Solution
David answered on
Dec 23 2021
Introduction
In this competitive era, organizations all across the globe in almost all the industrial
sectors focus upon attaining long term competitive edge and unmatchable growth level. The
strategic aim everywhere is to enhance the overall sales as well as meet objectives in the
shortest time. Further, it is also observed that organizations focus more upon short-term goals
instead of long-term goals as short-term goals lead to instant fulfillment of objectives as well as
improve the profit margins. But the biggest point of debate here is if focus on short-term goals
esults in end of continuous improvement (CI) within the organization.
Continuous Improvement is a continuous process of small changes in process or
procedures that helps a company achieve competitive advantage and be globally competitive.
The process of a “Continuous Improvement” transforms the existing process for generating
more profit in the short term, sustaining the profits for the long term and make the company
more competition oriented. This process also encourages improved customer service and
employee morale. However, the continuous improvement program should be considered as a
usiness investment for a long term which would add or detract from long term profit. Only
focusing on the short term benefits would cost the favorable future of the company. This study
tries to find the nature and role of continuous improvement program in recent world. CI is a
means of improving processes, approaches and policies followed within any organisation to
emain competitive. But rapid globalization and u
anization is
inging it to an end (Teece,
1998). Money making is the main objective everywhere and everyone seeks shortest way to
make profit. In terms of organizations in specific, short-term goals usually last for 3-4 months
and the work pressure is a lot. Due to this, most of the policies and ethical processes get
skipped and also a proper documentation of the tasks and project is not maintained.
Taking all the above discussion into consideration, this paper attempts to critically
analyze if the focus on short-term goals has actually meant the end of continuous improvement.
The paper is divided into a number of sections and starts with analyzing the reasons behind why
organizations focus on short-term goals. This is then ca
ied ahead by analyzing if continuous
improvement is actually coming to an end. The section after that analyses if continuous
improvement and short-term goals are actually connected in reality or not. Finally, a short
conclusion in the end summarizes the entire paper and presents the key findings.
Do companies focus on short term goals?
In organizations, customer complaints are usually adopted as part of improvement
program objectives. The different factors associated with the CI programs are weighed
differently by companies. They take the procedure as a short term objective. Most companies try
to produce continual improvements in batches or projects. Many companies review the
improvement of CI programs at a particular time. Often the continuous improvements are
conducted keeping in mind the short term profits at the cost of long term benefits. Even
companies are skeptical about the initial performance dip of the employees which mainly happen
due to the changes in the processes and procedures. As a result of this dip in the performance, the
changes face tremendous resistance (Kurtoglu & Aartsengel, 2013). Most of the organizations
think of “Continuous Improvement” transformation as something that happens periodically, like
a project, a workshop, or campaign: they make a special effort to improve or change when the
need becomes urgent. But this is not how “Continuous Improvement” transformation, adaptation,
and sustained competitive advantage actually come into being. Relying on periodic improvement
or change efforts should be seen for what it is: only a sporadic add-on to a system that by its
nature tends to stand still.
To start with, a goal is simply desired as an outcome from a system or person imagines,
plans and ca
ies out in order to accomplish a personal or organizational set end-result in some
kind of assumed development (Eccles & Wigfield, 2002). Several individuals endeavor to
accomplish the objectives within a fixed time through setting time lines. It is somewhat similar to
an aim or purpose, the anticipated outcomes that direct reaction or an end that is an object, which
holds intrinsic value.
Short-term goals expect achievement during a short time-period (Eccles & Wigfield,
2002). The meaning of short-term goals need not link with any particular length of time. In
simple terms, one might accomplish (or fail to accomplish) a short-term goal during a day, week,
month, year and so on (Sheldon and Eliott, 1999). The time-period for a short-term goal links
with its context in general time line which it’s being applied to. Moreover, the short-term goals
are those which one could realize during the near future, like in a day, in a week or even in the
few months. Additionally, the examples of short-term goals take in completing a pending project.
Short-term goals serve like stepping stones for accomplishing the long-term objectives (Eccles &
Wigfield, 2002). They are easier and simpler to accomplish as compared to the long-term
objectives. Further, accomplishing short-term goals gives a sense of achievement which would
help motivate the individual to pursue other goals. Through setting and laying emphasis on these
short-term goals as well as realizing them, one builds momentum towards accomplishing the
long-term plans (Sheldon & Eliott, 1999).
Moving ahead, companies today lay higher emphasis on short-term goals. The reason
ehind such increasing focus towards short-term goals is that they allow the company to
envisage an immediate target that encourages to reach the goal; reward and build excitement;
feel the high contentment and thrill of accomplishing a goal; evaluate the performance as well as
the techniques followed, facilitating improvement and get prepared to deal with the next issue on
the way to the ultimate objective. Moreover, the overall budget and resource allocation
associated with short-term goals is also low. Also, there is not much complexity in the case of
short-term goals. The objectives are simple with a limited set of milestones. In this era of
increasing complexities and continuously changing consumer needs, organizations opt for
several short-term objectives with a small deadline. As working on long-term objectives usually
ecome complicated and resources get bound. They are then hard to be moved and diverted to
other segments of the work.
After exploring what short-term objectives...