Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation

Essay

According to the rate "Theory of information processes and systems"

On the topic of: "Tree of goals."

Is done by a student

Ivanov I.I.

Checked:

Petrov A.A.

Irkutsk, 2010

WITH OBSESSION

Introduction.………………………………………………………………………………...3 Theory of the method……………………………………………………… …………………………...3 Method algorithm………………………………………………………………..4 Design principles…………… ………………………………………….…5 Practical example………………………………………………………..6 Conclusion……… …………………………………..…………..………...…7

INTRODUCTION

Any undertaking must have some purpose.

For an organization, the process of choosing a mission and setting goals is a very important factor on the path to success. The goal principle in the activities of an organization does not arise only because it needs to have guidelines so as not to perish in a changing environment. First of all, the goal principle in the activities of an organization arises because an organization is an association of people pursuing certain goals.

People create organizations in order to solve their problems with their help. This means that from the very beginning, organizations have a specific goal orientation. People enter organizations in order to obtain a certain result for themselves. And it also gives the organization a certain goal orientation. Finally, people from the external environment (customers, the public, business partners, etc.), as well as those who are the owners of the organization or work in the organization, pursuing their own goals when interacting with the organization, give its existence a certain direction and thereby developing the target principle in the organization’s activities.

When we talk about the target principle in the behavior of an organization and, accordingly, about the target principle in the management of an organization, we usually talk about two components: mission and goals. Establishing both, as well as developing a behavioral strategy that ensures the fulfillment of the mission and the achievement of the organization's goals, is one of the main tasks of top management and, accordingly, forms a very important part of strategic management.

THEORY OF THE METHOD

The concept of a “tree of goals” was first proposed by C. Churchman and R. Ackoff in 1957 and is an organizing tool (similar to a company’s organizational chart) used to form elements of the company’s overall target development program (main or general goals) and correlate with specific goals various levels and areas of activity.

The novelty of the method proposed by C. Churchman and R. Ackoff was that they attempted to assign quantitative weights and coefficients to various functional subsystems in order to identify which of the possible combinations provide the best return.

The term “tree” implies the use of a hierarchical structure obtained by dividing the general goal into subgoals, and these, in turn, into more detailed components, which can be called subgoals of lower levels or, starting from a certain level, functions.

As a rule, the term “goal tree” is used for hierarchical structures that have strictly tree-like relationships, but the method itself is sometimes used in the case of “weak” hierarchies.

This method is widely used to predict possible

directions of development of science, technology and technology.

Thus, the so-called tree of goals closely links long-term goals and specific tasks at each level of the hierarchy. In this case, a higher-order goal corresponds to the top of the tree, and below, in several tiers, local goals (tasks) are located, with the help of which the achievement of the top-level goals is ensured.

METHOD ALGORITHM

The tree of goals can actually be aimed at achieving

efficiency of information support for management processes, i.e.

the process of developing, adopting and monitoring the implementation of management decisions.

The algorithm for constructing a “goal tree” is as follows:
1. Determination of the general (general) goal;
2. Dividing the overall goal into subgoals (1st level subgoals);
3. Division of subgoals of the 1st level into subgoals of the 2nd level;

4. Dividing level 2 subgoals into more detailed components

(3rd level subgoals);

Elements of goal statement:

Types of goals:

Flexible
achievable
specific
acceptable
joint
measurable

PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTION

The construction of a tree of goals proceeds “from top to bottom,” that is, from general goals to specific ones, through their decomposition and reduction. Thus, the achievement of the main goal is ensured through the implementation of the first level goals.

In turn, each of these goals can be decomposed into goals of the next, lower level. The decomposition can be based on various bases, for example, by areas of activity, and within areas - by subareas, by elements of the organizational structure, by the regional structure of the system, etc.

One of the basic principles of constructing a tree of goals is completeness of reduction: each goal of a given level must be presented in the form of subgoals of the next level in such a way that their totality completely defines the concept of the original goal. The exclusion of at least one subgoal deprives the completeness or changes the very concept of the original goal.

PRACTICAL EXAMPLE OF THE METHOD

To build a “goal tree” I will use a hypothetical

organization, namely the enterprise “Restaurant Food Chain”.

Satisfying the population's needs for high-quality food with high

speed of service.

1. Increase in market share by 3-5% annually

1.1 Marketing research
1.1.1 Market segmentation
1.1.2 Competitor analysis
1.1.3 Demand research

1.3 Attracting new clients

1.3.1 Product quality control

1.3.2 Improving the quality of service in the form of reducing complaints

for service personnel

1.4 Expansion of the restaurant network. Commissioning annually

new restaurant

2. Profit maximization

2.1. Introduction of new equipment and technologies
2.1.1 Conducting your own research
2.1.2 Tracking promising developments of scientific and technological progress

2.2 Cost reduction by 5% quarterly

2.2.1 Increase labor productivity by 15% quarterly

2.2.2 Reducing production costs by 20% annually

2.3 Retaining loyal customers

2.3.1 Providing various discounts

2.4 Improvement of the management process

2.4.1 Ensuring a constant flow of information

3.Formation of a positive image of a fast restaurant

3.1 Charity events, sponsorship

3.1.1 Public donations to charities

needs (orphanages, kindergartens, low-income families)

3.1.2 Establishment of scholarships and grants

Z CONCLUSION

As foreign practice has shown, correctly formulated goals of an enterprise are at least 50% of the success of its activities. After all, the goals of the enterprise determine the strategy of the company’s behavior in the market and much more.

An organization cannot function without targets.

The target principle in the activities of an organization is determined primarily by the fact that its activities are influenced by the interests of various groups of people. The goal in the functioning of an organization reflects the interests of such groups or groups of people as the owners of the organization, employees of the organization, customers, business partners, the local community and society as a whole.

Thus, the “goal tree” itself can be aimed at

achieving efficiency in information support of processes

management, i.e. process of development, adoption and control of implementation

management decisions.

Through the achievement of life goals, the meaning of a person’s life is determined, the same can be said about the existence of every company, be it state-owned, charitable, public or commercial, tree of organizational goals - a simple example. Any enterprise, individual entrepreneur or association pursues its own goals, which are the reason for their functioning and existence. Let's look at different types of tasks and use the example of a company to build an example of a goal tree.

Purpose and mission

Each enterprise, in the process of work, develops its own mission - the main task with which to justify the existence of the organization. For example, for a charity company it is helping people with cancer. For a commercial company - to earn maximum profit, for a social organization - to achieve a significant social task, for example, adaptation of disabled children in the modern world.

The process of achieving the mission will be divided into goals, “steps”, by overcoming which you can get as close as possible to solving the main task.

Types of goals

Any company for the near future sets for itself several aspirations and desires, which can be long-term, medium-term and short-term. It usually takes no more than 12 months to solve a short-term goal, medium-term ones - from one year to five to six years, and at least 5 years are required to solve a long-term problem.

How goals are set

In general, goals for the entire organization or for each of its divisions are set by the center, or decentralized and centralized by department heads. It all depends on what management system is adopted at the enterprise.

The decentralized method of goal setting can develop in two directions. In the first method, bottom-up, goals are initially set in departments, and management, based on them, determines the main tasks of the organization and ways to solve them. In the second method - from top to bottom, large tasks are set by the center, and managers, in order to solve them, locally develop smaller goals and set them for staff and workers.

A task tree using the example of a company is compiled based on an analysis of the impact of the external and internal environment in the enterprise, adhering to the main goal of the organization. And only then are individual and specific goals set.

Tree of goals using the example of an organization

Viewing an example of a goal tree in a graphical display helps to visualize the model of the organization's goals. It makes it easy to organize the importance of tasks. To construct such a graph, there are conditional positions.

The overall mission (goal) of the company is placed at the top of the tree. Then it is divided into separate subtasks, without which the main task cannot be completed. When formulating a task, it is necessary to describe the desired result, but it is not necessary to indicate the method for achieving it. Goals should be on the same level, not resulting from each other and independent of each other.

Each organization has a unique set of goals. However, several areas of activity can be distinguished; any company will find its interest in them:

Production
Personnel Policy
Finance and politics
Sales Policy

The number of levels into which the organization's main task is divided depends on the complexity of the goal, the size of the company, the hierarchy in management and organizational structure.

An example of a tree of organizational goals:

Examples of specific organizational objectives

An organization has its own goals in different areas of activity; let’s look at some of them.

Marketing

Expansion of product range
Market promotion

Production

Development and implementation of modern technologies
Improving product competitiveness
Improved production efficiency
Cost reduction

Staff

Increased productivity
Incentive system
HR optimization
Training

Example of an organization's goal tree No. 2:

Finance

Multiplying investment attractiveness
Improved profitability and solvency
Effective financial management of the organization

Setting goals for an organization is of great importance; it is the basis for building relationships within the organization, and only by solving the assigned tasks can one evaluate and keep under control the progress and results of the work of departments, personnel and the entire structure as a whole.

The concept is quite common among managers and business owners. This is one of the most effective planning methods. It does not represent anything supernatural, and is a reflection of all general principles of planning.

A person’s tree of goals almost always has the same structure - the main goal is the trunk from which subgoals “grow,” and on each “branch” of subgoals tasks can grow. As a rule, when planning achievements using this graphical method, the goal tree in the final result has an inverted appearance, i.e. trunk up and crown down.

How to build a goal tree?

The method of constructing a goal tree was proposed in 1957 by American researchers R. Ackoff and C. Churchman. It helps a person put his plans in order, see in graphical form all his goals and daily tasks on the way to achieving them. Also, drawing up a tree of goals helps to identify possible combinations in the goal-setting process in order to get the greatest return from the result. Today, the goal tree method is used in forecasting various areas of science and technology, as well as for drawing up personal goals or when planning the future activities of an organization or company.

The rules for constructing a tree of goals are quite simple: the main, or as it is commonly called, the general goal should be the top of the tree. Branches become local goals that help achieve top-level goals. The main rule is the completeness of the described goals. Each goal should be presented as subgoals of the next level. Thus, the unification of all goals should fully characterize the main, general goal. To make it more clear how this method is used in practice, consider an example of constructing a goal tree.

Let's say that a large manufacturer of baby food is going to release a new type of product. The main goal of the company is to increase its sales volumes. In graphic form, it will be the trunk of our tree. If you start producing a new product, you will have to reduce the volume of those goods that were produced previously, which means that profits will decrease. On the goal tree this fact will be simply obvious. However, the goal can be adjusted, thereby increasing sales volumes. For example, before introducing a new type of product for sale, you need to analyze the profitability of existing types. And those goods that give the least profit should be replaced with new ones.

We can give another, simpler example of constructing a goal tree. Let's say your main goal is to become a student. At the same time, you have certain resources. For example, a good education and wealthy parents. At the same time, you assess the likelihood of your admission as high - a gold medal, connections at the university, etc. Subgoals in this case will be classes with tutors, taking out a bank loan, finding a job, or communicating with friends from the university to ask for help in enrolling.

The types of goal trees depend on how complex and multi-level the process of implementing the plans will be. However, regardless of the complexity of planning, the principles of constructing a tree of goals remain general:

1. At the very beginning, the goal is formulated in the form of several sentences that should answer the question “what?” What will you see when the goal is achieved, what the company will be like, what people will cook, etc.
2. Defining the concept of a goal should help establish criteria by which in the future it will be possible to verify whether there is progress towards the intended results. The more rigidly it is possible to define the concept of goals, the easier it will be to establish criteria and restrictions for them. An important stage of goal setting is the definition of a strategic goal. It provides such quality as specificity and measurability of the goal.
3. The strategic goal is related to a fairly distant future and differs from what is in the present. Therefore, the question of what events will unfold between the present and the future should be answered by decomposing the strategic goal into subgoals.

Knowing how to build a tree of goals, you can confidently look into the future and plan what this or that action will lead to. To achieve success you need to be able to clearly formulate your goals. They must be specific, measurable by various deadlines and achievable. You can only realize a goal that is within your power and corresponds to your abilities. Everything else is just a waste of time.

The goal tree is a well-known term in management. This is a structured set of goals of an economic system, program, plan, built on a hierarchical principle (distributed among levels).

In 1957, the American scientist Russell Lincoln Ackoff proposed a method for constructing a goal tree. From that time to the present day, this technique has not lost its popularity and is actively used when planning tasks by managers and businessmen.

What is it and what is it for?

The goal tree method is considered one of the most effective methods for task planning. This method includes all the general principles of planning, simple and easy to learn. Essentially, this is a graph reflecting a plan for solving a particular problem.

• The goal tree has a standard structure. The “trunk” of the goal tree is the main problem for which a solution needs to be found.
• “Branches” are tasks of the second, third, fourth and so on levels.

When planning a solution to a problem, a graphical representation of a tree is usually used. In this image, the tree has an inverted appearance, where the “trunk” represents the vertex of the graph and is located at the very top. And from it, the peak, the aspirations of subsequent levels grow, forming the crown.

A graphical representation of tasks in this form helps a person clearly think through a plan for achieving what is planned. By depicting his plans in the form of a graph, a person sees what problems he will encounter and what additional resources he will need to achieve his plans.

The graph also provides an approximate estimate of how long it will take to achieve the goals. With this presentation of the solution to the problem, the connections and dependencies of some tasks on others become visible. Today, the goal tree method is used in scientific forecasting by managers when managing projects, as well as for planning personal issues.

How to build

The rules used to build the goal tree are very simple:

1. First, the main problem that needs to be solved is determined. This will be the top or “trunk” of the tree. This type of task is usually called a general task. As a rule, it cannot be achieved immediately. In order to achieve it, it is necessary to solve other subgoals, the result of which is necessary to fulfill the general one.
   These subgoals will be called “branches”. A branch can also have subgoals.
2. When building a tree of goals, you need to describe each branch clearly and in detail. Each must also have the required number of subgoals in order to be realized. The result should be a tree that completely coexists with the solution to a particular problem. It should contain all the necessary steps and resources to solve the main problem.

Construction principles

Management has adopted the following principles for constructing a tree of goals:

• Consider needs and resources

Setting a goal assumes that there is some problem that needs to be solved. As a rule, tasks that require planning cannot be solved immediately. Because they are quite complex and require an integrated approach to solving.

It happens that a given task cannot be solved because there are not enough resources to solve it. Or there is no way to assess the availability of resources, since the problem is too big. In this case, a goal tree is a good option for analyzing the situation. Consider the needs and resources at your disposal when constructing your goal tree.

• Be specific

Using a goal tree in planning, formulate tasks specifically. Keep in mind that they must be final. Describe the parameters by which it will ultimately be possible to determine whether it is completed or not. It is also necessary to set the time needed to complete the task.

• Break the production into stages

It would be rational to set tasks in several stages. The first step is to set a general goal. Then, resources are searched and analyzed to carry it out. After which, as a rule, you will need to set subgoals. Similarly, resources are also sought for the implementation of subgoals.

Thus, the development of the main task continues until the entire scheme for its solution is thought out. Tasks are refined and clarified as long as necessary.

• Compatibility

Subgoals must be sufficient to solve the main plan, that is, if all subgoals are achieved, this leads to the solution of the main task. It should not turn out that when all subgoals are completed, additional actions or resources will be required to solve the main task. If it turns out this way, then this indicates that the goal tree was built incorrectly.

• Compliance with enterprise structure

If a goal tree is used to organize the work of a business or enterprise, then its structure must correspond to the structure of the enterprise. In such a way that each department or division achieves its aspirations, which in the future should lead to the achievement of the overall vision of the enterprise. This is the most convenient construction of a goal tree for systems consisting of several elements or enterprises.

• Decomposition method

When constructing a goal tree, the decomposition method is often used. The essence of this method is to split the main goal of the highest level into private subgoals. Or, in reverse order, a plan for achieving the highest level plan is drawn up from subgoals. To solve a specific problem, you should always choose the option of creating a goal tree that is most suitable and optimally uses resources.

Construction examples

Let's analyze the construction of a goal tree using the following examples of goals: admission to a university and financial well-being. How to get a goal tree?

The example of entering a university describes the formulation of the main task, subgoals, and allocation of resources. And also how resources are used to resolve the issue. In the example about financial well-being, another option for constructing a graph is considered.

• ADMISSION TO THE UNIVERSITY

Let's say the main task is to enter a university. Building a tree of goals for a future student requires taking into account available resources and identifying subgoals. What resources might there be for entering a university?

Resources in this case include:

1. Education received at school;
2. Family financial capabilities;
3. Connections

Taking into account the available resources, it is necessary to obtain a tree of goals. For this purpose, subgoals are identified. They depend on resources. For example, a family has little finances, no connections, a young man graduated from school without a medal, and has average grades in knowledge.

We get the following subgoals:

1. Establish connections, if possible;
2. Take out a loan for education or find a source of additional income;
3. Study with a tutor.

In turn, these goals may have subgoals. Let's look at the example of goals for classes with a tutor. This should include:

1. Organizing additional income to pay for tutor services;
2. Finding a tutor with the necessary knowledge;
3. Allocating extra time for classes.

Of course, each specific case will have its own resources and options for solving the problem. After all, there are rich parents with connections and a child who does not study well. Then the structure of the entire plan will change very much.

It will also depend on what university a person wants to enroll in. Since for admission, for example, to an ordinary unpopular university, where there is a competition, perhaps one person per place, this is one planning option. But entering a prestigious foreign university is something completely different. Here you will additionally need knowledge of the language, exploring the possibilities of living in another country while studying, obtaining a visa and much more.

• FINANCIAL WELL-BEING

Now let's look at an example of constructing a graph to create financial well-being.
Let's start building a tree of goals by setting the main goal: financial well-being.
The goal tree can be depicted graphically, it will be more clear.

Conventionally, financial well-being can be achieved by achieving three subgoals:

1. Passive income organizations;
2. Active income organizations;
3. Luck and freebies.

Thus, the goal tree has three second-level items. Then each of the points is divided into subgoals, which form the third level. For example, an active income organization may have the following items:

1. Change of place of work;
2. Receiving additional education;
3. Change of profession;
4. Moving to a different city;
5. Independent development in the professional field;
6. Establishing connections within a team;
7. Gaining experience.

Again, this is just a general example. A janitor's ideas and resources for organizing financial success, for example, will be very different from the financial plans of a wealthy businessman. For some, an additional income of several thousand rubles will be a great success or the purchase of a modest home in the suburbs. And for some, the acquisition of another plant will be only a small part of the plan.

Conclusion

Planning your activities using a graph is very convenient. This is a visual tool that allows you to see how tasks and resources interact to solve them.

With the help of such a construction, missing resources are easily detected and new problems appear that need to be solved to replenish the missing resources.

Also, with a graphical representation, it becomes clear how the goals interact with each other, their dependence on each other, the impact of completing a particular task on higher ones, and its significance in the overall result.

The graph is convenient to use not only when running a business or planning work issues. It can be easily transformed to solve personal issues such as studies, finances, self-development and others.

Goal tree – hierarchical visual representation of goal achievement; the principle in which the main goal is achieved through a combination of secondary and additional goals.

The method of constructing a goal visibility tree has long been established in planning production processes. And naturally, it has acquired a huge number of terms (life cycle, delegation of authority, etc.). This blog is dedicated to, not the concept of development of a large enterprise - therefore, I take the liberty of showing a simple structure of a tree of goals with an example of its implementation.

So, the tree method for constructing goals:

From the diagram, I think it’s clear why it’s called Tree of Goals.

Description:

the main objective– this is what we want as a result, our finish, our successful implementation of the goal.

Goals 1, 2, 3…- secondary goals that contribute to the implementation of the main goal, naturally, and in order to achieve secondary goals - you may have to still fulfill, one step down the hierarchy, - goals a And b(That is, like a real tree - there is one pillar and several large branches, which also contain several more branches, but smaller ones... etc., etc.)

Moreover, secondary goals can be like components to achieve the main goal (without their successful implementation, there is no way to achieve the main goal), and additional(can be done, but not advisable).

What is the strength

This type of goal setting is very suitable for creating life guidelines, very large, global ones for your entire life, life mission. It is not suitable for one-day tasks, as well as for small, albeit necessary, purposes.

If you need to clearly imagine the purpose of your life or a very complex and necessary big goal, its place is at the beginning of the hierarchy of the tree.

An example of a goal tree. Step-by-step instructions in a particular case:

One of the most sought-after goals for many people is financial well-being. Here's how it's done.

If you want to present it, you can use Microsoft Office Word -> Insert -> SmatrArt, or a similar program. If for yourself, I strongly recommend that you do it manually – i.e. use (sheet of blank paper + pen or pencil).

1. We set our global goal: Financial well-being.

So we write at the very top:

2. Draw branches - secondary goals

Let's imagine that we have already achieved it - and, as it were, “remember” what was needed for this. — are also appropriate.

Financial well-being is a good flow of money in my direction. Where is the money flowing towards me? (don't forget, we are in the visualization matrix :))

Each person may have his own idea of ​​what wealth is. Here and further I will “promote” my own.

First of all, cash flow can be associated with both passive and active investment. And just in case, there are many miracles in life, perhaps...

A random chance is to raise optimism, and a subtle hint that I don’t know everything, and there may be things that contribute to achieving the main goal, but I’m still too young to know about them.

Now all of the above - again using the method of visualizing goals or your already gained experience... We work through and add to each subordinate branch...

This is what I ended up with: