ABSTRACT
Management by Objectives (MBO) in government is confronted with the same kinds of bureaucratic and political traps which every new program runs into. MBO programs in government will probably have two sets of objectives, one long-range set stated prior to budgeting or resource movement, and the second or short-range set after the budget is decided. A strategic planning system within the MBO system provided much flexibility in moving resources. The most successful application of this plan was executed by one ministate area manager who moved personally and individually with each of the key subordinates through an interview using these four questions as an agenda. The most important single reason for failure of MBO in government is the tendency to treat it as a paperwork system, rather than a face-to-face management system. In an MBO management system, performance review and merit rating must be directly related to goals and results statements, and adjective rating systems abandoned.
