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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 92 (2013) 323 – 327

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2013)

Performance and Excellence in Defining, Asserting and

Concretizing the Mission of Business Organization
Marius Costel Esi a*
a
tefan cel Mare University, 13 Universit ii, Suceava, 7220229, Romania

Abstract

Economic reality reveals social considerations, given the fact that it is aimed a materialization of the management strategy
on business organization's mission. Therefore, the object of this research is represented by the question of the relationship
between performance and excellence at the organizational level. Under these conditions, assuming such options aims, on the
one hand, an economic analysis of what the mission of an organization represents, and on the other hand, an investigation
focused on the identification and the management of the premises underlying its definition and enunciation. From the
methodological point of view, this research is organized in an explanatory approach whose aim consists in analyzing the
performance and the business excellence within the organization. In this regard, as a result of some significant changes at the
society level, we support the idea that the analysis of the business organization's mission should be linked to a pragmatic
approach which implies an efficient management strategy.
The present interest and the importance of this approach express the fact that economically, but also socially, an important
role in explaining the business organization's mission is represented by the contextual pattern. Thus, the comprehension of
typology and the establishment of some well-founded management strategies (at the organization level and at the business
level) represent evaluation criteria and performance analysis in business administration. Therefore, the particular meanings of
a social reality generate specific attitudes for managers to assume the business organization's mission.

© 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

© 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Lumen Research Center in Social and Humanistic Sciences, Asociatia
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Lumen Research Center in Social and Humanistic Sciences, Asociatia Lumen.
Lumen.

Keywords: Business Organization, Organizational Strategy, Strategic Management, Organizational Culture, Economic Environment

* Corresponding author. Phone.: +40-748-990-272

E-mail address: mariusesi@[Link]

1877-0428 © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Lumen Research Center in Social and Humanistic Sciences, Asociatia Lumen.
doi:10.1016/[Link].2013.08.679
324 Marius Costel Esi / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 92 (2013) 323 – 327

Introduction

Performance and excellence in defining, asserting and concretizing the mission of businesses organization
involve taking into account the social, economical and political context in which they are stated. In this manner,
resolutions that are taken at the level of the businesses organization must be corroborated, from the decision
making point of view, with the initial requirements of the entrepreneurs. It is about assuming the idea according
to which the context generates some requests. Furthermore, the role that the decision making actors have in
certain terms of management highlights the need of a pragmatic approach with regard to defining, asserting and
concretizing the mission of business organization.
At the same time, we specify that this analysis is justified considering the realistic interpretations of the role
the organizational mission holds, illustrating how performance is further reflected at the level of business
organizations. Economic reality reveals social aspects that underlie the validity of particular significances, as the
establishment and the implementation of mission into business organization. Therefore, being given the
metamorphoses occurred in time in society, the manager of a business organization must assume both, mission
and proposed goals. In other words, organizational behaviour must be correlated with psychological, social and
political factors (Toffler, 1996).
We consider that this assumption allows us to accept the idea according to which organizational behaviour
constitutes a landmark, in terms of shaping both, mission and vision at the organizational level. We have
specifically in view what represents the structure of organizational behaviour: systematization, motivation,
communication, responsibility in the assumption of certain objectives specific to the decision making process
(Drucker, 1955). Therefore, in accordance with the position expressed by Drucker, from the methodological
standpoint, the purpose of this explanatory approach consists in analyzing how it is possible to define and
publicly state the mission of a business organization.

1. Business management between performance and excellence

The mission of a business organization constitutes the synthetic framework of appreciation of the global law
of organization’s economic function, representing the reason to activate in order to create value for society, but
also to determine the evolution of system towards transforming the correspondent vision into reality. The drafting
process of the mission sets a series of desirable coordinates of business organization functions. Therefore, this
approach is focused, at first instance, on identifying target groups, namely the category of consumers.
Necessarily, in defining the mission, the foundation is laid on signalling a need, a requirement for coverage a
specific domain, and provides for implementation procedures and methods appropriate for this purpose.
At the same time, the general features, evident at the level of business organization, require to assume a
reference of value, according to which, on one hand, are achieved certain social correspondence between
performance and competition, and on the other hand, is aimed the understanding of the consequences deriving
from the adoption and the implementation of certain organizational “philosophies” (Franco-Santos, Lucianetti, &
Bourne, 2012).
The definition and the enunciation of the mission of a business organization requires, in a pragmatic manner,
an approach of systemic character. Considerations that underlie this reason stem from the fact that such an
approach requires the use of a wide variety of methods and concepts. Moreover, within such a systematic
approach, the applications of an interdisciplinary nature play an important role.
Under these conditions, the definition and the enunciation of the mission of a business organization primarily
requires a conceptual-linguistic adequacy to the nature of intentions listed in the organization’s managerial plan.
Therefore, stating clearly and realistically the organization's mission further allows the continuation of this
demarche in setting goals and strategies. In this mode, one can formulate purposes and strategies at every level
(units, departments, jobs).
 Marius Costel Esi / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 92 (2013) 323 – 327 325

Stating the organizational mission involves thereby a specific discursiveness at a conceptual level. In this
respect, we consider that stating a mission falls in a “linguistic formalism” designed to capture the specifics of the
activities to materialize in the future. Through this “linguistic formalism” is possible to quantify the
organizational vision (Kaplan, Norton & Barrows, 2008), which most often is vaguely expressed (e.g. “To be our
Customers' preferred provider”). The vision’s quantification reveals a focalisation on the strategies that, in their
turn, emphasize measurable outcomes and expected values. Therefore, the organizational vision (vision
statement) requires a clear framework of directions and expectations, according to which the entire strategy can
be determined. Vision, unlike the mission, involves concurrently the establishment of values and draws several
directions to follow. In other words, the mission is set on purpose and the vision adds to the stated mission the
coordinates of a proposed goal.
Furthermore, defining and stating the mission of a business organization requires taking into account some
issues surrounding the conduct of the company, correlated with achieving rewards under an social contract (Burt
& Hupfer, 2004) or the relationship between customers, producers and image on the market (Robbins, Coulter &
Stuart - Kotze, 2003). Additionally, the survival and the success of the organization reflect, from a pragmatic
point of view, the performance achievement.

2. The relevance of the business mission (mission statement) for the business organization

An argument brought to support the idea that defining the organizational mission becomes relevant by
highlighting the concept of performance, is the one through which the concept of quality in the economic system
is correlated with the status of innovation. We consider, in particular, on the one hand, the business performance
assessment, and, on the other hand, the managerial reorganization of business activities. Moreover, the coverage
of this approach to the size of economic pragmatism implies reasons related to the judicious nature of both
assumed, behavioural model and implemented strategies. To this purpose we bring into question the idea of Gary
S. Becker with regard to the economic approach of the human behaviour. It outlines the main attributes of the
economic thinking. Starting from the idea that the economic approach is relevant because it can integrate a wide
range of human behaviour, Gary S. Becker points out that such a behaviour can be seen as a number of
participants, whose utility becomes maximum. This state of facts becomes possible by maximizing the utility
corroborated with the accumulation of optimal preferences as regards the amount of information on the market
(Becker, 1998). Therefore, a behavioural model can justify by reference to the idea of performance, respectively
that of innovation, functionality of the organization itself.
On the idea of innovation, it deserve being brought to attention the Peter F. Drucker’s observation that
emphasizes that the mission and the purpose of an organization does not involve, in particular, achieving a
benefit. While profit is important for the organization, this does not constitute the basis of behaviour and
decisions. Rather, the profit expresses certain validity criteria of what the “reason” of organization generates.
Peter F. Drucker underlines, in this context that innovation is, alongside marketing, the only and the unique
function of a business organization (Drucker, 2010). Moreover, at an organizational level, innovation should not
be considered a separate function, because its area of action extends toward all the components and specific
business activities. The existence of different forms of innovation (product/service, of market, of behaviour and
of the consumer’s values) determines an optimal exploitation of the entrepreneurial prospects in the organization.
Evaluation standards of undertaken objectives reveal a certain convergence between innovation and mission,
respectively the purpose of an organization. Therefore, innovative ideas can be the result a clear definition of
organizational mission. Also, defining the mission, says Peter F. Drucker, has as its starting point the client, the
person with different expectations and values, and the mission of an organization consists in satisfying this
request.
The dynamic interaction between business organizations and new technological changes becomes relevant to
the extent that any assignment, once set out, supports a redefinition to organizational level (Lazonick, 1994). The
326 Marius Costel Esi / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 92 (2013) 323 – 327

assumption that we take into account is the one through which the methodological approach on defining and
enunciation a business organization mission, is translated into a pragmatic plan by the means of the process of
optimization. One such example is found at the level of the designed methodology required by the process of
optimization, as regards the choice of the organizational mission (Levchuk, G.M., Levchik Y.N., Luo, J.,
Pattipati, K. R & Kleinman, D. L: 2002). It is about an agreement and an explanation, in cyber/virtual terms, of
synthetic model of organizational optimization, by representing the man-machine relationship.
The contribution made through this model consists in the elaboration and the validity of a formal method that
enables the development of a methodology, shaping and synthesizing the organizational mission. This approach
allows a complete ensuring of the success in the organizational mission, as well as its improvement, when the
failure of the mission is the result of an unproductive planning. Such a pattern reiterates, on a structural level, an
image that should take into account causal relations existing between human resources and those of technological
nature.

3. The context of the definition, evaluation and realization of a business mission

The dynamics of the economic structures and the increase of exigencies, as compared to the managerial field,
require a periodical reconsideration of the business organization's mission. Having regard to the stability premise,
it can be specified that the terms governing the mission should be standardized following an organic model for
admission. Therefore it is necessary to distinguish between the adjustment and the reformulation of a business
mission, by appealing the defining triad from the organizational program-guide of this gear unit: stability,
durability, efficiency.
The materialization of a specific business mission depends, primarily, on the degree of achievement sui
generis of strategic objectives related. However, we believe that we need to take into account its relative nature,
in relation with the context of consecution of the economic activities foreseen. In other words, we can operate
with the modification of certain aspects related to the mission’s content, as far as we attribute to the mission itself
the indicator/vector function of the proposed programs. The reformulation of the mission remains, however, a
solution for exceptional circumstances, such as major macroeconomic changes or significant reforms in this
particular sphere of activity. Under these conditions, to define and state the business organization's mission
represents the most visible part of the strategic plan (Pearce, David, 1987) assumed by managers. In conclusion,
we can notice that the demarcation line between the terms mission and vision is quite nuanced, meaning that in
the specialized literature and practice, there are clear references of a structural and functional, temporal and
pragmatic nature. In other words, these features express, from a theoretical and practical point of view, a unique
image of the conditioning between the two terms.
A prime argument that we bring consists in the fact that the economic reality requires, in the new knowledge
society, an urgent need of reorganization. This situation acquires scientific legitimacy, to the extent that the
mission and the business organizations mission’s enunciation relate to the subjective nature of their principles of
value (the axiological context). Also, the high share of everything that pertains to change, in managerial terms,
does nothing but express the need for methodological openings concerning the assumption of the entire economic
process.
We are considering, in this context, the major changes that the company knew very well over time (economic
context). In this sense, it is recognized that a new perspective of the role of business in the contemporary society
illustrates, from a management segment view, the assumption of a new scientific paradigm. Thus, the methods to
approach problems related to economic risks reveal that reality of the processes and phenomena specific for
business organization are understandable insofar as the assessment standards relate to developments within the
social system. The emergence of global economic crisis determined a rearrangement and a review of the
operating procedures specific to business organizations. This is a new method of interpretation of the business
philosophy” (epistemological/philosophical context). Under these conditions, epistemological analysis of the way
 Marius Costel Esi / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 92 (2013) 323 – 327 327

in which the organizational mission is defined, highlights a series of pragmatic and economic correlations,
designed to justify “the new business type”. As a result, the activities initiated materialize according to the
attitude of the social actors. Thus, the analysis of the mechanisms that socially enable a managerial epistemology,
reveals from a conceptual-theoretical point of view, a purely scientific substantiation.
A second argument designed to justify the need for reassessment of the business organizations system, points
to the idea of decision making process. The quality of an education system depends on the situational context, in
which the economic activities are materialized. Moreover, this methodical foundation requires an
epistemological, within which the assumed strategy plays an important role. Thus, the practice of educational
activity reveals at the social level, the expression of a distinct pragmatism.
This perspective is reintegrated within a social dimension, in which are obvious functional structures built
according to certain landmarks of value. We are considering, in this case, the reporting of the business
organization’s mission enunciation and definition, to the value marks that are found at the social level (social
context). The point we wish to emphasize is that stating and defining the organization's mission, commits the
decision-makers actors to consider those features/issues that individually/particularly manifest in society.

Conclusion

We consider that acting as systemic entity at the functional level, the organization considered as a whole
involves the assumption of an approach that relates to the idea of legitimacy in the economic pragmatism.
However, the dynamic of the economic reality underlines certain methodological explanations regarding the role
and the functions of a manager at organizational level. Moreover, the existence of a process meant to calibrate the
managerial strategies does more than to reveal how a managerial epistemology is useful to the economic reality.
Therefore, the methodical issue raised, reveals an explanatory approach that legitimates the presuppositions
regarding the acceptance of an economic pragmatism within a knowledge society.
Furthermore, entrepreneurial innovation emphasizes the acceptance of conceptual and theoretical differences,
differences which, however, reveal through communication channels the stratification of the decision making
process on different levels of reality. Thus, the ability of the socio-educational actors to understand the role of a
new disciplinary typology at the level of the knowledge society lies on the decisional substantiation of the
requirements for a valid business model.

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