Analyzing Corporate Mission Statements in Developing Countries: The Case of Saudi Arabia

The focus of this dissertation study is to analyze corporate mission statements in developing countries from two aspects: content and effectiveness. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is selected as a case study of a developing country. The study compares the main components found in mission statements of Saudi companies to those found in mission statements of North American and European companies. It investigates if the nine mission components outlined by Pearce and David in 1987 and David in 1989 reflect the current state of mission statements in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the study investigates whether Saudi mission statements are effective or not. It analyzes the correlation in Saudi Arabia between organizational financial performance from one side, and quality and components of mission statements from the other.