What are the differences between the general objective and specific objectives?

Everyone at some point has heard about it general objective and the specific objectives. However, many times they do not know how to define it, much less make a comparison between them.

The first thing to consider is knowing the meaning of each type of objective and the characteristics that each one presents. After this, an adequate comparison can be made and established what are their most important differences.

To begin, it is important to clarify that every project, organization, research, business or marketing plan, among many others, must have their goals well defined. In this sense, it is when both the general objective as specific objectives.

The general objective of an investigation, a work plan or any type of project, is the formulation of what you want to achieve at the end of the activity in question. This is the north that is expected to be achieved and the guide that guides the course of efforts and resources.

On the other hand, as its name implies, the specific objectives are several goals. In addition, they have less scope and are more precise than the general objective, from whom they are released. Likewise, the achievement of each of these specific objectives leads to the achievement of the final goal of the project or research.

Characteristics of the General Objective and Specific Objectives

A well-formulated general objective must meet the following characteristics:

• Its formulation is after the recognition of a need and the approach of a problem that can be addressed.
• It arises from a detected need that requires a solution.
• It is broad and is achieved in the medium or long term.
• It is the final goal that you want to achieve with a research work, a project, an undertaking in a company or any other type of organization.
• It must be clear, understandable, concise and concrete.
• It must be feasible, it must be possible to achieve it, it must have the ability to be carried out.
• It should not be ambiguous, nor should it allow for the possibility of confusion.
• They must allow flexibility, they must not be rigid or static. Likewise, they must allow modifications, in the case of companies, their general objective allows changes that help the organization to adjust to new tastes in customers, new technologies in the market or general situations, otherwise they would not be able to survive.
• They must be measurable, they must allow measurements and comparisons.
• You must be able to determine whether it was complied with or not.
• It is very important that it is consistent, it cannot be contradicted.
• It must be universal and must be related to specific objectives.
• It is the point from which the formulation of specific objectives must start.
• The general objective is achieved when each of the specific objectives derived from it have been achieved.

For their part, the specific objectives are characterized by:

• Come from the general objective.
• Its formulation is subsequent to that of the general objective.
• They must be precise, clear, concise.
• They are achievable in the short term.
• When formulating them, it is intended to obtain a response or action that contributes to the achievement of the general objective.
• Are punctual.
• They must be measurable, they must allow them to be measured.
• They allow comparison.
• They generally answer the questions:
  1. What to do?
  2. What do you want to obtain?
  3. What are you looking for?
  4. How can it be done?
  5. It required?
  6. Where do you want to go?
• It must be delimited in time.
• They must be realistic and achievable.
• They are action guides, so they contribute to having a clear idea of ​​how to limit resources to each action.

Differences between the general objective and the specific objectives

The most notable differences between the general objective and the specific objectives They are:

• The general objective is the main idea or focal point of a research or project. Whereas, the specific objectives are the secondary ideas that allow you to detail more precisely,
• The general objective is broad and universal in the development of work, project or research. On the other hand, the specific objectives are much more detailed.
• The general objective contains the problem of the work or project and its hypothesis. Instead, the specific objectives mark the stages to follow, the sequence of tasks to achieve a solution to the problem.
• An example of a general objective could be: Design the uniform of the national women's football team for the 3,000 World Cup.
• Examples of specific objectives can be:
  1. Choose the type of fabric that minimizes the sweating of the players of the national women's soccer team for the 3,000 World Cup.
  2. Determine the most favorable colors for the uniform of the national women's soccer team for the 3,000 World Cup.
  3. Calculate the material and financial resources that are needed to prepare the uniform of the national women's soccer team for the 3,000th World Cup.
  4. Develop the uniform prototype of the national women's soccer team for the 3,000 World Cup.