What does the principle of objective require?

• A. Unity of function means similar activities should be grouped together under one department.
• B. Span of control is the number of employees a manager can supervise.
• C. All organisational activities must be directed towards achieving clear goals.
• D. Division of labour means work is divided into smaller tasks.

Answer: (C)

The principle tested is that all organizational activities must be directed toward achieving clear goals. When goals are explicit, every plan, task, and decision is evaluated against whether it brings the organization closer to those goals. This creates a shared purpose across departments, guiding planning, resource allocation, and performance evaluation. For example, if the objective is to improve customer satisfaction, product development, marketing, and service teams align their work so every action moves that aim forward, making coordination smoother and progress easier to measure.

Other statements describe different organizational concerns: one focuses on grouping similar activities under a single department, another on how many people a manager can supervise, and another on breaking work into smaller tasks. None of these by themselves ensure that every activity is aimed at a common objective, which is why the direct emphasis on clear goals is the best fit.