Locke and Latham explicitly cite cybernetic engineering as…

April 2, 2026

Continues Locke and Latham described goal-setting as a feedback control loop: the goal is…

Locke and Latham explicitly cite cybernetic engineering as the source of their model — the same closed-loop feedback control behind Watt’s governor and every thermostat.

Ref

A closed-loop feedback control system measures the actual state, computes the error against a setpoint, and actuates to reduce that error — continuously, automatically, and despite external disturbances. — Control theory
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Backlinks

Goal Setting and Task Motivation (Locke & Latham, 2002) This creates an important nuance for the knowledge base's framing of management as feedback control (see xettel, xettel). The user's xettel cards characterize Locke & Latham as borrowing feedback control from cybernetics. The paper tells a more complex story: they use the language of goals and discrepancy, but argue that pure negative feedback is insufficient — feed-forward (setting new, higher goals) is the primary driver. →

Feedback Loops

Goal-Setting Theory — specific difficult goals outperform vague goals; four mechanisms, three moderators (bib)

Self-Efficacy and Goals — Bandura's self-efficacy as the central mediating variable

Discrepancy Production vs Reduction — feed-forward (setting harder goals) vs feedback (closing the gap)

Learning vs Performance Goals — on complex tasks, learning goals outperform performance goals

Locke & Latham (2002) — source summary: 35-year retrospective on goal-setting theory (bib)

2039578081070137359 — Locke & Latham: goal-setting as feedback control (but see discrepancy production for the nuance)

2039578424977850584 — Locke & Latham answered the management question in 1990

2039578726334394790 — they explicitly cite cybernetic engineering as their model

2039579041183998043 — but in practice the management loop is open: quarterly checks, manual action

2039579188970365285 — AI-native companies can close this loop to seconds

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