Mission statements are formal documents that state the organization’s mission. There is no standard format, but the four element Ashridge model of mission is a good basis for writing a mission statement. Mission statements are published within organizations in order to promote desired behavior: support for strategy and purpose, adherence to values and adoption of policies and standards of behavior.
Benefits of Mission Statements
Benefits claimed for mission statements are that they:
Provide a basis for the control of organizations, i.e. managerial and operational goals can be set on the basis of them.
Communicate the nature of the organization to stakeholders.
Help to install core values in the organization.
Some are suspicious of mission statements:
They are often public relations exercises rather than an accurate portrayal of the firm’s actual values.
They can often be full of generalizations from which it is impossible to tie down specific strategic implications or develop meaningful strategic objectives.
They may be ignored by the people responsible for formulating or implementing strategy.
The importance of mission to corporate strategy
The role of mission in strategy is determined by the approach to strategy formulation:
1. Rational approach: Mission is the starting-point of strategy formulation. Once it is decided then it is the basis for the setting of strategic objectives and any strategy developed must be shown to be consistent with the mission before it is adopted. The culture and values of the organization must be molded to serve the strategy.
2. Strategic management approach: Mission is embedded in the culture of the organization and used to generate strategic initiatives.
The authors of the Ashridge model claim their model suits either view because, regardless of whether strategy is formulated bottom-up or top-down, all four elements will have to be in place and congruent if the strategy is to be fully successful.
Missions of easyJet and The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)
easyJet is a listed company offering a no-frills airline service between UK and other European airports.
easyJet mission statement:
‘To provide our customers with safe, good value, point-to-point air services. To effect and to offer a consistent and reliable product and fares appealing to leisure and business markets on a range of European routes. To achieve this we will develop our people and establish lasting relationships with our suppliers.’
The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is a not-for-profit educational foundation that develops and examines internationally curricula for school-age pupils. International Baccalaureate Organization mission statement”
‘The International Baccalaureate Organisation aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
To this end the IBO works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.’
