Is Management by Objectives Still Relevant?

Management by objectives (MBO) is a strategic model used by organizations to clearly delineate the specific objectives and main goals of the company agreed by both management and employees. Despite its decline in popularity, MBO is still a management system that ma

Is Management by Objectives Still Relevant?

Management by objectives (MBO) is a strategic model used by organizations to clearly delineate the specific objectives and main goals of the company agreed by both management and employees. Developed by Peter Drucker in 1954, MBO was widely used in the 1970s, but its popularity has since declined as new management styles and systems have been developed. Despite its decline in popularity, MBO is still a management system that many companies use, either in whole or in part. There are many principles established in MBO that can be reflected in more modern management styles, as MBO focuses closely on the core aspects of performance management.

There are several reasons why MBO has become increasingly obsolete. First, due to the ever-increasing exchange rate in markets, technology and trends in today's turbulent business environment, this year's goals set during the initial phase of MBO may become obsolete in months, weeks, or even days. Second, trying to measure a person's productivity has become increasingly difficult as companies become more complex and responsibilities begin to overlap. Third, when employees sit down to set MBO goals, they tend to be conservative in their estimates in order to meet them.

This limits the amount of creativity and perspective the employee will achieve. Finally, when employees' goals are predetermined, they tend to try to solve problems that will prevent them from meeting their MBO goals rather than solving them. This is due to limitations caused by setting objectives that are too strict and not allowing natural innovation among employees. Organizations of all types need to follow effective management frameworks to better achieve their individual objectives. Management by objectives is one of those frameworks that aims to create cohesive communication between all partners within a company, from management to employees.

Broadly speaking, objectives within any type of strategic management can be divided into three general categories: financial objectives, customer objectives and internal business process objectives. Those who perform well and stay on track with goals are rewarding, offering incentives for employees to stay focused and work hard. Although management by objectives is a bit outdated, it can serve as a big fundamental point and a tool within a larger toolset for many companies looking to improve their management style. However, over the years, some companies have discovered that MBO's strengths have become liabilities and new, more empowering and flexible models for performance management have been introduced. Many companies that don't know the objectives and key results may wonder how OKRs and performance management differ. Final Thoughts Management by objectives can still be an effective tool for organizations looking to improve their performance management system.

However, it should be used as part of a larger toolset that includes more modern approaches such as OKRs and other performance management systems. When used correctly, MBO can help simplify management and optimize it for efficiency while still allowing for natural innovation among employees.

Doug Pelletiu
Doug Pelletiu

Total bacon ninja. Avid travel scholar. Evil bacon advocate. Freelance social media scholar. Devoted beer practitioner. Incurable bacon guru.

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