Terri,
Thank you for your thorough post addressing the significance of mission statements in
businesses of all sizes. As Satterlee explained, effective mission statements, “are those that
clearly communicate to all shareholders what drives the organization” (Satterlee, 2013, p.67). In
other words, the mission statement could be described as a foreshadowing motive behind a
company’s purpose. In order for a company to strive for excellence they must have a mission
statement that resonates and gives meaning behind the direction they are wishing to pursue. By
having a fixed grasp on their mission, companies can then focus on hiring individuals that live
out their mission in day to day operations; further creating an environment in which their
employees can thrive. Modern mission statements have also become, “more sophisticated and
focus on many different elements, among them: leadership in a global setting; collecting,
organizing, providing purpose and fostering intellectual growth” (Salisbury & Griffis, 2014).
Although mission statements are important in all business settings, they are especially
important in larger corporate companies. Having a clear and concise mission statement allows
larger corporations to give meaning to the roles of each individual which offers a sense of
satisfaction knowing that their contribution to the company matters. Being part of a corporate
environment and working for USAA, a Fortune 500 company, has taught my colleagues and
myself the importance of having a “purpose” behind our work. Knowing that our jobs directly
impact the financial security of the military community allows us to strive for excellence while
being innovative in the products and services we offer. It is appropriate to say that a mission
statement is by far one of the most fundamental components of any business or leadership
organization. Without the direction provided from our mission statement the focus of the
company would be lost.
Salisbury, P., & Griffis, M. R. (2014). Academic Library Mission Statements, Web Sites, and
Communicating Purpose. The Journal of Academic Librarianship,40(6), 592-596.
doi:10.1016/j.acalib.2014.07.012
Satterlee, A. (2013). Organizational management and leadership: A Christian
perspective. (2nd ed.) Roanoke, VA: Synergeistics Publishing
Ashley,
Thank you for your informative post about the presence of rules in all aspects of our
being. I appreciate how you noted the importance of rules not only in the business setting, but
also in our day to day lives. Rules should not be seen as a negative aspect within the realm of
business because ultimately they, “help an organization ensure that the workforce understands
the boundaries in which they must operate to secure productive and successful [staff] (Satterlee,
2013, p. 70). In the corporate environments I am familiar with, rules are present to ensure the
organization is being compliant with various banking and insurance statutes while also being
efficient and productive. In the article “The Formal Logic of Business Rules”, Rábová explains
that “rules define constraints, conditions and policies of how the business processes are to be
performed while also affecting the behavior of the resources” (Rábová, 2007). In other words,
rules allow a company to be consistent in the products or services it offers and employees to be
held accountable for following these rules. For example, in many corporate environments,
especially call center environments management sets rules on the number of breaks throughout
the day an employee may take. While this rule may seem impractical to many, from a business
perspective, these rules are set in place to ensure there is enough personnel on the phone
available to answer inquiries from customers that may call into the company for assistance.
Additionally, in the insurance industry, there are many legal disclosures that must be presented to
the consumer before selling an insurance policy to ensure that the buyer is aware of their rights
in the event of a loss. Ultimately, while certain rules may seem cumbersome, they are absolutely
necessary to ensure the success of any entity.
Rábová, I. (2014;2010;). Business rules formalisation for information systems. Acta
Universitatis Agriculturae Et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 58(6), 399-406.
doi:10.11118/actaun201058060399
Satterlee, A. (2013). Organizational management and leadership: A Christian
perspective. (2nd ed.) Roanoke, VA: Synergeistics Publishing
Mallory,
Thank you for your insightful post discussing the importance of
scenario planning within the realm of business. In all aspects of life including
business, one must always be prepared for the unexpected. Just as average
consumers purchase insurance policies and create emergency savings
accounts, companies must have strategies in place to protect from future
unexpected conditions. As Satterlee explains, “scenario planning
acknowledges that an organization’s leaders cannot stop catastrophic events
from occurring, but they can plan for those events” (Satterlee, 2013). Many
times, companies evade planning for possible catastrophes because they
become consumed in the present day to day operations and planning further
growth of their profits. However, it is crucial to dedicate time to develop
several plans if things change drastically in a short period of time.
As you mentioned, the economic recession in 2008 had an
astronomical impact on many individuals and business. Companies went into
a panic, losing billions of dollars which ultimately forced many to declare
bankruptcy. While this major economic catastrophe couldn’t have been
avoided, if scenario planning would have been enforced, companies could
have reacted differently. An article from the journal Futures explains that
“scenario planning stimulates strategic thinking and helps to overcome
thinking limitations by creating multiple futures “(Amer, Daim, & Jetter,
2013 ). In other words, by enabling the practice of scenario planning,
companies can use their imagination and plan for situations that could
potentially never happen, but be better equipped with adequate strategies.
Throughout history, many companies have experienced unfavorable
situations and events that have negatively impacted their enterprise.
However, it is apparent that companies such as Google, Apple, and Disney
are consistently incorporating scenario planning to ensure they are able to
provide their products and services for generations to come.
Amer, M., Daim, T. U., & Jetter, A. (2013). A review of scenario planning. Futures, 46,
23-40. doi:10.1016/j.futures.2012.10.003
Satterlee, A. (2013). Organizational management and leadership: A Christian
perspective. (2nd ed.) Roanoke, VA: Synergeistics Publishing
