Company Mission Statements Research Articles

An Investigation of Post-Acquisition Satisfaction with the Merger

This article explores post-acquisition attitudes and behaviors and the impact of merger satisfaction on attitudinal and behavioral outcome variables. The sample for the study comprises 2,845 employees in one division of a large manufacturing company. Results show significant differences in merger satisfaction both within and between acquiring firm and acquired firm employees. Level of individual satisfaction with a merger was also found to be strongly associated with several key attitudinal and demographic variables, including satisfaction with supervision, satisfaction with career future and company identification, communication with top management, agreement with the acquiring company's mission statement, turnover intent, and union status.

Sharing the vision: Company mission statements in Britain and France

Company Missions in Britain and France are compared in two respects: the content of the mission statement and the extent of participation in the drafting process. Concurrent research in British and French companies shows that, despite some superficial similarities, there are major differences in the content, development process and impact of the missions in the two countries. This study examines these differences in some detail and develops a model for the analysis of company missions in an international context. In a practical sense the article also offers some useful insights into the business culture and decision making processes in Britain and France.

Mission statements: Selling corporate values to employees

This article investigates the reasons for the increasing use of the Company Mission Statement. Using information from a survey of U.K. companies in 1989 it looks at the types of statements issued by companies, their content, usage, and value to managers. Of particular interest is whether the mission is primarily used for the motivation of staff, or for external image building. Related issues are the value of the mission drafting process in bringing managers together to agree common objectives and the use of a hierarchy of statements to reconcile internal and external stakeholders' interests. The conclusion is that the Mission, which includes a statement of company values, is an important tool for managers to assert their leadership within the organization.