Strategic mission Flashcards
what are the LOs
Define what is meant by vision, mission and strategic intent
explain how a mission statement can be drawn up
describe the typical content of a mission statement
critically explain some of the main drawbacks of mission statements
examine case study examples and visionary leaders
what is a mission (quote)
“is an organisations character, identity and reason for existance” Campell et al. (1990)
what are the 4 segments to Ashridges mission model
strategy, purpose, standards and behaviour and values
explain ashbridges mission model
Purpose- why does the organisation exist
strategy- what is the organisations position in the market
behaviour standards- how does the organisation do things
values- what moral beliefs and principles guide the organisation
what are the 5 components of a mission according to who
market definition
strategic intent
company values
distinctive competencies
competitive positioning
Hooley et al, 1992
what is the mission statement criteria
specific enough to have impact
reflect distinctive advantages
realistic
attainable
flexible
what are the benefits of communicating the mission and what needs to happen
allows employees to learn about the company
provides a way for employees to see through the company, and see the organisations core values
need to keep the mission statement visible to all
need to reinforce the mission frequently
mission statement critique
not always supported by actions of the business
often too vague and general
often merely statements of the obvious
just a PR excercise?
sometimes regarded cynically by staff
Not always a true reflection of reality
To mean anything they must be supported by senior management
Mission statement intro
A mission statement is a statement that provides a signpost of where an organisation aims to be in the future. A firm’s mission statement sets a clear path for the future and gives focus to all involved in an organisation whether it be employees, stakeholders, or consumers. The mission statement should cover two key elements. Firstly, explain to consumers and stakeholders the business your organisation is in. secondly, the mission statement should be motivational and should be made up of a clear and shared sense of direction. This therefore aligns all employees to focus and achieve a common goal (Ward, 2022). An example of a great mission statement is Microsoft’s’. their mission states “to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.’ (Microsoft.com, 2022). This is a great example as it is broad enough scope to explain what the company is capable of, it is inspirational, and it defines Microsoft’s strategy (reaching out to the whole world and making a difference
Mission statement vs vision
The mission statement is different to a vision, this is because a vision is associated with a goal, whereas the mission is related to organisational behaviour. A mission statement provides a greater degree of clarity than a vision, a firm’s vision relies on the strength of its leader (Campbell and Yeung, 1991). Strategic intent is a hybrid of both mission and vision. Strategic intent aims to set out what business an organisation is in and the position in that market (Campbell and Yeung, 1991). Strategic intent has the same flaw as vision, once the goal has been achieved, they have to be redefined. In addition, mission statements are much more valuable than both strategic intent and vision and both do not encompass an organisations values or behaviours. Richard Branson is a key figure in creating motivational and effective mission statements, his mission of trusting and believing in all employees throughout Virgin encompasses the idea of organisational values and behaviours (Virgin.com, 2022).
Drawbacks of mission statements (essay)
Although the theory behind mission statements is positive, in reality they are not as effective. Many firms don’t make any progress towards their goal set in their mission statements as the goal is almost impossible to reach (Bart, 1997). One of the reasons for this is that many goals on mission statements are unclear. If employees deem the mission statements to be too ambiguous, there is little chance they will be able to achieve the goals set out. In addition to this, many senior management members have little confidence in the contents of the mission statements, or that the mission is out of date (Bart, 1997). If managers have no confidence in the mission, lower tier employees will not be motivated by them either. Also, many of senior management do not agree that the mission outlined in their mission statements is the right mission for their company to be perusing (Bart, 1997). Mission statements are supposed to set out company values and behaviours, however if employees cannot agree with these cornerstones of an organisation, missions are not worth the time and money they cost to create.
