Mission and organizational performance in the healthcare industry.

Healthcare is a rapidly evolving industry where firms face constantly changing conditions and an ever-increasing demand for services. As competition in this sector continues to grow, managers must assess their organizations and develop methods to improve firm performance and productivity. Successful managers are constantly searching for tools that will motivate their employees to perform at the highest possible level. An increasing amount of literature points to the mission statement as a valuable tool for managers to use to improve organizational performance and increase employee motivation. This article examines the key elements of the organizational mission statement and discusses their significance in relation to firm performance in the healthcare industry. First, the elements of a mission statement will be identified and the relationship of these elements to both organizational success and employee motivation will be discussed. Second, the general mission development process and its most critical features will be considered. Third, specific mission statements from a sample of healthcare organizations will be identified and analyzed using an integrated analytical framework based on the literature. Finally, the significance of the material presented will be considered followed by suggestions for future mission statement development and evaluation.