ceremonial matters and do not express an organisational purpose. Planning is not simply deciding what is interesting; it is a deliberate process directed towards specific objectives.

Planning is called a purposeful process because every plan is prepared with one or more specific objectives in mind. Managers first identify the desired result and then select actions, resources, schedules and responsibilities that can help achieve it. Hence option A is correct. Without an objective, there would be no standard for choosing among alternatives or judging whether the plan has succeeded. Options B and C deny the intentional nature of planning, while option D is also wrong because planning requires decision-making among possible courses of action. Purpose does not guarantee success; it means that the effort is consciously directed toward defined ends rather than being accidental.

The governing concept is the meaning of an objective in management. An objective is a specific result or goal that an organisation, department or individual seeks to achieve within a stated situation or period. It gives direction to planning, helps managers choose suitable actions and provides a standard for measuring performance. Therefore option C is correct: the simplest meaning of objective is a goal to be achieved. Option A refers to methods, which describe how work is performed; option B refers to premises, which are assumptions about future conditions; and option D refers to follow-up or review after action. These ideas may be connected with planning, but none means objective itself.

The correct answer is A because objectives state clearly what the organisation wants to achieve. They give direction to managers and employees, provide a basis for deciding priorities, and act as standards against which later performance can be measured. Once the goal is known, managers can search for alternatives, compare their costs and benefits, select a suitable course and assign resources. Option B describes follow-up or review, which occurs after implementation. Option C is only one possible part of evaluating alternatives and cannot be the main purpose of objectives. Option D is an administrative record unrelated to the central purpose of planning. A clear objective therefore gives meaning and direction to the remaining planning steps, so A is the best answer.

The statement describes an objective, so option A is correct. An objective is a clearly defined result that an organisation intends to achieve. Here, the desired result is a 20 percent increase in sales and the time limit is one year, making the target measurable and time-bound. Such objectives help managers direct efforts, allocate resources and later evaluate performance by comparing actual sales with the planned increase. A procedure lists the chronological steps for carrying out an activity. A rule states a compulsory instruction or restriction, while a method explains the particular way in which a task should be performed. None of these alternatives expresses the intended result itself. Since the sentence states what the company wants to achieve, together with a measurable amount and time period, it is an objective.

The governing concept is that an objective states the specific result or target that an organisation wants to achieve. A clearly written sales target tells the organisation what level of sales is expected and provides a basis for directing and evaluating future work. Therefore, option B, Objective, is correct. A policy gives broad guidance for making decisions, such as how customers should be treated. A rule prescribes a compulsory action or prohibition, such as “do not sell without authorisation.” A method explains how a sales activity should be performed, such as a particular selling technique. Since the statement identifies the desired end result rather than guidance, restriction, or technique, it represents an objective.

The correct answer is A, the result to be achieved. An objective is a clear statement of the desired end or outcome toward which activities are directed. It tells an organisation what it wants to accomplish and provides a basis for selecting actions and later measuring performance. The other choices describe isolated operational details or a disciplinary decision; they do not express the intended overall result. A door, paper colour or punishment could appear in a rule, method or procedure, but none of them defines the central destination of a plan. Thus, the governing concept is that objectives identify the end point of planning. Once the expected result is clear, suitable policies, procedures, methods and budgets can be prepared.

The correct answer is Objective. An objective states the specific result that an organisation intends to achieve within a stated period. The target of opening two new service centres is clear, measurable and time-bound because it identifies both the quantity, two centres, and the deadline, the next financial year. A method would explain how the centres are to be opened. A rule would prescribe or prohibit a particular action, and a policy would provide broad guidance for decisions related to expansion. The sentence does not describe the procedure or resources required; it identifies the desired end result. Therefore, it is an objective, and its measurable wording makes the classification especially clear.

The direct answer is A, “What is to be achieved.” In planning, objectives are the results or goals that an organisation wants to reach. Planning begins by deciding the destination; only after that does the organisation decide actions, resources and time. For example, increasing sales by a stated amount or improving customer satisfaction is an objective because it describes a desired result. Option A is correct because it answers the basic planning question: what should be achieved? Option B, “How to pack,” is a method or operational detail, not the general objective. It may explain one activity, but it does not state the main result. Option C, “Which rule to break,” is not a proper organisational aim and conflicts with responsible management. Option D, “How much leave to take,” is a personal administrative matter, not normally a business objective. A useful sequence is: objective tells what, strategy or method tells how, and policies guide decisions. Memory cue: objective means the destination, not the route.

Increasing sales next year is a result the company intends to achieve; therefore, it is an objective. A rule guides behaviour, a method states one way of doing a task, and a procedure specifies a sequence of actions. Exam tip: words such as aim, target, or desired result usually indicate an objective.

Objectives state what an organisation aims to achieve. They give its work a clear direction towards specified goals.

A clear, measurable objective makes the intended result understandable and helps assess whether it has been achieved.

It states a specific result—200 new customers—and a time period of three months, so it is a measurable objective.

In controlling, actual performance is compared with planned objectives or standards. This comparison helps identify deviations and take corrective action.

Objectives give employees a shared direction. Without them, their efforts may become scattered rather than contribute to the same organisational aims.

Objectives clarify the desired results that an organisation aims to achieve within a specified period. The procedure for doing work is part of a plan or method, not an objective. Exam tip: if the statement tells what is to be achieved, it refers to an objective.

The correct answer is A: complaints must be reduced by 20 percent in six months. An objective is a desired result stated clearly enough to guide action and check success. A strong objective usually tells what will change, by how much, and by when. Option A contains all three parts: complaints, a 20 percent reduction, and six months. Therefore it is specific, measurable and time-bound. Option B, behaving well with customers, is desirable but vague because it does not say how good behaviour will be measured or by when. Option C, coming to the office on time, may be a work expectation or rule, but it gives no measurable target or deadline. Option D, keeping a report in a blue file, is only a filing instruction, not an organisational result. Memory cue: objective = result + number + deadline.

Objectives can be set at different levels: for the organisation as a whole, its departments and individual employees. Lower-level objectives should support broader organisational aims.

A department contributes to the organisation as a whole, so its objective should support and align with the organisation's overall goal.

The correct answer is D. Clear objectives show employees what they are working toward and help direct their efforts, which can motivate them to achieve the targets.

The direct answer is A, direction in decision-making. An objective tells managers the result that the organisation wants to achieve. When managers face choices, they can compare each possible action with that objective and select the action that helps achieve it. Thus objectives guide decisions and keep work focused. Option A is correct because it describes this guiding benefit. Option B, all expenses end, is false: setting an objective does not remove costs; activities still require money and resources. Option C, every risk ends, is also false: objectives may help managers identify and manage risks, but no plan can guarantee that every risk disappears. Option D, work completes automatically, is false because employees still need planning, effort, coordination and control. Exam cue: objectives provide direction, standards and focus; they do not magically remove cost, risk or work.

The correct answer is B. Prohibiting smoking states a rule about conduct; the other options describe results the organisation may aim to achieve, so they are objectives.

The correct answer is A. An objective states a result that an individual or organisation intends to achieve; it is not about hiding or forgetting results.

The correct answer is B. Clear objectives provide standards against which actual performance can be compared, making it easier to identify differences and take corrective action.