From the stakeholder viewpoint: designing measurable objectives

Abstract

Purpose

This article seeks to review how objectives are conventionally designed for organizations before detailing a new and proven approach based on the author's many years of research and consulting experience. The practical situation on which the article aims to focus is strategic planning, a process in which CEOs, middle managers and directors on boards find themselves frequently involved.

Design/methodology/approach

The outlined objective‐setting methodology is the result of more than two decades of action research. The author has worked with organizations across all sectors – private, public and not‐for‐profit – to develop meaningful and measurable objectives during the course of designing their strategic plans.

Findings

Most organizations flounder when it comes to objective setting. They come up with lists of objectives that are a mixture of quantified and non‐quantified items or restatements of mission, vision and values; they are often vague and general and are assembled as one undifferentiated block, i.e. not segmented according to an organization's key stakeholders. No wonder managers find the conventional process of objective‐setting both frustrating and ineffective. In contrast, the author has found that the approach outlined in this article engages participants and produces clear and measurable outcomes.

Originality/value

Organizations in all sectors – business, government and not‐for‐profit – can benefit greatly by re‐thinking their current practices and changing the way they go about designing their objectives. The approach outlined herein has solved many conceptual and practical problems managers face and led to the design of organization objectives that really shape precise strategies.

Citation

Kenny, G. (2012), "From the stakeholder viewpoint: designing measurable objectives", Journal of Business Strategy, Vol. 33 No. 6, pp. 40-46. https://doi.org/10.1108/02756661211281507