Which of the following is NOT one of the three objectives in MBO?

• A. Financial performance
• B. Performance
• C. Behavioral
• D. Learning

Answer: (A)

In MBO, the focus is on three kinds of objectives: performance, describing the results or outputs we aim to achieve; behavioral, detailing the actions and behaviors needed to reach those results; and learning, focusing on developing the skills and knowledge required to improve performance. Financial performance, while an important outcome for the organization, is not counted as one of these three objective categories within the classic MBO framework. It often serves as an overall result or measure of success that comes from achieving the performance, behavioral, and learning objectives, rather than being a distinct objective type itself. Therefore, financial performance is the option that isn’t one of the three MBO objectives. The other choices align with the familiar trio: performance targets the outcomes, behavioral targets the required actions, and learning targets the development needed to reach those outcomes.