How Kenyan Companies Have Positioned their Organizational Purpose in their Blueprint.

What is a Blueprint? According to the Oxford Dictionary, a Blueprint is a design/ plan or other technical drawing.

Purpose is the reason for existence

What is an Organizational Purpose? This is the basis of an organization’s mission. It is the motivating force that pulls the organization together to achieve success.

According to the purpose verse meeting survey report done between 2nd November to 9th November 2023, data for this research was ethically obtained from online sources, especially through websites, press releases, and publicly available annual reports.

The leading sectors On the purpose statement count include;

1. Manufacturing and Production (18%)
2. Media, Marketing, Advertising Agencies and Aliied (14%)
3. Banking and Investments (14%)

Other sectors like Healthcare, Aviation, Transport, Infrastructure, Logistics, Insurance, Hospitality, Tourism, Telcom, Technology, Agriculture, Fisheries, Fintechs, etc fall below 10% and hence lack organizational purpose in their blueprints.

The sectors that have managed to position organizational missions to their blueprints as compared to the organizational purpose include;

1. Retail and Distribution – Supermarkets (6%)
2. Real estate building and construction (6%)
3. Banking and Investments (6%)
4. NGO & Social Enterprise (6%)
5. Education and Training institutions (6%)
6. Cooperatives and Savings (SACCOS) (6%)

Other sectors like Energy, Oil and Gas, Mining, and Natural Resources, Telcom, Technology. ICT and Innovation, Public Service, etc have a percentage of 5%.

The sectors that have managed to position organizational vision to their blueprints as compared to the organizational purpose include;

1. Banking and Investments(6%)
2. Energy, Oil, Gas, Mining and Natural Resources (6%)
3. Manufacturing and Production (6%)
4. Public Services (6%)
5. Media, Marketing, Advertising Agencies and Allied (6%)
6. Agriculture and Fisheries (6%)

Other sectors like Professional services (Audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services), Hospitality, Tourism and Travel, Telcom, Technology, ICT and Innovation, Healthcare, Retail, Distribution, etc have a percentage of 5% and below.

There are quite several benefits to an organization being purpose-driven. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of companies can achieve it.

Let us not ignore that however, many organizations around the world, including those in Kenya, have been increasingly recognizing the importance of defining and communicating their purpose beyond just financial goals. They are integrating their purpose into their strategic plans, vision statements, and overall business strategies. The aim is often to create a more meaningful and positive impact on society and the environment while also enhancing employee engagement and customer loyalty.

Creating purpose-driven organizations can be challenging due to various barriers. Here are six common obstacles:

Short-Term Focus

• Challenge: Pressures for short-term results may divert attention from long-term purpose-driven goals, leading to decision-making based on immediate gains rather than sustainable impact.
• Solution: Encourage a balance between short-term objectives and long-term purpose, emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices and impact.

Lack of Clarity on Purpose

• Challenge: Without a clear and well-defined purpose, organizations may struggle to align their activities and goals with a meaningful mission.
• Solution: Clearly articulate and communicate the organization’s purpose, ensuring that all stakeholders understand and connect with it.

Inadequate Leadership Support:

• Challenge: Without strong leadership commitment to the organization’s purpose, driving and sustaining purpose-driven initiatives becomes challenging.
• Solution: Cultivate leadership that actively champions the organization’s purpose, demonstrating its importance through actions, decision-making, and communication.

Measurement and Accountability Issues

• Challenge: Difficulty in measuring and quantifying the impact of purpose-driven initiatives may lead to a lack of accountability.
• Solution: Develop clear metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with the organization’s purpose, and regularly evaluate and communicate progress toward those goals.

Lack of Employee Engagement

• Challenge: Employees who do not feel connected to the organization’s purpose may lack motivation and engagement.
• Solution: Involve employees in discussions about the organization’s purpose, encourage their input, and create opportunities for them to contribute to meaningful initiatives.

Addressing these barriers requires a holistic approach, involving leadership commitment, cultural changes, effective communication, and ongoing efforts to align activities with the organization’s purpose.

Leaders and organizations should not focus on short-term performance. lt will hinder their ability to focus on long-term value creation. It is crucial to understand in-depth what purpose-driven behaviors you expect from people within the organization. Communication is key in the journey towards becoming a purpose-driven organization whether internally or externally.

Conclusion:

The concept of a purpose-driven organization emphasizes the idea that businesses should have a positive impact on society and the environment and that this impact should be an integral part of the company’s identity and strategy. Organizations in Kenya can work toward laying a strong emphasis on a clear and meaningful mission that goes beyond just financial success.

The primary focus should be on contributing to a greater societal good, and the company’s activities are aligned with a broader purpose that extends beyond profit-making.

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Article written by Abigael Muthoni

Content Creator | Digital Marketer | Customer Experience Excellence Specialist | E-commerce Specialist