According to Moeller et al, goal setting is the process of 

establishing specific and effective

targets for task performance. Locke, et al also provided evidence that goal setting has a
positive influence on task performance. Before the 1960s, some researchers began to study the
effectiveness of setting goals in business. The results showed that goal setting has a positive
influence on workers’ performance.
https://opentext.wsu.edu/theoreticalmodelsforteachingandresearch/chapter/goal-setting-theory/
 Edwin A. Locke developed this theory in 1968 in his article, "Toward a Theory of Task
Motivation and Incentive.” In this article, Locke showed how employees are more motivated by
well-defined goals and constructive feedback and are more likely to accomplish these goals
when they are specific and measurable.
In addition to setting clear goals, Locke emphasized the fact that employees work well when they
are faced with challenging goals. Tackling these more difficult goals forces employees to work
hard and develop their skills, and, as a result, receive positive feedback and an overall sense of
achievement. This, in turn, may result in improved employee engagement, productivity and
satisfaction in the workplace. Locke's research showed that the more difficult and specific a goal
is, the harder people tend to work to achieve it.
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/goal-setting-theory#:~:text=Goal
%2Dsetting%20theory%20is%20an,well%20as%20bolster%20employee%20engagement.
Goal-setting theory of motivation suggests that managers and subordinates should set goals for
an individual on a regular basis, as suggested by Management by Objectives (MBO).
Employee goals shouldn’t be set top-down. Instead, goal setting should be made as a
collaborative effort to get buy-in on employee goals from employees and managers.
Managers have a good bird’s-eye view of team and business priorities, which can help them
identify useful performance benchmarks for their team. However, it’s important to bring
employees into the conversation and include them in the goal-setting process.
When employees participate in setting goals for themselves, they are more likely to be invested
in their performance from the beginning and are more accountable to the results.
https://www.quantumworkplace.com/future-of-work/employee-goals
By setting goals, you are providing yourself with a target to aim for. A SMART goal is used to
help guide goal setting. SMART is an acronym that stands for
 Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. Therefore, a SMART goal
incorporates all of these criteria to help focus your efforts and increase the chances of achieving
your goal.
https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/smart-goal/
Thus, the general objective of PAUL can be set as expanding more branches and executing the
franchise plan.
By setting goals, you are providing yourself with a target to aim for. A SMART goal is used to
help guide goal setting. SMART is an acronym that stands for
 Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. Therefore, a SMART goal
incorporates all of these criteria to help focus your efforts and increase the chances of achieving
your goal.
Often, individuals or businesses will set themselves up for failure by setting general and
unrealistic goals such as “I want to be the best at X.” This goal is vague, with no sense of
direction.
SMART goals set you up for success by making goals specific, measurable, achievable, realistic,
and timely. The SMART method helps push you further, gives you a sense of direction, and
helps you organize and reach your goals
https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/smart-goal/#:~:text=The
%20Importance%20of%20SMART%20Goal%20Setting&text=SMART%20goals%20set
%20you%20up,organize%20and%20reach%20your%20goals.
In terms of S, that is Specific:
Your goal should be clear and specific, otherwise you won't be able to focus your efforts or feel
truly motivated to achieve it. When drafting your goal, try to answer the five "W" questions:
Provides a clear description of what needs to be accomplished.  Consider it in quantifiable terms
and determine what actions you need to get there
The first set KPIs must meet this requirement.
Next, it is M for Measurable
After setting your specific goal, it is time to evaluate how you will take action to measure it. This
step in the SMART process prompts you to apply methods of measuring your progress toward
achieving your goal. Being measurable also takes into account any actions you would implement
to help you further your progress toward your goal. For instance, this may take the form of
tracking the time it takes you to complete an action or meet a milestone. With specific criteria
that measure your progress toward the accomplishment of the goal.
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-smart-goals
A is Attainable: Setting an achievable goal means choosing an objective that, while it requires
you to push yourself, is also attainable. If you pick a goal that you know is outrageous – say
you’re currently earning $30,000 and want to earn $5 million next year – you’re most likely
going to come up short of your goal. When you create a goal that’s too lofty, it can seem
impossible, and you may eventually give up. Use SMART goal setting to ensure you can achieve
tangible progress and avoid setting yourself up for failure with out-of-reach goals.
R for Relevant:
 make sure your goal is something you will have the time and energy for. While setbacks can be
a catalyst for change and re-energize you, if your goal is not realistic, you will find it difficult to
get back on track. Employee goals need to feel relevant both for the business context and the
team member’s professional aspirations. When the organization sets goals with employees, look
for ways to align their personal motivators with the team goals.
https://www.tonyrobbins.com/career-business/the-6-steps-to-a-smart-goal/
Last one is T for Time-based:
Time-bound refers to the timeline you set for working toward your goals as well as how long it
will take you to meet milestones and achieve your final results. A SMART goal must be time-
bound in that it has a start and finish date. If the goal is not time-constrained, there will be no
sense of urgency and, therefore, less motivation to achieve the goal
https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/smart-goal/
Paul có thể áp dụng smart criteria strong việc setting its objectives như sau:
For example:
Paul’s sales department đặt ra chỉ tiêu là phải tăng doanh thu, cụ thể là Paul set target đạt được 3
tỉ VND trong first quarter năm 2022. Sau khoảng thời gian đó, Paul nhận thấy số liệu thực tế
công ty đạt được là 3.1 tỷ VND, vượt chỉ tiêu hơn 3%. Đây rõ rang là một postitive indicator and
can be regarded as green performance. Về phía phòng ban customer service của Paul, chỉ tiêu
manager đặt ra là increasing customer satisfaction, cụ thể mục tiêu là getting 90% of total
customers rating 5 stars for its service. This target is achievable because cho đến hiện tại thì có
khoảng 70% khách hàng của Paul đang làm việc này. Và số liệu thực tế ghi nhận là phần tram
khách đánh giá 5 sao cho công ty bị giảm xuống 5% so với dự tính ban đầu, which is acceptable
bởi vì đây chỉ là số liệu khá nhỏ. Bên cạnh đó con số 85% cho thấy Paul đang sát gần với mục
tiêu cuối cùng. Vì thế, this performance is graded Amber. Cuối cùng là phòng ban HR
department, this division đặt ra chỉ tiêu giảm employee turnover rate của Paul xuống dưới 15%
cũng trong quý đầu của năm 2022 và số liệu cho thấy chỉ số đó không chỉ giảm mà còn tăng vọt
lên gấp đôi, which is which is an alarming signal; the department must make appropriate
adjustments to improve the situation.