Abstract
The accuracy of corporate mission statements has not been well explored. In this study, the authors investigate the relationship between mission statement content and stakeholder management actions. Findings indicate that although social issues such as the environment and diversity are less frequently included, their mention in mission statements is significantly associated with behaviors regarding these issues. The study found no relationship between firms with mission statements that mention specific stakeholder groups (employees, customers, and community) and behaviors regarding these stakeholders. This suggests that the inclusion of specific stakeholder groups in missions is likely the result of institutional pressures, while specifying social issues in missions is related to policy decisions.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Ashforth B. E., B. W. Gibbs 1990. The Double-edge of Organizational Legitimation, Organization Science, 1(2): 177–194
Bailey J. A. (1996). Measuring Your Mission. Management Accounting, 44(3): 44–47
Bart C. K. (1997a). Sex, Lies, and Mission Statements. Business Horizons, 40 (6): 9–18
Bart C. K. (1997b) Industrial Firms and the Power of Mission, Industrial Marketing Management, 26 (4): 371–383
Bart C. K. (1998) Mission Matters. CA Magazine, 131(2): 31–34
Bart C. K., M. C. Baetz (1998). The Relationship Between Mission Statements and Firm Performance: An Exploratory Study. The Journal of Management Studies, 35 (6): 823–853
Bart C. K., N. Bontis, S. Taggar 2001. A Model of the Impact of Mission Statements on Firm Performance. Management Decision, 39(1): 19–35
Bart C. K., M. Hupfer, (2004). Mission Statements in Canadian Hospitals. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 18(2):92–110
Bartkus B. R., M. Glassman, R. B. McAfee (2000) Mission Statements: are They Smoke and Mirrors? Business Horizons, 43(6):23–28
Bartkus B. R., M. Glassman, R. B. McAfee (2004). A Comparison of the Quality of European, Japanese and U. S. Mission Statements: A Content Analysis. European Management Journal, 22, 4, 393–401
Campbell A. 1997. Mission Statements. Long Range Planning, 30(6): 931–932
Campbell, A. and M. Alexander: 1997, ‹What’s Wrong with Strategy?’, Harvard Business Review 75(6), 42–49
Christensen L. T. 1997. Marketing as Auto-Communication. Consumption, Markets, and Culture, 1(1): 197–228
David F. R. 1989. How Companies Define Their Mission. Long Range Planning, 22(1):90–97
Donaldson T., L. E. Preston (1995) The Stakeholder Theory of the Corporation: Concepts, Evidence and Implications. Academy of Management Review, 20(1): 65–91
Drucker P. F. (1973) Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices, New York: Harper & Row.
Fairfax L. M. 2006. The Rhetoric of Corporate Law: The Impact of Stakeholder Rhetoric on Corporate Norms. Journal of Corporation Law 31(3): 675–718
Herbig P., J. Milewicz 1995. To be or Not to be…Credible that is: A Model of Reputation and Credibility Among Competing Firms. Marketing Intelligence & Planning 13(6):24–33
Hillman A. J., G. D. Keim 2001. Shareholder Value, Stakeholder Management, and Social Issues: What’s the Bottom Line? Strategic Management Journal 22(2): 125–140
Ireland R., M. Hitt (1992). Mission Statements: Importance, Challenge and Recommendations for Development. Business Horizons 35 (3): 34–43
Kaptein M. 2004. Business Codes of Multinational Firms: What do They Say? Journal of Business Ethics: 50(1):13–31
Krohe J. Jr. 1995. Do You Really Need a Mission Statement? Across the Board, 32(7): 16–21
Leuthesser L., C. Kohli (1997). Corporate Identity: The Role of Mission Statements. Business Horizons 40(3): 59–67
Levin I. M. (2000) Vision Revisited. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 36(1), 91–107
Mahon J. F., S. L. Wartick 2003. Dealing with Stakeholders: How Reputation, Credibility and Framing Influence the Game. Corporate Reputation Review 6(1):19–33
McKay, B.: 2000. ‹For Coke’s Big Race Lawsuit, a New Wild Card – a Flamboyant Lawyer Known for Winning Big Awards Joins the Fray for Plaintiffs’, The Wall Street Journal, April 14, B1
Meyer J. W., B. Rowan (1977). Institutionalized Organizations: Formal Structure as Myth and Ceremony. American Journal of Sociology 83(2): 340–363
Mitchell R. K., B. R. Agle, D. J. Wood 1997 Toward a Theory of Stakeholder Identification and Salience: Defining the Principle of Who and What Really Counts. Academy of Management Review, 22(4): 853–886
Moore G. 1993. The Demise of Ethical Schizophrenia? Business Strategy Review, 4(1): 53–66
Morsing M. 2006. Corporate Social Responsibility as Strategic Auto-communication: On the Role of External Stakeholders for Member Identification. Business Ethics: A European Review, 15(2):171–182
O’Gorman C., R. Doran (1999) Mission Statements in Small and Medium-sized Businesses. Journal of Small Business Management 37(4):59–66
Pearce J. A., F. R. David (1987) Corporate Mission Statements: The Bottom Line. Academy of Management Executive, 1 (2): 109–116
Pearce, J., II and K. Roth: 1988, ‹Multi Nationalization of the Mission Statement’, SAM Advanced Management Journal (Summer), 39–44
Pfeffer, J. and G. R. Salancik: 1978, The External Control of Organizations, a Resource Dependence Perspective (Harper and Row, New York)
Plender, J.: 2003, ‹Lights Flash’, Financial Times, March 31, 26
Schafer, S.: 2000, ‹Coke to Pay $193 Million in Bias Suit; Black Employees Sought Damages’, The Washington Post, November 17, Final A01
Segal, D.: 1999, ‹Denny’s Serves Up a Sensitive Image: Restaurant Chain Launches PR Drive to Show Minorities It Has Changed Its Ways’, Washington Post, April 7, Final E01
Suchman M. 1995. Managing Legitimacy: Strategy and Institutional Approaches. Academy of Management Review, 20(3): 571–610
Vogt J. 1994. Demystifying the Mission Statement. Nonprofit World, 12(1): 29–32
Waddock, S. and N. Smith: 2000, `Corporate Responsibility Audits. Doing Well by Doing Good', Sloan Management Review 41(2), 75–83. Cambridge. Winter 2000
Wright J. N. (2002) Mission and Reality and Why not? Journal of Change Management. 3(1): 30–44
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Barbara R. Bartkus is Associate Professor at Old Dominion University. She received her Ph.D. from Texas A&M University. Her research interests includes strategic goals, governance and corporate philanthropy.
Myron Glassman is Professor of Marketing at Old Dominion University. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. His research focuses on integrating marketing and management concepts.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bartkus, B.R., Glassman, M. Do Firms Practice What They Preach? The Relationship Between Mission Statements and Stakeholder Management. J Bus Ethics 83, 207–216 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9612-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9612-0