Understanding of Goals and Objectives
Goal means the purpose toward that an effort is directed. It is not necessarily strictly tangible or measurable. Goals mean statements the one makes regarding his or her future business. They form an aspiration for it. Goal may sound like, “Our company is going to become the best beverages producer in the region”. This expression demonstrates that the business person possesses such a plan for the business; however, it does not show exactly how to achieve this goal (Norman, n.d.).
Goals certainly play a very important role. Goals’ setting assists in defining the direction for the business. Goals should not contradict with business’ vision and mission statements. The language that is used for goals may be more emotional than the one used for setting objectives (Norman, n.d.).
Objective means something that one's actions or efforts are intended to accomplish or reach. Objective should be tangible and measurable. Objectives mean the steps that the organization should take to achieve its goals. They are usually quantifiable and measurable. Objectives are attainable and realistic and have a timeline. For instance, an objective for the goal of becoming the largest beverages producer in the country can be “The company will grow its production by 15% annually” (Norman, n.d.).
Organizational Vision, Mission and Values vs. its Goals
A mission means a long-term big achievement or end-result. There are many means (objectives, strategies, goals, tactics and executions all serving to reach the company’s mission. The mission is the most important and biggest thing to be achieved. Statements of mission are mostly the non-financial results, which a CEO either is hired to achieve or develops for his organization. The mission is very similar to a statement of vision in which it has an orientation for the future (Aef, 2008).
Statements of values list the ethics and principles of the organization. They present an ethical background for the company. These ethics and principles determine the behavior of company’s employees. They help companies to judge what is wrong and right. Employees should behave in specific ways, being guided by the values.
Goals, objectives, mission and values are interrelated and are the integral part of company’s culture. Without them, it is hardly possible for the company to exist, as its employees do not follow the same idea and thus it cannot be realized. As known, people are the most valuable asset of any organization, only people can bring real success to it. And their commitment to the organizational goals is important for any aspect of company’s activity.
Cultural Awareness in the Organization
In international companies, cultural differences should be taken into consideration in addition to the cultures of organizations. Germans, Poles, the French or Americans have different understanding of the values like teamwork, as well as various attitudes to procedures and regulations and they accept time dimension also differently. The basic dimensions of different national cultures are as follows: collectivism versus individualism, attitude to principles and regulations, achieved status versus ascribed status, holistic versus fragmentary world’s perception, understanding of environment and time.
There are two important rules:
the seller should adapt to the buyer in international business;
the visitor should observe local traditions in international business.
A lack of profound training, poor knowledge of customs and history of the customer or partner’s region, and relying on action’s improvisation are the main faults of managers. Besides cultural differences’ understanding, one more factor of success in a certain region is customization of the local market. This requires a special structure of the organization, and also profound market knowledge, its culture and customs (Kania, 2010).
Many executives of the companies tend to ignore cultural differences thinking that business principles are the same in all parts of the world. But it is not correct. Understanding the foreign culture, right approach to the local people and market, trainings of cultural diversity and learning languages can significantly assist the company in its activity and bring financial success.
There are two major things that make the base of contemporary Beijing's issues: unpreparedness and unsustainability. There is a high level of pollution (any kind, not only air) in Beijing. Environmental problems include also sewage issues and increasing water pollution in this city.
Massive overpopulation and migration is one more problem of Beijing. It is possible for Beijing to sustain its rate of growth of 4%, its capacity of carrying is now exceeds the sustainable one. Nowadays, 500,000 people come to Beijing every year that has already nearly doubled the density of population since 1999. Such situation provokes issues in the balance of gender, consumption and supply of food, lack of landfills and sanitation, high housing prices, shortages of water, lower rates of birth, higher rates of death, and even (sometimes) availability of sunlight. Other problems of Beijing include prices and disappearing culture, mass evacuation and security issues (for example, in case of terrorist attack) (Candebat, 2013).
In order for Beijing to elaborate a sustainable plan for the future, it is necessary to take into account all the above-mentioned issues. The goals can be as follows: improved environmental situation, decreased population and property prices.
In order to achieve the environmental goal, local authorities can use the following objectives: allocate budgets for cleaning the rivers and roads, establish fines for the factories that damage city’s environment, move hazardous manufacturing outside the city, plant more trees, and etc. In order to cope with demographic situation, it can be an option to encourage investors (for instance, by lower taxes) to build plants in other regions of the country that have lower population density, provide people with housing in other regions and many others.
References
Aef,. (2008). Mission vs. Goals vs. Objectives vs. Strategy vs. Executions vs. Tactics. Retrieved 2 July 2015, from http://www.aef.com/industry/careers/memos/8022
Candebat, D. (2013). What are Beijing's major problems? - Quora. Quora.com. Retrieved 1 July 2015, from http://www.quora.com/What-are-Beijings-major-problems
Kania, S. (2010). The Role of Cultural Differences in Forming a Business Strategy. Journal Of Intercultural Management, 2(2), 17-24. Retrieved from http://www.joim.pl/pdf/KANIAv2n2.pdf
Norman, L. What Is the Business Difference Between Objectives & Goals?. Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved 1 July 2015, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/business-difference-between-objectives-goals-21972.html
