Final answer:
Operational goals are indeed necessary at all levels of an organization to ensure uniform progress towards its larger objectives. These goals need to be both achievable and appropriate to be effective, and closely aligned with the organization's long-term success and sustainability.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is true that operational goals are expected from departments, workgroups, and individuals within an organization. These goals are vital in ensuring that each part of the organization contributes to the overarching objectives. To be effective, these goals need to be achievable and appropriate, allowing for clear articulation of how the goals can be realized through meticulous planning.
For example, as detailed in FIGURE 15.9, the Department of State operates at multiple levels, each with focused capacities, to fulfill the department's larger goals. Similarly, a president might encounter challenges in aligning the priorities of his staff with his own to ensure that departments provide speedy and simple responses to inquiries. This alignment is essential for the organization to respond effectively to the demands placed on it by both internal and external stakeholders.
In accordance with the idea expressed in statement 51, activities not contributing to ultimate success (true sustainability) are deemed to be steering towards failure. Therefore, the operational goals set by an organization must be directly linked to its long-term success and sustainability.