In the Business Motivation Model (BMM), a Directive is a core concept that represents statements governing or constraining how the business operates. The BMM specifies two distinct types of Directives: Business Policies and Business Rules. A Business Rule is defined as a formal, practicable directive that the enterprise is obligated to follow. It is more specific and less discretionary than a Business Policy. Therefore, a Business Rule is a component, or subtype, of the broader Directive concept.

A. A Tactic is a type of Course of Action (a Means), not a governing statement. It is what the business does, not the rule for doing it.

B. A Strength is a type of Assessment, which is a judgment about an Influencer, not a rule that governs actions.

C. Guideline is not a formal BMM concept. Business Policies, a type of Directive, may provide guidelines, but Business Rules are formal components of Directives.

1. Object Management Group (OMG). (2015). Business Motivation Model (BMM) Specification, Version 1.3. OMG Document Number: formal/2015-08-01.

Section 3.3.2, "Directive," p. 19: "There are two kinds of Directives: Business Policies and Business Rules."

Figure 3.1, "BMM Core Concepts," p. 11: The diagram shows Business Rule as a specialization of the Directive concept.

2. von Halle, B. (2001). Business Rules Applied: Building Better Systems Using the Business Rules Approach. Wiley.

This foundational text, while predating the BMM standard, establishes the concept of business rules as governing statements, a principle formalized in the BMM's Directive category.