COLLEGE DIRECTORY       :      VISIT ELLER      :      LOG IN 

Press Release

Goals Gone Wild

New paper by UA Eller College professor cautions goal-focused managers

TUCSON, Ariz. – February 12, 2009 – The beneficial effects of managerial goal-setting have been overstated, and the harm caused by those goals has been largely ignored, according to a new paper co-authored by Eller College of Management professor of management and organizations Lisa Ordóñez.

“There is no question that challenging goals can boost on-the-job performance,” says Ordóñez, Levine Faculty Fellow at the Eller College. “But we argue that goal-setting has become over-prescribed. This is a review paper that collects extensive evidence that goal-setting can lead to a rise in unethical behavior, inhibit learning, and result in a host of unintended effects.”

For example, the paper cites a study that found that in order to meet sales goals of $147/hour, Sears auto repair staff overcharged for work and completed unnecessary repairs on a companywide basis (Dishneau, 1992). Similarly, specific, revenue-based goals fueled the success of energy trading company Enron in the late 1990s. “But by focusing on revenue instead of profit, the executives drove the company into the ground,” explains Ordóñez.

Ordóñez and her co-authors recommend that managers ask themselves ten questions before setting goals. These include: Are the goals too specific? Is the time horizon appropriate? How will goals influence organizational culture? And are individuals intrinsically motivated? “For decades, scholars have recommended goal-setting as an all-purpose means of motivating individuals,” Ordóñez says. “But the research is clear that unless the goals are carefully considered and monitored, the results can be disastrous.”

The Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona is internationally recognized for pioneering research, innovative curriculum, distinguished faculty, excellence in management information systems, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility. U.S. News & World Report ranks the Eller undergraduate program #14 among public business schools and three of its programs are among the top 20 — Entrepreneurship, MIS, and Management. U.S. News & World Report ranks the Eller MBA Full-Time program #44 in the U.S. and #21 among public business schools. The College leads the nation’s business schools in generating grant funds for research. In addition to a Full-Time MBA program, the Eller College offers an Evening MBA program and the Eller Executive MBA. The Eller College of Management supports approximately 5,700 undergraduate and 700 graduate students on the UA campus in beautiful Tucson, Arizona.

Press Contact:
Liz Warren-Pederson, Eller College of Management
520.626.9547, news@eller.arizona.edu

For additional information, please contact us.