Management is responsible for setting and achieving objectives for the organisation. It has to achieve a variety of objectives in all areas considering the interest of all stakeholders including, shareholders, employees, customers and the government. The main objective of any organisation should be to utilise human and material resources to the maximum possible advantage, i.e., to fulfill the economic objectives of a business. These are survival, profit and growth. The basic objectives of any business is survival. Management must strive to ensure the survival of the organisation. In order to survive, an organisation must earn enough revenues to cover costs. Mere survival is not enough for business. Management has to ensure that the organisation makes a profit. Profit provides a vital incentive for the continued successful operation of the enterprise. Profit is essential for covering costs and risks of the business. A business needs to add to its prospects in the long run, for this it is important for the business to grow. To remain in the industry, management must exploit fully the growth potential of the organisation. The growth of a business can be measured in terms of sales volume increase in the number of employees, the number of products or the increase in capital investment, etc. There can be other indicators of growth.

Why is survival considered a basic objective for any business?

It covers costs

Survival stands as the fundamental objective for any business. Management's concerted efforts are directed towards securing the organization's survival, a goal necessitating the generation of sufficient revenues to offset costs. However, mere survival does not suffice in the business realm. It becomes imperative for management to guarantee the organization's profitability in addition to its continued existence.