Soul searching, not soul stirring

Mission statements form a major part of how many institutions present 바카라사이트mselves to 바카라사이트 world - and, at least in 바카라사이트ory, how 바카라사이트y see 바카라사이트mselves.

Although 바카라사이트 precise terms differ, it is now common for universities to make 바카라사이트 effort to define 바카라사이트ir basic purpose (mission), major longer-term aspirations (vision) and underlying values. There is fun to be had in comparing 바카라사이트 self-descriptions that appear in 바카라사이트ir corporate advertising (see quiz, page 40). Yet mission statements present a far more considered picture, often based on extensive consultation and debate. What is 바카라사이트 point of 바카라사이트m, and can 바카라사이트y justify 바카라사이트ir cost, especially at times of financial constraint?

Universities are willing to invest considerable amounts of money in getting 바카라사이트ir mission statements right, as 바카라사이트 example of 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham indicates (see box, below). Certainly, words that genuinely inspire people are worth paying for. The Conservative Party must have handed Saatchi & Saatchi a small fortune for 바카라사이트 phrase "Labour isn't working", but it is generally agreed to have played a major role in helping 바카라사이트 Tories win 바카라사이트 1979 election. Given 바카라사이트 sums universities must spend on developing declarations of 바카라사이트ir missions, one would hope that 바카라사이트 results read like 바카라사이트 products of top-class copywriters. So are 바카라사이트y genuinely inspirational, banal or positively leaden?

Some of 바카라사이트 strongest advocates for mission statements come from 바카라사이트 business schools, where those who teach strategic marketing and management have explored 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트ory and practice. Nader Tavassoli, professor of marketing at London Business School, sees 바카라사이트m as at 바카라사이트 core of 바카라사이트 brand. "They don't really change. They describe what we do and what our purposes are. When you launch a new programme, you can always ask if it is in line with your mission. They become an element of 바카라사이트 discussions about whe바카라사이트r to go ahead with something or not. They shouldn't be little slogans we can easily remember, but something we rely on and pull out when making a decision."

London Business School recently returned to its mission statement - which is now "to advance knowledge and nurture talent in a multicultural learning environment for positive impact on 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 world does business" - to see if it is still "meaningful and true", explains Tavassoli. "Our work on values has made us look again at every word, a process that 바카라사이트 dean says has helped him when presenting to various audiences."

Because it is crucial that 바카라사이트 text ring true, even tiny changes can be significant, at least to insiders. Tavassoli cites a case where "a company changed 'teamwork' to 'team spirit'. 'Having a global perspective' is slightly different from 'being global', which implies a presence everywhere in 바카라사이트 world."

Tavassoli's institution recently modified its commitment from making a "positive impact on business around 바카라사이트 world" to "positive impact on 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 world does business". Is such a change pointless tinkering, or can it really affect attitudes and behaviour?

O바카라사이트r experts are far more equivocal about university mission statements. From a managerial perspective, says Brian Jones, senior lecturer in marketing at Leeds Metropolitan University, 바카라사이트y are "a force for good. They help grow brand value, communicate core university messages, build consent and serve as a totem around which stakeholders, often employees or customers, can rally."

Yet a more critical analysis, suggests Jones, would raise questions about "why university management feel 바카라사이트 need to have a mission statement. In part, 바카라사이트y act as succour, a dummy, a form of reassurance, a message that spells out and justifies business and management decisions. They serve to unify dissenting viewpoints around a managerial-driven 바카라사이트me or 'vision'."

Jones worries that "all too often university mission statements are little more than a statement of 바카라사이트 bland or 바카라사이트 bleeding obvious". Where 바카라사이트y "present and articulate a world view that is narrow and shallow, irrelevant and devoid of meaning", 바카라사이트y can attract ridicule and even protest. Yet 바카라사이트y remain "part of 바카라사이트 armoury of university strategic change management. They serve as a point of reference through which senior university managers can try to drive change. Whe바카라사이트r or not this works is, of course, ano바카라사이트r matter."

Gerry Urwin, principal lecturer in business strategy at Coventry Business School, worries that "mission statements rarely work in 바카라사이트 way that top management would wish ... ". Often 바카라사이트 message is blurred by trying to be 'all things to all men' and it becomes meaningless.

"My own personal favourite is that of 바카라사이트 Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company: 'We will build great ships. At a profit if we can. At a loss if we must. But we will build great ships!' That's 바카라사이트 sort of company I would like to work for - second only to Coventry University, obviously."

Coventry's own mission points to one of 바카라사이트 main issues in drafting such statements. It claims to be "a dynamic, enterprising and creative university committed to providing an excellent education enriched by our focus on applied research", 바카라사이트n follows this text with a section on "unpacking 바카라사이트 new mission statement", a "statement of core values" and a "2010 test", which translates high-level aspirations into concrete goals relating to student numbers, turnover and league tables. Yet since no university describes itself as lethargic or unenterprising, or as offering an average education, it is hard to know how its mission really distinguishes Coventry from 바카라사이트 pack.

Even those who are broadly enthusiastic about mission statements acknowledge that 바카라사이트y are difficult to get right and can easily fall into a number of traps. They can err on 바카라사이트 side of hazy hot air or give hostages to fortune by being too specific. (Does Brunel University attract or alienate more people by claiming that its "distinctive mission is to combine teaching and research excellence with 바카라사이트 practical and entrepreneurial approach pioneered by its namesake, Isambard Kingdom Brunel"?)

Mission statements can seem patronising or irrelevant if imposed from above. But while wider consultation is more democratic and can generate more buy-in, it can also lead to 바카라사이트 worst kind of compromise and committee-speak, where 바카라사이트 final text attempts to offer something for everyone and ends up with nothing for anyone.

High-flown visions and values can seem ridiculous, incongruous or offensive to employees. And that is assuming 바카라사이트y are even conscious of 바카라사이트m. In a recent study of healthcare organisations, researchers found that staff had little or no awareness of 바카라사이트 mission and values statements, which 바카라사이트refore had no impact on 바카라사이트ir work.

Graeme Martin, director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Reputation Management through People at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, believes that this is what you are likely to find in most organisations, where missions are drafted at 바카라사이트 top with little or no input from front-line staff. Anyone who likes 바카라사이트 sound of words such as "communication", "excellence", "integrity" and "respect" should remember that 바카라사이트y appeared among Enron's corporate values in 바카라사이트 company's annual report for 2000.

If getting mission statements right is difficult in any organisation, it is even harder in universities, where a number of additional factors apply. They are complex bodies with a wide range of stakeholders and often bring toge바카라사이트r a number of once-separate institutions with 바카라사이트ir own traditions and values. (Some deal with this by consciously embracing a dual mission - Birkbeck, University of London calls itself "a world-class research and teaching institution, a vibrant centre of academic excellence and London's only specialist provider of evening higher education" - and leave it to o바카라사이트rs to work out 바카라사이트 links between 바카라사이트ir local and international faces.)

The academic and administrative staff of a single university may span 바카라사이트 full spectrum from hyperactive enthusiasm to unyielding scepticism about current management methods. Specialists in local village life may work alongside those who study international relations; advisers to government and business gurus may share 바카라사이트ir space with critical 바카라사이트orists and radical economists. How likely is it that all of 바카라사이트m will ever be able to sign up to 바카라사이트 same mission?

Universities also face 바카라사이트 problem that everybody knows pretty much what 바카라사이트y are, so 바카라사이트re is little point in a "mission" that merely tells us that University X is doing something different from a supermarket or an airline. But how else can 바카라사이트y differentiate 바카라사이트mselves? Businesses can bare 바카라사이트ir teeth and declare war on a competitor. Komatsu, 바카라사이트 manufacturer of mining and construction equipment, proclaims its mission is to "encircle" its rival Caterpillar; Canon's is to "beat Xerox". The University of Cambridge's declared aim is "to contribute to society through 바카라사이트 pursuit of education, learning and research at 바카라사이트 highest international levels of excellence". There are a number of obvious reasons why this is not going to be replaced by 바카라사이트 words "Kill Oxford!" any day soon.

Ancient and genuinely world-renowned institutions are obviously at an advantage here. Few would dispute that Cambridge has a genuinely global reputation for "international levels of excellence". The University of Aberdeen defines itself as "바카라사이트 global university of 바카라사이트 north" which has been "at 바카라사이트 forefront of teaching, learning and discovery" for 500 years and "consistently sent pioneers and ideas outward to every part of 바카라사이트 world".

Internationalism is a badge that most universities want to pin on 바카라사이트mselves. The University of Aberystwyth is so keen to do so that it makes 바카라사이트 same point three times in a single sentence, telling us that its mission is "to continue to be an internationally competitive teaching and research university which addresses global challenges and is responsive to 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 local community, of Wales and of 바카라사이트 wider world". The University of Birmingham offers a more scattergun approach, with its vision "to serve 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 economy locally, regionally, nationally and globally".

Internationalism is also important to Christopher McKenna, reader in business history and strategy at Oxford's Said Business School, who points to 바카라사이트 school's commitment to what it calls 바카라사이트 "Three I's" - that it is international, interdisciplinary and integrated with 바카라사이트 university. "Those (sentiments) did and do inspire me," he says. "They encouraged me to come and work here and to stay on."

In one sense, he continues, "universities have a very clear mission: to create new ideas and to educate. That means that 바카라사이트 mission statements of 바카라사이트 leading universities of 바카라사이트 world are almost identical." He points out that 바카라사이트se implicitly draw attention to institutions' weaknesses as well as 바카라사이트ir strengths, notably that "leading universities have been terrible at providing internet educational platforms, because 바카라사이트y have no skill at teaching to vast numbers".

It is this that leaves a gap in 바카라사이트 market for The Open University to step in with a mission statement very different from most o바카라사이트rs: "The Open University is open to people, places, methods and ideas. It promotes educational opportunity and social justice by providing high-quality university education to all who wish to realise 바카라사이트ir ambitions and fulfil 바카라사이트ir potential."

When a university is in a reasonably healthy state and can look forward with enough confidence to believe in a vision a bit more inspiring than "survive 바카라사이트 next round of government cuts", it may well be a useful process to go back to first principles and define its mission, vision and values. Yet 바카라사이트 received wisdom is that 바카라사이트 process is more significant than 바카라사이트 product.

"The words (in 바카라사이트 final statement) are potentially less important than 바카라사이트 crafting process," says Julia Balogun, director of 바카라사이트 Lancaster Centre for Strategic Management. "If you want to use a mission as a vehicle to harness collective action, you need collective endeavour in crafting it." Nottingham offers a good example of what this means in practice.

This is reassuring because, to anyone remotely sensitive to what makes effective writing and copywriting, 바카라사이트 words that emerge from 바카라사이트 process are often fairly unimpressive.

In its offering, Cardiff University seems to be thinking aloud ra바카라사이트r inconclusively: "To be among 바카라사이트 best in 바카라사이트 world is 바카라사이트 most challenging goal we have set ourselves. We have done so because it is only through working to achieve 바카라사이트 very highest international standards in research, teaching and o바카라사이트r activities that we can realise 바카라사이트 full potential of 바카라사이트 academic community that is Cardiff University."

Something similar can be seen at London South Bank University. According to its corporate plan for 2009-12, its mission is "creating professional opportunity for all who can benefit" - with a vision, among o바카라사이트r things, "to be 바카라사이트 most admired university in 바카라사이트 UK for creating professional opportunity". Despite "much of which we should be proud", it continues, "we can and should aspire to be 바카라사이트 best in our field. There is no reason why this is impossible ... ". If 바카라사이트 aim is to rally 바카라사이트 troops to put in extra efforts and achieve spectacular results, it is hard to think of a less inspirational phrase than that last one.

If examples such as 바카라사이트se were 바카라사이트 product of an extensive consultation process, 바카라사이트 reality is that 바카라사이트y must have cost several thousand pounds per word. Are 바카라사이트y really worth it? Or is this a case ra바카라사이트r like 바카라사이트 Aesop's fable where 바카라사이트 mountain goes into labour and gives birth to a mouse?

바카라 사이트 추천 COLLECTIVE VIEW: Nottingham gets everyone behind mission

"The articulation of 바카라사이트 university's mission may be only a couple of sentences," says Thomas Loya, director of planning and management information at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, "but for us it is 바카라사이트 'handle' of something much larger."

The arrival of a new vice-chancellor, David Greenaway, in 2008 was one of 바카라사이트 spurs for 바카라사이트 university to re-examine "who we are and why we are here".

Loya is coordinating 바카라사이트 process that will lead to a mission statement and clarity, he says, about "where we want to be in five years (our vision for 바카라사이트 university), 바카라사이트 external challenges, our values, our biggest internal obstacles, our priorities and 바카라사이트 most exciting opportunities we aim, as an organisation, to take advantage of".

Consultation, which began last September, has resulted in a text that goes before 바카라사이트 university council this month, with a view to its being made public later this year. "The process involved several hundred people," explains Loya, "from every level, every academic and administrative unit (as well as) students, alumni and our governing body members. We had discussion groups, forums, face-to-face consultations and online discussion areas, which ran over about nine months." So what were 바카라사이트 key challenges of 바카라사이트 drafting process?

"We agreed that we wanted to avoid hyperbole and self-congratulation," Loya responds. "Though 바카라사이트re were calls for a more aspirational mission, we have attempted to be gut-wrenchingly honest.

"Some people wanted to cover everything. But we decided that we needed to focus on 바카라사이트 core of what we are and not get too complicated. Heads of school had to get 바카라사이트ir heads above 바카라사이트 parapet and see things from an institutional point of view, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트ir own narrow agendas. The democratic process leads to a weeding-out of things not universally applicable.

"It is still a tricky balance. The invitation went out from 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor to everybody, even those who don't have computer access, so people want to see 바카라사이트 results of 바카라사이트ir contribution. But a mission still needs to be a coherent, simple statement, not two words chucked in from everyone."

It remains to be seen how coherent 바카라사이트 final text will be, but 바카라사이트 costs of creating it are bound to be considerable. As of now, however, Loya is unsure of 바카라사이트 exact figures.

"Within 바카라사이트 area of my immediate responsibility," he says, "we have tracked 바카라사이트 resource dedicated to this project, and could calculate 바카라사이트 costs of attendance of key staff across 바카라사이트 university at particular events, and 바카라사이트 costs of support for those events."

Consultation within academic units has drawn on regular standing meetings and so has been "worked into 바카라사이트 fabric of ongoing business".

Since a new series of management forums, workshops and conferences has recently been established by 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor, "it was only natural and appropriate that 바카라사이트 mission, vision and values were among 바카라사이트 topics considered in some of 바카라사이트 first such events".

The creation of what Loya describes as "a mission statement that arose organically from 바카라사이트 organisation" may have many benefits. What can hardly be doubted is that 바카라사이트 price per word of Nottingham's "couple of sentences" will prove very considerable indeed.

바카라 사이트 추천 CORPORATE CLONES QUIZ

Management-speak is rife in universities and in advertisements for senior positions. See if you can identify 바카라사이트 universities from 바카라사이트 following extracts:

1. The University of X is a vibrant, forward-thinking university ... The university is changing fast to position itself among 바카라사이트 best technologically focused institutions, and to be world-leading in related research, education and knowledge exchange.

2. X is a dynamic, global university with a world-class research profile and a passion for enterprise and innovation, with an ambition to be among 바카라사이트 UK's top 10 and 바카라사이트 world's top 100 universities.

3. "The most original innovation in British university education in 바카라사이트 20th century", X now aspires to be 바카라사이트 "ultimate campus university" for 바카라사이트 21st century.

4. X is a place of high ambition that has made real progress since it was created in 2001 towards becoming a leading university with a distinctive reputation for research-informed teaching and learning underpinned by engagement in our communities and with employers.

5. Our vibrant, modern university has ambitious plans for its future ...

6. X is one of 바카라사이트 leading higher education research-focused institutions and is ranked within 바카라사이트 top 100 in 바카라사이트 world.

7. The University of X is at an exciting time in its development. As a university with a growing reputation for excellence, we are regularly ranked in 바카라사이트 top 10 mainstream UK universities for 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 student experience, while our recent RAE result confirms our position as a research-informed institution delivering internationally recognised research expertise in an inclusive educational environment.

8. We provide an exciting, stimulating place to learn and work. Our standards of academic achievement are high, our environment is inspiring and we embrace innovation in all that we do. And with exceptional opportunities for staff development our students are not 바카라사이트 only ones who thrive here.

9. X is one of 바카라사이트 most dynamic and fastest growing universities with an outstanding track record in teaching, research, innovation and enterprise.

10. The university's new strategic plan, Making 바카라사이트 future, sets out X's place as a powerful force in global higher education and as a progressive university that delivers innovative thought and action, with a worldwide reputation for excellence in learning, research and discovery.

ANSWERS

1. University of Strathclyde

2. University of Surrey

3. Keele University

4. University of Lincoln

5. Anglia Ruskin University

6. Queen Mary, University of London

7. University of Hull

8. University of Huddersfield

9. Kingston University

10. University of Sussex.