In the book, “ Democracy in America,” Tocqueville provides a captivating perspective of the traditionally oppressed groups in America that include the Negroes, Indians, and women while evaluating their response to oppression under the U.S democracy
Organizations are constantly searching for new ways to improve their successes and performance. The management team is especially interested in identifying ways that can improve the performance of employees. Management theories were thus suggested to guide managers and enable organizations to fulfill their mission, purpose, and goals. One of the management theories that can be applied is the goal-setting theory of motivation. The goal-setting theory links motivation to the establishment of specific, realistic, and challenging goals for an organization. The goal-setting theory can also be analyzed through the Bible which highlights the importance of having a vision. Goal-setting theory can be effectively applied in management to improve performance and guide people towards having a vision and glorifying God.
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Theory Analysis from Literature
Theory Defined
The goal-setting theory is a motivation theory which indicates that goal setting is linked to the performance of tasks. The theory was developed by Locke in 1968 who observed that people are generally motivated to strive towards achieving their goals. The theory was retrieved through induction through the integration of thousands of studies and participants (Locke & Latham, 2019). The theory specifically observes that goals that are specific and challenging and have appropriate feedback can lead to better and higher performance of tasks (Landers et al., 2017). The theory simply states that goals can be used to indicate and to give directions to employees regarding what should be done and the amount of effort that they are required to put in.
Purpose and Function of the Theory
One of the functions of the theory is that it can be used in performance management to improve output. Goals that are clear and specific can lead to better performance and greater output for employees. Having realistic and challenging goals can also give the employees a sense of pride and triumph when attaining goals and this makes them excited when working towards the next goal (Gardner et al., 2016). In case the goal that has been set is more challenging and has a greater reward for achieving it, it can result in a more passion for achieving it. This can be used by the management to ensure that employees perform at the highest performance levels. Additionally, when the management provides appropriate feedback, employees can gain information about their current progress and thus identify strategies that can be used to improve their progress. The use of such feedback has made goal setting to become highly effective (McEwan et al., 2016). Such feedback can help employees become more involved in their work.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Theory
Goal-setting theory has been widely applied in management due to its strengths and benefits. One of the advantageous aspects of the theory is that it can be used to realize better employee engagement. Shoaib and Kohli (2017) established that there is a strong relationship between goal-setting theory and employee engagement. One of the reasons for this is that goal setting can be used to set challenging goals that make employees more engaged in their work. Additionally, the use of feedback in goal setting can lead to greater job satisfaction. The goal-setting theory can also be used to improve the motivation and efforts of employees and thus realize better performance. Goal setting can thus be used as an incentive by the management to enable employees to work effectively and quickly.
The application of goal setting theory may have some limitations that the management should consider. One of the limitations of the theory is that it can be used to promote unethical practice. By focusing only on the achievement goals, employees can have the desire to earn rewards and engage in unethical practices to achieve their targets. An overemphasis on goal-setting can thus promote ungodly behavior. Neubert & Dyck (2016) acknowledge this unethical nature and thus observe the need for alternative management theory. Another limitation is that the setting of the wrong goals can misguide an organization since goal-setting has a tunnel vision. It can also be possible to become highly aggressive with the setting of goals which may ultimately not work as expected.
Summary statement of effectiveness
The goal-setting theory has been widely examined and found to be effective in improving the practice of management. McEwan et al. (2016) identified that goal setting can be an effective method in improving physical activity behavior. Goal setting was thus found effective in behavior modification. Epton et al. (2017) also identified the unique effects of goal setting where it is used to influence behavior change. When applied to training, Boyer et al. (2016) established that goal setting was effective in the effectiveness of training when the goals are specific, measurable, assignable, realistic, and time-based (SMART). This shows that the use of goal setting can be an effective approach in management as it can be used to guide the behavior of employees and ensure that they achieve specific results.
Theory Evaluation from Scripture
Summary statement of effectiveness
The analysis of the goal-setting theory according to the Bible shows that it is effective but can have a few limitations. Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) states that “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” This verse indicates that having a vision or a goal is important for an organization as it can be used to ensure the continuity and life of people. Goal setting that involves setting God-honoring goals that aim to glorify God can align with the purpose. In James 4:15 states that “Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."” This shows that even as Christians set goals they should never forget that all goals come to pass through the will of God. For the goals to be effective, it has to first honor God and it should acknowledge that it is God that makes the goals come to pass.
Method of Evaluation with Scripture
The analysis of goal setting through the scripture shows that different principles in the Bible emphasize the importance of setting goals. Luke 14:28 (NIV) states “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” This verse shows that Jesus advised on the importance of setting goals first before going on with any project. Merida (2015) also observes how Solomon used his wisdom in goal setting when building the temple. In 1 Kings 5:5 states that “I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God.” This shows that Solomon had set a goal to build a temple for the lord. One of the goals that Solomon had set for himself as a king was to build the temple. His success in building the first temple can be attributed to the fact that he first set a goal that aligned to the will of God.
New Thoughts and Recommendations
The analysis of the goal-setting theory of motivation assisted in developing new thoughts and insights that can be applied in management. One of the insights that were gained was that goal setting can be effective and achieved when it is specific, clear, challenging, and is accompanied by feedback. Setting goals this way can also be beneficial in engaging employees. It was also identified that goal setting can be effective from a biblical point of view when the goals that have been set with the aim to glorify God and the goals are subjected to the will of God. Goal setting was also found to address one of the root causes of a problem of an organization which can stem from the lack of having a vision.
Conclusion
Goal-setting theory is a motivation theory that can be used in management to improve the performance of an organization, engage employees, and guide an organization towards a vision that glorifies God. Goal-setting was defined as a management theory that emphasizes on setting specific and challenging goals to motivate employees towards improved performance. One of the advantages of the theory was that it can be used to improve employee engagement. The limitation of the theory is that it can create a tunnel vision and can encourage unethical behavior to achieve goals. The goal-setting theory was found to align with the biblical principle of having a vision. However, goals have to be set to glorify God and align with God’s will.
References
Boyer, S. L., Rodriguez, M., Artis, A., & Garcia, M. E. (2016). Assessing sales training effectiveness: why goal-setting strategy matters. International Journal of Management and Human Resources , 4 (1), 94-103.
Epton, T., Currie, S., & Armitage, C. J. (2017). Unique effects of setting goals on behavior change: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology , 85 (12), 1182.
Gardner, A. K., Diesen, D. L., Hogg, D., & Huerta, S. (2016). The impact of goal setting and goal orientation on performance during a clerkship surgical skills training program. The American Journal of Surgery , 211 (2), 321-325.
Landers, R. N., Bauer, K. N., & Callan, R. C. (2017). Gamification of task performance with leaderboards: A goal setting experiment. Computers in Human Behavior , 71 , 508-515.
Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2019). The development of goal-setting theory: A half-century retrospective. Motivation Science , 5 (2), 93.
McEwan, D., Harden, S. M., Zumbo, B. D., Sylvester, B. D., Kaulius, M., Ruissen, G. R., ... & Beauchamp, M. R. (2016). The effectiveness of multi-component goal-setting interventions for changing physical activity behavior: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Health psychology review , 10 (1), 67-88.
Merida, T. (2015). Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) . B&H Publishing Group.
Neubert, M. J., & Dyck, B. (2016). Developing sustainable management theory: goal-setting theory based on virtue. Management Decision .
Shoaib, F., & Kohli, N. (2017). Employee engagement and goal-setting theory. Indian Journal of Health & Wellbeing , 8 (8).
