Mission statements in modern organizational environment Essay

Mission statements in modern organizational environment - Essay Example From this research it is clear that the continuous expansion of globalisation has led firms internationally to continuously change their strategies, aiming to develop a strategic advantage towards their rivals. The success of firms in the global market has been related to their mission statements, where the organizational values and aims are analysed. Mission statements are used for different purposes by organizations internationally; most commonly, mission statements are used as tools for presenting an organization’s values and directions. However, the role of mission statements in business success is not clear. Moreover, meeting the targets incorporated in the mission statement can be a challenging target for most organizations but not at the same level. The role of mission statements in determining organizational success is examined in this paper; reference is also made to the value of mission statements as elements of the organization. Emphasis is given on the involvement of mission statements in different organizational activities but also on the value of mission statements as tools for promoting business strategies. It is proved that mission statements can help organizations to improve their performance, mainly n the long term, but their ability to offer immediate benefits is highly doubted, taking into consideration the fact that market conditions have been significantly deteriorated increasing risks for firms operating in all industries. 2. Mission statements in modern organizational environment 2.1 The role and value of mission statements as described in the literature Mission statements are commonly used for highlighting an organization’s key values and targets (Lusthaus 2002). In other words, mission statements reveal each organization’s aims, as they are aligned with a series of ethical rules (Little and Marandi 2003). However, the form of mission statements is not standardized. In certain organizations, mission statements are s hort, not particularly descriptive, showing the general framework of organizational activities (Williams and Green 1997). In other cases, mission statements are used as tools for improving the image of the organization in the market and for enhancing the morale of stakeholders (Thompson and Martin 2010). This trend is clear in the literature published in the specific field. In order to understand the role and the significance of mission statements in modern organizations, it would be necessary to describe the context of these statements, as identified in businesses worldwide. Williams and Green (1997) support that the term ‘mission statements’ is often used instead of the term ‘vision statements’. At the next level, Williams and Green (1997) note that ‘a mission statement usually describes the broad direction of an organization’ (Williams and Green 1997, p.22). In this context, a mission statement is used for showing an organization’s ke y values and the nature of its activities (Williams and Green 1997, p.22). Moreover, Kinney and Raiborn (2008) explain that a mission statement is used in order to highlight the purpose of the organization and the ways in which the organization will respond to the needs of its customers. Kinney and Raiborn (2008) also note that organizations tend to use a mission statement along with a values statement in order to strengthen their position in the market. On the other hand, Henry (2008) claims that a mission statement is used just for explaining the reasons for the existence of the organization. Other issues could be possibly incorporated in an organization’s mission statement at the level that they are considered as necessary for improving the organization’s position in the market. According to Trevino and Nelson (2010) mission statements