Twenty-seven studies on goal setting were reviewed to evaluate the practical feasibility of goal setting in organizations and to evaluate Locke's theories of goal setting. The organizational research reviewed provides strong support for Locke's proposition that specific goals increase performance and that difficult goals, if accepted, result in better performance than do easy goals. The field studies do not provide relevant evidence concerning Locke's propositions that goal setting mediates the effects of participation, monetary incentives, and performance feedback. The laboratory study concerning monetary incentives produced findings contrary to Locke's theory. Field research is needed that is designed to test the mediation propositions and to investigate the possibility that participation, monetary incentives, and feedback affect performance independently of goal setting or interact with goal setting. Limiting conditions for effective goal setting may be complexity of the job and performance measures, degree of managerial attention and support, interdependence of jobs, and individual traits of employees. (Author/JM)