Comparison and Analysis of Mission Statements
Introduction
Mission statements are important navigational tools that companies must have if they are thinking about the future. They not only enable organizations or businesses to identify the purpose and importance of what they do, but they also enable them to identify the goals that they must commit themselves to pursue. Once the goals have been identified and strategy developed, business organizations or companies can build themselves from the ground up and ensure their stability even in the midst of challenges ahead. In other words, mission statements are the bedrocks of organizations because they ensure that they remain strong even in the midst of challenges. This essay critiques the extent to which Deemah – a Saudi Arabian company in the food industry – complies with its mission statement. Deemah’s mission statement will also be compared to Alsafi Danone’s. Ultimately, the dangers of organizations having flawed mission statements will also be assessed, together with the impact of such flaws on performance.
Analysis of Deemah’s Mission Statement
Deemah is a company that manufactures exports and distributes food products to different countries of the world, such as powdered juice drinks, cream sandwich biscuits, potato sticks, tortilla chips, milk toffees, liquid juice drinks, instant tea bags, and coffee, among other food products (Deemah, n.d.). Deemah’s mission statement, as extracted from its website, is “to empower its people to maximize shareholder returns” by:
- Continuously developing and delivering excellent products.
- Exceeding customer expectations with its brands
- Developing its technological and organizational resources.
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Mission statements guide companies on the right path or in the right direction. They help companies to make decisions that can lead to high profitability. This is to say that without mission statements, companies and businesses may find it difficult to plan for their future because they lack the basis to make such decisions. Deemah’s statement “to empower its people to maximize shareholder returns” seems too shallow and unappealing emotionally. Nevertheless, Deemah has been very truthful to its mission statement above, as evidenced by the way it conducts its activities both within and without. The company not only cares about the quality of products it produces, but it also ensures high-quality standards are achieved in its products by applying advanced technologies to control quality (Deemah, n.d.). Furthermore, the company values the needs and the health of its customers. It strictly adheres to Saudi regulations, and it is also certified by the Saudi Food and Drugs Administration (SFDA). The company is currently preparing for “ISO 9001:2015,” which will not only improve its quality management systems, but it will also lead to more consumer satisfaction (Deemah, n.d.).
Deemah has also lived true to its mission statement in the way it handles its employees. The company understands that every employee has a right to a safe work environment; hence it gives its employees a healthy and safe work environment. Through its safety department, the company is continuously protecting its employees from health hazards and work injuries or accidents. Deemah’s safety department adheres to guidelines by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) (Deemah, n.d.). The company reaches over 72 countries with its products, and it has 20 branches in the United Kingdom alone. This is a clear indication that the company’s image is positive and proof that it is true to its mission statement.
Deemah’s Mission Statement vs. Alsafi Danone’s Mission Statement
Alsafi is a close competitor of Deemah in Saudi Arabia. Although most of their products may differ, they are both in the food industry. Since the company was started in 1981, it has made some tremendous changes in the dairy industry. Alsafi is a very popular company globally, and one of the few that is into the manufacture and distributions of products from dairy. It specializes in products such as yogurt, fresh cream, milk, dessert, juices, among other food products. Alsafi’s mission statement as extracted from its website “To create innovative products that enable our consumers to enjoy good health, a good diet, and a great lifestyle” (Alsafi Danone, n.d.)
Looking at the two mission statements, one can immediately tell that Alsafi’s statement is more appealing than that of Deemah; Alsafi’s statement is emotionally appealing. In other words, it is easier for someone to have an emotional connection to Alsafi’s statement than that of Deemah because the latter is more plain and dry: “to empower its people to maximize shareholder return.” To a layman who does not understand the meaning of the term “shareholder” in Deemah’s statement, for instance, it can be confusing. Deemah’s employees and even customers are unlikely to be inspired or feel connected to its statements. But on the contrary, Alsafi’s statement is more appealing to the emotions and easier to remember because it is energizing and memorable.
Dangers of Flawed Mission Statements
There are a number of challenges that a company may face for having flawed mission statements. For instance, the statement may not define the primary objectives, purpose, and actions of the organization (Costel, 2018). The strategic plan usually reflects organizational elements that are meant to shape and guide business processes. These elements include the vision and mission statement. The mission statement usually defines what the company is focused on while the vision statement speaks in futuristic terms. Mission statements usually involve organizational goals, values, and objectives. Values are fundamental beliefs that dictate or guide organizational or company operations, and they can also be used as the basis for management processes. Goals, on the other hand, describe the strategies that a company adopts so as to maintain its mission. Ultimately, objectives are timed, realistic, action-based, measurable, and specific strategies that organizations use to attain their values and goals (Costel, 2018).
Considering that mission statements are company road maps that define what companies must do for them to achieve their pictured future in terms of returns, market share, performance, and how big they want to grow, flawed roadmaps bring out potentially flawed destinations (Costel, 2018). This means that companies will not only be able to achieve their objectives, but they will also not be able to achieve or attain their goals and values. Additionally, flawed mission statements can potentially lead companies to failure. Because company activities are mostly centered on their mission statements, the activities and operations of a company are likely to be shifted t to the flawed mission statement, which can potentially be different from the goals, aims, and objectives of the company. The reason for this is that mission statements are guiding principles that guide corporate processes in terms of accountability, roles, and objectives.
Based on this information, therefore, companies should try to ensure that their mission statements reflect every dimension of their businesses from the products they produce and sell to the services that they offer. Their mission statements should not only be charismatic, but they should also be dynamic, substantive, and actionable (Watts et al., 2019). This can be achieved by first asking the right questions and by identifying core industry values, the target audience, intended image, etc. Mission statements are also marketing tools that companies must think about, write, and write before arriving at the best. Customers always want positive results, not just fluff and buzz. Therefore, mission statements should be clear descriptions of values that a company or companies intend to offer. They should be objective, focused, clear, and concretely articulated.
Conclusion
The focus of this essay was to identify and analyze the extent to which two Deemah – a Saudi Arabian company in the food industry adheres to its mission statement. As explained, the identified mission statement is emotionally unappealing when compared to Alsafi’s mission statement, although it goes into great lengths to deliver quality to its customers as it promises. There is a need for the company to refine its mission statement to clearly capture what it is all about and to avoid being misled by its current statement. The dangers of a company using flawed mission statements are also described, as explained above. Mission statements give businesses and companies the strategic directions that they need to achieve their objectives, goals, and values. As such, having flawed mission statements can mislead businesses or lead to potentially flawed destinations. As such, it becomes important for companies to make sure that their mission statements are well formulated. By so doing, they will ensure that they not only stay on course, but it is the only way to achieve their strategic objectives. Mission statements should be objective, focused, clear, and concretely articulated.
References
Alsafi Danone (n.d.). Our Company: Our Mission. Retrieved from https://www.alsafidanone.com/our-company
Costel, E. M. (2018). The Pragmatic Nature Of The Relationship Between Identity, Culture And Business Mission: An Approach In The Strategic Management Perspective. Annals-Economy Series, 1, 40-46.
Deemah (n.d.). About Deemah: Mission. Retrieved from https://www.deemah.com/about-deemah/
Watts, L. L., Steele, L. M., & Mumford, M. D. (2019). Making sense of pragmatic and charismatic leadership stories: Effects on vision formation. The Leadership Quarterly, 30(2), 243-259.