Mission statements in organizational strategy and communication

¶ … company or organization. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making. Such a statement provides the framework or context within which the company's strategies are formulated. It should incorporate socially meaningful and measurable criteria addressing concepts such as the moral/ethical position of the enterprise, public image, the target market, products/services, the geographic domain and expectations of growth and profitability. The intent of the mission statement should be the first consideration for any employee who is evaluating a strategic decision. The statement can range from a very simple to a very complex set of ideas. Regardless of the industry, organizations should develop a mission statement, along with a vision statement. However, the mission statement must be tailored and reflective of the respective organizational arena, such as a nursing and education.

Nursing Organization's Mission Statement

The field of nursing seeks to improve the welfare of others. Members of the American Nurses Association strive to align his or her actions with its mission statement, "Nurses advancing our profession to improve health for all" (The American Nurses Association, Inc., 2012). Its mission statement is clear and succinct. Interestingly, when comparing the ANA mission's statement to St. Vincent Hospital, the focus is still on excellence in patient care, "dedicated to providing quality patient care with unrelenting attention to clinical excellence, patient safety and an unparalleled passion and commitment to assure the very best healthcare for those we serve" (St. Vincent Hospital, n.d.). The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the only full-service professional organization representing the interests of the nation's 3.1 million registered nurses through its constituent member nurses associations and its organizational affiliates. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. Although the ANA's mission statement is laced with self-interest, it does contain aspects of altruism.

Educational Organization's Mission Statement

The field of education seeks to improve knowledge and skills of others. Employees of educational institutions strive to fulfill the established mission to achieve its objectives. For example, University of Phoenix (UOP) is the largest private online educational institutions. Its mission statement seek to serve others, "University of Phoenix provides access to higher education opportunities that enable students to develop knowledge and skills necessary to achieve their professional goals, improve the productivity of their organizations and provide leadership and service to their communities" (University of Phoenix, Inc., 2012). When comparing University of Phoenix's mission statement to ASU, a public university, it is unclear as to who are the benefactors. ASU's mission statement, "To establish ASU as the model for a New American University, measured not by who we exclude, but rather by who we include; pursuing research and discovery that benefits the public good; assuming major responsibility for the economic, social, and cultural vitality and health and well-being of the community" (Arizona State University, n.d.). Although two educational institutions have created mission statements, each has a different focus and vision.

Comparison & Contrast

When analyzing the ANA and University of Phoenix mission statements, it is evident that both seek to improve and to enrich the lives of others. Similarly, both are altruistic in nature and are in the pursuit of excellence in service delivery. Providing access to services for all are goals of both. Each statement has hidden self-interest agendas. An organization must exercise care when constructing its mission statement; otherwise, its intent may be misconstrued. When members or employees read an organization's mission statement, he or she forms an opinion as to the intent and direction. Subsequently, he or she mentally assesses whether the organization's mission aligns with his or her personal mission.

In contrast, one focuses on the welfare of the body, while the other focuses on the development of the mind for knowledge. ANA's statement is clear and succinct, while UOP renders a rather long statement with latent meanings. It is evident of ANA's self-interest, but it is not evident of UOP's self-interest. Interestingly, UOP does not mention the profit-driven motive. As the number one online private institution, its journey has been supported with expensive tuitions and fees. Even though it desires to provide higher education access to all, UOP will continue this mission only if it is profitable.