Capstone Forum: Assignment With Peer Review: Evaluation of the
Mission, Vision, and Values of an Organization: The Soulful Purpose
in Action
This week, you begin to build your Strategy Playbook for your
chosen Capstone organization. You will begin this process by
evaluating what Wolfe calls the “Context Field,” or level of
analysis, of the organization. As Wolfe explains (2011, pp. 81?84):
Within organizations, the Context field is often incorrectly
referred to as the culture of the organization. It is this but is
also much more. Culture is part of Context but not all of it.
Context is certainly much more than the “do’s and don’ts” we
associate with the word culture in our society. It’s even more than
the mores and shared values we spend so much time dissecting and
diagramming. It’s the sum total of all our shared stories, the
mythology we MAKE UP TOexplain our world to ourselves and to
others.
As such, it is not something that we can easily observe or
measure but it literally defines “how we do things around here.” An
organization and the individuals within it cannot behave or operate
in ways that are contrary to the Context framework defining the
organization. . .
The Context Field contains energy associated with meaning and
purpose. It is the energy that drives what is known in today’s
business environment as engagement.
In traditional strategy terms, evaluating the “Context Field”
of an organization is related to the evaluation of the
organization’s stated, and lived, mission, vision, and values (if
they have them stated). The analysis of the Context Field derives
from developing answers to a probing set of questions that are
intended to help you better understand the goals, ambitions,
values, and long-term soulful purpose of the organization.
Understanding these issues sets the context and lens from which to
better understand how to shape your Strategy Playbook when you
complete later analyses in the course. It also affords you the
opportunity to recommend ways in which these IMPORTANT context
elements (mission, vision and values) could be improved. This
week’s focus question for your Strategy Playbook is, what is your
winning aspiration? (What do you stand for and believe deeply in?)
To prepare for this Discussion:
Review all required readings, including the Weekly BRIEFING,
which provides additional guidance on how to complete the
Assignment.
Review this week’s case study and peer discussion.
Identify and review all relevant readings from the Capstone
Program Bibliography.
Locate and maintain access to publicly available information
about the organization’s mission, vision, and values. This
information should be available in:
Annual reports
The organization’s official website
Synthesize your answers to the following analytic questions
as part of your formal assignment response. That means you should
answer each question, then you should take your overall conclusions
about your responses to write your response to the formal
assignment below:
What is the fundamental purpose of the organization (beyond
“making money”)? Why does it exist and what problems does it solve
in the world? (See Wolfe, 2009, pp. 121?128)
Would the world be a better place if this organization no
longer existed? Why or why not? (See Wolfe, 2009, pp. 121?128)
Has the company been consistent and true toward achieving its
purpose and vision over the years? Is it still consistent now? How?
What could it do better?
Are organization-wide goals stated merely in terms of market
growth or financial outcomes for a year or two? Are there any more
broad, stakeholder-related goals or “balanced scorecard” goals? How
should they improve in this area (what goals should they have and
why)?
Do the stated mission and/or vision statements address all of
the fundamental stakeholders explicitly (at an absolute minimum
this should include employees, customers, shareholders)?
Are the organization’s fundamental (soulful) purpose,
mission, vision, and values aligned explicitly with one another,
and with the actions of the organization?
Consider what you learned from the James Houghton and
Signature Theatre case study that you can apply to your chosen
organization.
By Day 5, post a polished and synthesized evaluation of your
chosen organization’s stated mission, vision, and values
statements. At a minimum you should address:
Do the stated mission, vision, and values provide a strong
foundation from which to clearly understand the organization’s
Soulful Purpose? How and Why?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the stated mission,
vision and values? Why?
What revisions would you make to strengthen them (if
necessary), and why? If you do not have recommendations, explain
why you think the current stated mission, vision, and values are
appropriate without revision and what criteria you suggest that
organization use to evaluate those periodically so it can ensure
that they remain relevant.
Be sure to back your evaluation with evidence and with
reference to best practices from the case study, required readings,
and relevant readings from the Capstone Program Bibliography.
If the organization you are studying does not have formal
mission, vision or value statements, create a draft of each, based
on the application of your research and analysis of your company.
Then explain why your version makes sense.
General Guidance: Your original Discussion post for the
Capstone Forum will typically be 1 to 1 ? single-spaced pages,
excluding references. Refer to the Week 2 Discussion 2 rubric for
grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use the rubric
to assess your work.
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