Criteria for an effective Mission statement.
1. Fundamental Purpose of the organization
2. Corporate Philosophy (family oriented, cut throat etc.)
3. Inspirational but realistic.
4. To the point.
5. Informative and motivational
Boeing Mission Statement (1950’s)
Boeing (1950)"Become the dominant player in commercial aircraft and bring the world into the jet age"
-This mission statement of 1950’s Boeing states the fundamental purpose of the organization(commercial air craft); it’s inspirational but realistic(this is obvious because Boeing did bring the world in to the jet age), to the point and also informative and motivational. If I were reading this mission statement in the 1950’s the feeling of determination from the mission statement alone would be enough to make me take a second look at Boeing. The only criteria it does not properly meet is Corporate Philosophy, however one may argue that “becoming the dominant player” gives Boeing a cut throat, determined image with something to prove to the aviation community.
In my opinion this mission statement has done in one sentence what many of today’s companies try to do in a paragraph. Many of today’s companies still come up short. Take for instance Pizza Hut’s Mission statement:
“We take pride in making a perfect pizza and providing courteous and helpful service on time all the time. Every customer says, "I'll be back!"
We are the employer of choice offering team members opportunities for growth, advancement, and rewarding careers in a fun, safe working environment.
We are accountable for profitability in everything we do, providing our shareholders with value growth.”
It is too wordy, and tries to address too many things!
3 comments:
I believe that you should have perhaps found a more updated version of Boeing's mission statement rather than something from 50+ so years ago. Environmental and especially technological factors have certainly changed so I think a more current mission statement would have been better. I agree on most parts about what should be included in a mission statement, but I don't think a mission statement has to be short (explained why later).
In your response to my blog about LVMH's mission statement being too long, I don't believe so. They concisely explain their vision of how they want people to perceive their company. Take for example Whole Food's mission statement which they call their "Declaration of Interdependence." It is a whole page long. To respond to another comment you made on my blog, mission statements are not necessarily meant for customers to remember. They are used as a guideline for the corporation to follow, to make sure that over time, they don't lose their vision.
The length of a mission statement can create debate. I believe that mission statements should be concise but must fulfill your criteria for an effective mission statement as well.
"1. Fundamental Purpose of the organization
2. Corporate Philosophy (family oriented, cut throat etc.)
3. Inspirational but realistic.
4. To the point.
5. Informative and motivational"
The Whole Food Mission Statements is very long but very informative. But I think, and you all may respond to my position, the more concise a mission statement is (a paragraph or two) the more it may resonate in a stakeholders mind even easy repeated as a mantra. Doe the length matter, the content surely does?
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