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ends

English translation: purpose, objective

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:ends
Selected answer:purpose, objective
Entered by: Michael Powers (PhD)

12:37 Jul 24, 2004
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Social Sciences - Management
English term or phrase: ends
Most corporate change programmes mistake means for ends, process for outcome. The solution: focus on results, not activities.
What is the meaning of the word 'ends'?
adda
purpose, objective
Explanation:
method or process vs. the actual purpose or objective

Mike :)

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Note added at 5 mins (2004-07-24 12:42:44 GMT)
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Merriam-Webster 11th edition

Definition 4a of \"end\" as a noun

an outcome worked toward : PURPOSE *the end of poetry is to be poetry — R. P. Warren* b : the object by virtue of or for the sake of which an event takes place

Mike :)
Selected response from:

Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 15:46
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +8purpose, objective
Michael Powers (PhD)
5 +2final results
Refugio


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +8
purpose, objective


Explanation:
method or process vs. the actual purpose or objective

Mike :)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2004-07-24 12:42:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Merriam-Webster 11th edition

Definition 4a of \"end\" as a noun

an outcome worked toward : PURPOSE *the end of poetry is to be poetry — R. P. Warren* b : the object by virtue of or for the sake of which an event takes place

Mike :)

Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 15:46
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Richard Benham: I actually had quite a detailed answer to anearlier version of this question, which got squashed before I could post my answer. "Means" and "ends" are often contrasted, as in "the end doesn't justify the means" or "a means to an end".
6 mins
  -> I agree with your explanation, Richard. I squashed the question before because only one word was highlighted and it requested the meaning of the sentence; furthermore, it requested the expalantion be in English, implying a translation was desired. - Mike
agree  Maya Gorgoshidze
12 mins
  -> Thank you, Maya - Mike :)
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
26 mins
  -> Thank you, Marju - Mike :)
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
44 mins
agree  Sol
2 hrs
disagree  Refugio: Not actually. The program might have had very fine goals, which in the end were not achieved.
3 hrs
agree  airmailrpl: objectives
4 hrs
agree  Jacqueline McKay (X)
6 hrs
agree  Eva Karpouzi
15 hrs
agree  Aleksandra Gjoreska
8 days
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
final results


Explanation:
Although ends can sometimes mean purposes or objectives, in this case it refers instead to end results. This is shown by the words 'outcome' and 'results.' The meaning of the two sentences, taken as a whole, is that corporate change may or may not be achieved by having performed a prescribed series of activities. Simply going through the motions is not enough. Only an in-depth evaluation at the end of those activities can determine whether true change has occurred.

Refugio
Local time: 12:46
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  DGK T-I: in this case 'outcome' /final results/how it ends up (which may or may not be the original purpose/"end intended")
17 hrs
  -> Thank you, Giuli.
agree  Margaret Lagoyianni
17 hrs
  -> Thank you, Margaret
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