Effectiveness of mission statements in organizations – A review

Even though mission statements are standard tools in organizations, their effectiveness is subject to substantial skepticism. This review integrates hitherto published research based on a broad range of objective and subjective effectiveness criteria above and beyond financial performance in for-profit as well as not-for-profit organizations. We conclude that the distal outcome effectiveness of mission statements depends on the following antecedents and intermediate outcomes: (1) the rationale underlying their development; (2) the process of their development and implementation; (3) their content and form; and (4) individual attitudes toward the mission statement. We thereby clarify preconditions of mission statement effectiveness in organizations, and reveal shortcomings in current research.