Background vs. Objective — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 30, 2024
Background defines the circumstances or situation existing behind a particular event or decision; objective is a specific goal or target to be achieved.
Difference Between Background and Objective
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Background refers to the contextual details that inform or influence a situation, event, or decision. It encompasses past events, cultural settings, and existing conditions that shape the current state of affairs. On the other hand, an objective is a clear, measurable, and specific goal that an individual, group, or organization aims to achieve. It is forward-looking, focusing on desired future outcomes.
Backgrounds are generally descriptive, providing depth and understanding to the current scenario or issues at hand. They help in understanding why things are the way they are. Whereas objectives are prescriptive, outlining what needs to be accomplished to consider an endeavor successful.
In research, the background of a study includes a review of existing literature, previous research findings, and the theoretical framework that supports the research question. While the objective of the research clearly states what the study aims to discover or establish, often formulated as research questions or hypotheses.
In business, the background might detail the company’s history, market environment, past challenges, and successes, which contextualizes its operations and strategies. Conversely, objectives in business are specific targets set during strategic planning, such as revenue goals, market share expansion, or new product development.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Context and conditions influencing an event or decision.
Specific goal or target to be achieved.
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Purpose
Provides understanding and explanation.
Guides actions towards a specific achievement.
Time Orientation
Generally looks at past and present conditions.
Focuses on future achievements.
Role in Planning
Helps in assessing and understanding the starting point or circumstances.
Sets the direction and defines the endpoints of planning.
Nature
Descriptive and informative.
Prescriptive and aspirational.
Compare with Definitions
Background
The setting or situation in which a particular event occurs.
The novel is set against the background of pre-war Europe.
Objective
Uninfluenced by personal feelings or opinions; impartial.
An objective analysis is essential for fair judgment.
Background
A person’s past experiences, education, and family origins.
Her background in law enforcement was crucial in her new role as a security consultant.
Objective
Something aimed at in or as if in attack.
The fort was the main objective of the assault.
Background
The less prominent or visible conditions behind a main figure or subject.
In the portrait, the serene lake in the background contrasts with the vibrant foreground.
Objective
Serving as the object of one's efforts; aimed at.
The objective for the team is clearly defined in the project outline.
Background
The information relevant to a news story or account that enhances understanding.
The journalist provided a detailed background to help clarify the state of the conflict.
Objective
A goal or aim that one strives to achieve.
Their primary objective was to increase customer satisfaction by 20%.
Background
A continuous, ambient process or scenario within which other events unfold.
The ongoing negotiations served as a background to the diplomatic meetings.
Objective
Relating to or denoting a case of nouns and pronouns used as the object of a transitive verb or a preposition.
In the sentence, She saw him, him is in the objective case.
Background
The part of a picture, scene, or design that forms a setting for the main figures or objects, or appears furthest from the viewer
The word is written in white on a red background
The house stands against a background of sheltering trees
Objective
Existing independent of or external to the mind; actual or real
Objective reality.
Background
The circumstances or situation prevailing at a particular time or underlying a particular event
The political and economic background
Background information
Objective
Based on observable phenomena; empirical
Objective facts.
Background
Form a background to
Windswept land backgrounded by the Rockies
Objective
Uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices
An objective critic.
Background
Provide with background
The embassy backgrounded American reporters
Objective
A thing or group of things existing independent of the mind.
Background
The ground or scenery located behind something.
Objective
The objective case.
Background
The part of a pictorial representation that appears to be in the distance and that provides relief for the principal objects in the foreground.
Objective
A noun or pronoun in the objective case.
Background
The general scene or surface against which designs, patterns, or figures are represented or viewed.
Objective
The primary optical element, such as a lens or mirror, in a microscope, camera, telescope, or other optical instrument, that first receives light rays from the object and forms the image. Also called object glass, objective lens, object lens.
Background
A position, area, or situation that is not immediately in one's attention or notice
You can hear traffic moving in the background during the interview.
Objective
Of or relating to a material object, actual existence or reality.
Background
(Computers) The environment in which programs operate that the user does not engage with directly
Processes that run in the background.
Objective
Not influenced by the emotions or prejudices.
Background
The circumstances and events surrounding or leading up to an event or occurrence.
Objective
Based on observed facts; without subjective assessment.
Background
A person's experience, training, and education
Her background in the arts is impressive.
Objective
(grammar) Of, or relating to a noun or pronoun used as the object of a verb.
Background
The cultural or social environment in which a person was brought up or has lived
A class with students from many different backgrounds.
Objective
Of, or relating to verbal conjugation that indicates the object (patient) of an action. In linguistic descriptions of Tundra Nenets, among others.
Background
Subdued music played especially as an accompaniment to dialogue in a dramatic performance.
Objective
A material object that physically exists.
Background
Sound that intrudes on or interferes with an audio recording.
Objective
A goal that is striven for.
Background
Low-level radiation, as from radioactive decay, that exists as part of the natural environment.
Objective
(grammar) The objective case.
Background
Less important or less noticeable in a scene or system.
Background noise
The antivirus program runs on a background thread.
Objective
(grammar) a noun or pronoun in the objective case.
Background
One's social heritage, or previous life; what one did in the past.
The lawyer had a background in computer science.
Objective
The lens or lenses of a camera, microscope, or other optical device closest to the object being examined.
Background
A part of the picture that depicts scenery to the rear or behind the main subject; context.
Objective
Of or pertaining to an object.
Background
Information relevant to the current situation about past events; history.
Objective
Of or pertaining to an object; contained in, or having the nature or position of, an object; outward; external; extrinsic; - an epithet applied to whatever is exterior to the mind, or which is simply an object of thought or feeling, as opposed to being related to thoughts of feelings, and opposed to subjective.
In the Middle Ages, subject meant substance, and has this sense in Descartes and Spinoza: sometimes, also, in Reid. Subjective is used by William of Occam to denote that which exists independent of mind; objective, what is formed by the mind. This shows what is meant by realitas objectiva in Descartes. Kant and Fichte have inverted the meanings. Subject, with them, is the mind which knows; object, that which is known; subjective, the varying conditions of the knowing mind; objective, that which is in the constant nature of the thing known.
Objective has come to mean that which has independent existence or authority, apart from our experience or thought. Thus, moral law is said to have objective authority, that is, authority belonging to itself, and not drawn from anything in our nature.
Background
A less important feature of scenery (as opposed to foreground).
There was tons of noise in the background.
The photographer let us pick a background for the portrait.
Objective
Unbiased; unprejudiced; fair; uninfluenced by personal feelings or personal interests; considering only the facts of a situation unrelated to the observer; - of judgments, opinions, evaluations, conclusions, reasoning processes.
Objective means that which belongs to, or proceeds from, the object known, and not from the subject knowing, and thus denotes what is real, in opposition to that which is ideal - what exists in nature, in contrast to what exists merely in the thought of the individual.
Background
(computing) The image or color over which a computer's desktop items are shown (e.g. icons or application windows).
Objective
The objective case.
Background
(computing) A type of activity on a computer that is not normally visible to the user.
The antivirus program is running in the background.
Objective
The goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable);
The sole object of her trip was to see her children
Background
(physics) background radiation
Objective
The lens or system of lenses nearest the object being viewed
Background
To put in a position that is not prominent.
Objective
Undistorted by emotion or personal bias; based on observable phenomena;
An objective appraisal
Objective evidence
Background
(journalism) To gather and provide background information (on).
Objective
Serving as or indicating the object of a verb or of certain prepositions and used for certain other purposes;
Objective case
Accusative endings
Background
Ground in the rear or behind, or in the distance, as opposed to the foreground, or the ground in front.
Objective
Emphasizing or expressing things as perceived without distortion of personal feelings or interpretation;
Objective art
Background
The space which is behind and subordinate to a portrait or group of figures.
Objective
Belonging to immediate experience of actual things or events;
Concrete benefits
A concrete example
There is no objective evidence of anything of the kind
Background
Anything behind, serving as a foil; as, the statue had a background of red hangings.
Background
A place in obscurity or retirement, or out of sight.
I fancy there was a background of grinding and waiting before Miss Torry could produce this highly finished . . . performance.
A husband somewhere in the background.
Background
The set of conditions within which an action takes place, including the social and physical conditions as well as the psychological states of the participants; as, within the background of the massive budget deficits of the 1980's, new spending programs had little chance of passage by the congress.
Background
The set of conditions that precede and affect an action, such as the social and historical precedents for the event, as well as the general background{5}; as, against the background of their expulsion by the Serbs, the desire of Kosovars for vengeance is understandable though regrettable.
Background
The signals that may be detected by a measurement which are not due to the phenomenon being studied, and tend to make the measurement uncertain to a greater or lesser degree.
Background
An agreement between a journalist and an interviewee that the name of the interviewee will not be quoted in any publication, although the substance of the remarks may be reported; - often used in the phrase "on background". Compare deep background.
Background
A person's social heritage: previous experience or training;
He is a lawyer with a sports background
Background
The part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground;
He posed her against a background of rolling hills
Background
Information that is essential to understanding a situation or problem;
The embassy filled him in on the background of the incident
Background
Extraneous signals that can be confused with the phenomenon to be observed or measured;
They got a bad connection and could hardly hear one another over the background signals
Background
Relatively unimportant or inconspicuous accompanying situation;
When the rain came he could hear the sound of thunder in the background
Background
The state of the environment in which a situation exists;
You can't do that in a university setting
Background
(computer science) the area of the screen in graphical user interfaces against which icons and windows appear
Background
Scenery hung at back of stage
Background
Understate the importance or quality of;
He played down his royal ancestry
Common Curiosities
Is the background always historical in nature?
While often historical, background can also include current conditions and trends that are relevant to the subject or situation.
What is an example of how a business background influences business objectives?
A business with a background in technology might set objectives focused on innovation, while one with a strong sales background may prioritize market expansion.
How can the background of an issue affect its objectives?
The background provides essential insights that shape and sometimes limit the objectives set for addressing the issue.
What is the role of background in setting personal objectives?
Personal objectives are often influenced by one’s background, including education, skills, and experiences, which dictate what goals are realistic and relevant.
How important is objectivity in establishing business objectives?
Objectivity is crucial in business objectives to ensure they are based on factual data and realistic assessments rather than biases or assumptions.
What is a practical method to connect background and objectives in a project?
Conducting a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) can effectively link background conditions with strategic objectives.
Why is it necessary to differentiate between background and objective in communications?
Clear differentiation helps prevent confusion, ensuring that stakeholders understand both the context (background) and the goals (objective).
Can objectives change based on new background information?
Yes, as new background information becomes available, it can lead to adjustments in objectives to better align with the updated context.
Can a lack of background information lead to poorly defined objectives?
Yes, insufficient background information can result in vague or unrealistic objectives, as decisions lack a solid foundation of understanding.
How do backgrounds and objectives interact in academic research?
In academic research, the background forms the basis for defining research objectives, which are designed to address gaps identified in the background.
How do objectives evolve when background conditions change dramatically, such as in a crisis?
Objectives may need to be re-evaluated and adjusted rapidly to respond to new challenges and opportunities presented by the changing background.
Can objectives be effective without a clear background?
Without a clear background, objectives may lack direction and relevance, making them less effective and harder to achieve.
How can one ensure that their objectives are effectively influenced by their background?
Regular review and analysis of the background conditions and adapting objectives accordingly can help maintain alignment and relevance.
What are the risks of not understanding the background when setting objectives?
Misalignment with reality, setting unachievable goals, or failing to address key issues are potential risks of overlooking background.
In what ways do background and objectives shape the outcome of a project?
The background sets the stage and provides rationale, while objectives drive the actions taken, jointly influencing the project’s success.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
